Every town writes its own rules, and Battle Creek, Michigan's live in its municipal code — 231 chapters covering day-to-day questions like fences, parking, pets, permits and property upkeep. Below is the full map of what the code covers.
Ask Battle Creek, Michigan's code a questionWhat's in the Battle Creek, Michigan code
- 1. Battle Creek, Michigan
- 2. CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN
- 3. CITY OF BATTLE CREEK DIRECTORY OF OFFICIALS (2026)
- 4. EDITOR’S NOTE
- 5. COMPARATIVE SECTION TABLE
- 6. TABLES OF SPECIAL ORDINANCES
- 7. TABLE A - FRANCHISES
- 8. TABLE B - EASEMENTS
- 9. TABLE C - VACATING OF STREETS AND ALLEYS
- 10. TABLE D - DEDICATION AND PLAT APPROVAL
- 11. TABLE E - ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF REAL PROPERTY
- 12. TABLE F - LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY
- 13. TABLE G - STREET GRADE LEVELS AND CHANGE OF STREET NAME
- 14. TABLE H - ANNEXATION AND DETACHMENT OF TERRITORY
- 15. TABLE I - ZONING MAP CHANGES
- 16. CHARTER OF THE CITY OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN
- 17. PREAMBLE
- 18. CHAPTER 1: INCORPORATION AND POWERS
- 19. CHAPTER 2: COMMISSION
- 20. CHAPTER 3: ELECTIONS
- 21. CHAPTER 4: LEGISLATION
- 22. CHAPTER 5: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
- 23. CHAPTER 6: MUNICIPAL COURT
- 24. CHAPTER 7: FINANCES, BUDGETS, CONTRACTS
- 25. CHAPTER 8: TAXATION
- 26. CHAPTER 9: SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
- 27. CHAPTER 10: BORROWING
- 28. CHAPTER 11: UTILITIES, FRANCHISES AND PERMITS
- 29. CHAPTER 12: MISCELLANEOUS
- 30. CHAPTER 13: SCHEDULE
- 31. EXHIBIT "A" Boundaries As of July 1, 1960
- 32. RESOLUTION OF ADOPTION
- 33. APPROVAL OF GOVERNOR
- 34. TITLE TWO - General Provisions
- 35. CHAPTER 202 Codified Ordinances
- 36. CHAPTER 204 Official Standards
- 37. CHAPTER 206 Wards and Boundaries
- 38. CHAPTER 208 Purchasing, Contracts and Sales
- 39. CHAPTER 210 Continuity of Government
- 40. TITLE FOUR - Legislation
- 41. CHAPTER 212 City Commission; Mayor
- 42. CHAPTER 214 Discrimination Prohibited
- 43. CHAPTER 216 Special Assessments
- 44. CHAPTER 218 Cost Recovery for Emergency Responses
- 45. TITLE SIX - Administration
- 46. CHAPTER 220 Administration Generally
- 47. CHAPTER 222 City Manager
- 48. CHAPTER 224 City Clerk
- 49. CHAPTER 226 City Treasurer
- 50. CHAPTER 228 City Assessor
- 51. CHAPTER 230 City Comptroller
- 52. CHAPTER 232 City Attorney
- 53. CHAPTER 234 Personnel Department
- 54. CHAPTER 236 Department of Emergency Service
- 55. CHAPTER 238 Department of Public Works
- 56. CHAPTER 240 Department of Parks and Recreation
- 57. CHAPTER 242 Department of Planning
- 58. CHAPTER 244 Transportation Departments
- 59. CHAPTER 246 Building Inspection Department
- 60. CHAPTER 248 Community/Human Relations Department
- 61. CHAPTER 250 Police Department
- 62. CHAPTER 252 Fire Department
- 63. CHAPTER 254 Planning and Community Development Department
- 64. TITLE EIGHT - Boards, Commissions, Committees and Authorities
- 65. CHAPTER 256 Boards, Commissions and Committees Generally
- 66. CHAPTER 258 Planning Commission
- 67. CHAPTER 260 Zoning Board of Appeals
- 68. CHAPTER 262 Board of Review
- 69. CHAPTER 264 Housing Commission
- 70. CHAPTER 266 Housing Board of Appeals
- 71. CHAPTER 268 Building Code Board of Appeals
- 72. CHAPTER 270 Construction Board of Appeals
- 73. CHAPTER 272 Plumbing Board of Appeals
- 74. CHAPTER 274 Human Relations Board
- 75. CHAPTER 275 Local Officers Compensation Commission
- 76. CHAPTER 276 Downtown Development Authority
- 77. CHAPTER 278 Board of Canvassers
- 78. CHAPTER 280 Election Commission
- 79. CHAPTER 282 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
- 80. CHAPTER 283 Public Nuisance Abatement Committee
- 81. CHAPTER 284 Battle Creek Unlimited Development Review Board
- 82. CHAPTER 285 Battle Creek Historic District Commission
- 83. CHAPTER 286 Community Oversight Board
- 84. CHAPTER 287 Special Assessment Review Board
- 85. TITLE TEN - Employment Provisions
- 86. CHAPTER 288 Definitions; Classification Plan
- 87. CHAPTER 290 Compensation Plan
- 88. CHAPTER 292 Recruitment and Employment
- 89. CHAPTER 294 General Personnel Regulations
- 90. CHAPTER 296 Responsibilities, Discipline and Separations
- 91. TITLE TWELVE - Judiciary
- 92. CHAPTER 298 Municipal Court
- 93. PART FOUR - TRAFFIC CODE
- 94. CHAPTER 420 Parking Violations Bureau
- 95. CHAPTER 430 Snow Emergencies
- 96. CHAPTER 440 Truck Routes
- 97. CHAPTER 450 Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs)
- 98. CHAPTER 460 Motor Carrier Safety
- 99. PART SIX - GENERAL OFFENSES CODE
- 100. CHAPTER 608 Animals
- 101. CHAPTER 618 Disorderly Conduct
- 102. CHAPTER 620 Drugs
- 103. CHAPTER 624 Fair Housing
- 104. CHAPTER 636 Junk Vehicles
- 105. CHAPTER 640 Labor Disputes
- 106. CHAPTER 642 Littering
- 107. CHAPTER 650 Manufactured Fertilizer
- 108. CHAPTER 652 Nuisances
- 109. CHAPTER 656 Offenses Relating to Property
- 110. CHAPTER 660 Peace Disturbances
- 111. CHAPTER 662 Public Nuisance Abatement
- 112. CHAPTER 668 Railroads
- 113. CHAPTER 672 Safety, Sanitation and Health
- 114. CHAPTER 676 Schools
- 115. CHAPTER 692 Weeds and Noxious Vegetation
- 116. CHAPTER 694 Youth and Minor Offenses
- 117. TITLE TWO - Business Regulation
- 118. CHAPTER 802 Licensing in General; Fees, Bonds and Insurance
- 119. CHAPTER 803 Alarm Systems
- 120. CHAPTER 804 Ambulance Services
- 121. CHAPTER 805 Amusement Devices
- 122. CHAPTER 806 Auctions and Auctioneers
- 123. CHAPTER 808 Bowling Alleys
- 124. CHAPTER 810 Cable Television
- 125. CHAPTER 812 Carnivals and Shows
- 126. CHAPTER 814 Downtown Business District Regulations
- 127. CHAPTER 815 Special Events
- 128. CHAPTER 816 Circuses
- 129. CHAPTER 817 Commercial Quadricycles
- 130. CHAPTER 818 Hotel, Motel, and Tourist Home
- 131. CHAPTER 819 Electric Skateboards/Electric Scooters
- 132. CHAPTER 820 Commercial Airlines
- 133. CHAPTER 822 Commercial Businesses
- 134. CHAPTER 824 Dances and Dance Halls
- 135. CHAPTER 826 Fumigators
- 136. CHAPTER 827 Garage Sales
- 137. CHAPTER 828 Gasoline Stations
- 138. CHAPTER 829 Limousine Services
- 139. CHAPTER 830 Mechanical Amusement Devices
- 140. CHAPTER 831 Liquor Licenses
- 141. CHAPTER 832 Mechanical Amusement Rides
- 142. CHAPTER 833 Medical Marihuana Facilities
- 143. CHAPTER 834 Open Parking Stations
- 144. CHAPTER 835 Adult Use Marihuana Establishments
- 145. CHAPTER 836 Pawnbrokers; Secondhand Goods and Junk Dealers
- 146. CHAPTER 838 Peddlers
- 147. CHAPTER 840 Pool and Billiard Rooms
- 148. CHAPTER 841 Precious Metal and Gem Dealers
- 149. CHAPTER 842 Rental Housing
- 150. CHAPTER 844 Shooting Galleries, Target Areas and Gun Clubs
- 151. CHAPTER 845 Sidewalk Cafes
- 152. CHAPTER 846 Skating Rinks
- 153. CHAPTER 848 Solicitors
- 154. CHAPTER 850 Taxicabs
- 155. CHAPTER 852 Tent Shows and Meetings
- 156. CHAPTER 854 Theaters
- 157. CHAPTER 856 Theme and Recreation Parks
- 158. CHAPTER 858 Transient Merchants
- 159. CHAPTER 860 Tree Trimming, Cutting or Removing
- 160. CHAPTER 862 Used Motor Vehicle Sales Lots
- 161. CHAPTER 864 Vendors
- 162. CHAPTER 866 Drop Boxes
- 163. TITLE FOUR - Taxation
- 164. CHAPTER 880 City Income Tax
- 165. CHAPTER 882 Real Estate Taxation
- 166. CHAPTER 883 Renaissance Zones
- 167. CHAPTER 884 Tax Abatement and Increment
- 168. TITLE TWO - Street and Sidewalk Areas
- 169. CHAPTER 1020 Streets and Excavations
- 170. CHAPTER 1022 Sidewalks
- 171. CHAPTER 1024 Curb Cuts
- 172. CHAPTER 1026 Trees
- 173. TITLE FOUR - Utilities
- 174. CHAPTER 1040 Water and Sewer
- 175. CHAPTER 1041 Wellhead Protection
- 176. CHAPTER 1042 Sewers
- 177. CHAPTER 1044 Gas
- 178. CHAPTER 1046 Electricity
- 179. CHAPTER 1047 Non-Storm Water Discharge
- 180. CHAPTER 1048 Stormwater Management
- 181. CHAPTER 1049 Telecommunications
- 182. CHAPTER 1050 Video Service Provider Right-of-Way Management
- 183. TITLE SIX - Other Public Services
- 184. CHAPTER 1060 Parks and Public Grounds
- 185. CHAPTER 1062 Battle Creek Transit System
- 186. CHAPTER 1064 Garbage and Rubbish Collection and Disposal
- 187. CHAPTER 1066 Public Services, Programs and Activities
- 188. CHAPTER 1068 Goguac Lake
- 189. CHAPTER 1070 Cemeteries
- 190. TITLE TWO - Planning (Repealed)
- 191. TITLE FOUR - Subdivision Regulations (Repealed)
- 192. TITLE SIX - Zoning
- 193. CHAPTER 1230 Title, Purpose, and Scope
- 194. CHAPTER 1240 Zoning Districts and Map
- 195. CHAPTER 1241 Schedule of Regulations
- 196. CHAPTER 1250 Supplemental Zoning District Standards
- 197. CHAPTER 1251 Standards Applicable to Specific Uses
- 198. CHAPTER 1260 General Provisions
- 199. CHAPTER 1261 Parking, Loading and Access Management
- 200. CHAPTER 1262 Landscaping and Screening
- 201. CHAPTER 1263 Signs
- 202. CHAPTER 1270 Nonconformities
- 203. CHAPTER 1280 Administrative Organization
- 204. CHAPTER 1281 Administrative Procedures
- 205. CHAPTER 1290 Violations, Penalties, and Enforcement
- 206. TITLE TWO - Building Standards
- 207. CHAPTER 1420 State Construction Code
- 208. CHAPTER 1422 Electrical Code
- 209. CHAPTER 1424 Plumbing, Water Supply, Drainage and Gas Piping Code
- 210. CHAPTER 1426 Mechanical Code
- 211. TITLE FOUR - Miscellaneous Building Regulations
- 212. CHAPTER 1440 Demolition and Moving of Buildings
- 213. CHAPTER 1441 Emergency Measures
- 214. CHAPTER 1442 Flood Hazards
- 215. CHAPTER 1444 Incinerators
- 216. CHAPTER 1445 Numbering of Buildings
- 217. CHAPTER 1448 Signs
- 218. CHAPTER 1450 Property Maintenance Code
- 219. CHAPTER 1452 Swimming Pools
- 220. CHAPTER 1454 Dangerous Buildings
- 221. CHAPTER 1456 Vacant or Abandoned Structures
- 222. TITLE SIX - Housing and Urban Redevelopment
- 223. CHAPTER 1460 Minimum Standards (Repealed)
- 224. CHAPTER 1462 Administration, Enforcement and Penalty
- 225. CHAPTER 1463 Rental Housing (Repealed)
- 226. CHAPTER 1464 Board of Appeals
- 227. CHAPTER 1466 Urban Redevelopment Corporations
- 228. CHAPTER 1468 House Trailers
- 229. CHAPTER 1470 Historic Preservation
- 230. PART SIXTEEN - FIRE PREVENTION CODE
- 231. CHAPTER 1620 Fire Prevention Bureau