Building Department Services

Royal Oak Township is a community measuring one square mile nestled at the southern border of Oakland County adjacent to Ferndale, Michigan. As the Township Planner for several years, McKenna had earned the trust and respect of local officials. Those officials approached McKenna when they received a letter from the State of Michigan stating that they would be taking over the Township’s Building Department if they didn’t make significant improvements with respect to department operations. McKenna was quickly able to put a complete and efficient process in place that allowed the Township to provide professional plan reviews and inspections. The system included a process manual, online forms and applications, and a new fee schedule. McKenna has been reliable in providing plan reviews, code enforcement and building inspections through flexible availability based on the limited volume of development within the community.

Plan Review

By having access to highly trained and certified plan reviewers in varying fields, McKenna has administered thorough and consistent review of projects in residential, commercial, industrial, and public areas. Our reviewers’ knowledge of codes, combined with our adjustable scheduling abilities, has allowed applicants to commence work on construction projects as quickly as possible.

Inspections

McKenna inspectors provide a wide variety of inspection services to the Township including: Building and Trades (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Prevention), Rental and Vacant Properties, Reuse and Re-occupancy, and State and Federal Grant Programs. Given the low quantity of inspections in the Township, our inspectors remain flexible in order to accommodate resident needs on a weekly basis.

Code Enforcement

The Township was committed to maintaining and improving neighborhood conditions. To accomplish this, the Township retained McKenna to provide code enforcement services, funded with CDBG funds. Through collaboration with Township Administration and residents, McKenna Code Enforcement Officers have been able to proactively educate residents about the various State and Township property maintenance codes with respect. Benefits of code compliance include increased property values and community attractiveness to visitors, future home buyers, and businesses. Our Code Officers see those benefits as goals and approach every inspection with the desire to strengthen the community.