Orchard Lake Water Damage Restoration

The median Orchard Lake Village home was built in 1982.

The largest age group is 252 homes built from 1980 to 1989, followed by 156 from 1970 to 1979 and 116 from 1990 to 1999 (837 housing units in all).

About 155 of 837 homes were built before 1960: 93 in the 1950s, 32 in the 1940s and 30 in 1939 or earlier.

Owner-occupied homes number 753 and rented homes number 23 among 776 occupied homes.

Nearly every home is a detached house: 827 of 837 housing units, plus 3 attached units and 7 mobile homes.

Utility gas heats 731 of 776 occupied homes. Electricity heats 27 and propane or tank gas heats 5.

The median value of an owner-occupied home is $737,000, and 61 of 837 housing units are vacant.

On December 8, 1964 residents voted to change from a village to a city. The city charter gives governing power to a seven-member elected council.

The city sits in three watersheds. Excess storm water from Orchard Lake and Cass Lake flows northeast as part of the Clinton River Watershed.

Upper Straits Lake drains west and south to the Huron River Watershed. A small area in the southeast corner of the city drains to the Rouge River Watershed.

The city says minimizing storm water runoff is a key tool to protect lake water quality, because runoff is a primary source of pollutants in the lakes.

The county Water Resources Commissioner sets and maintains normal lake levels by court order under Part 307 of Act 59 of 1995, and runs 36 lake level control structures.

In May 2014 spring flooding after a heavy winter pushed a floating driveway bridge under water on Commerce Road between Cass Lake and Orchard Lake, cutting off part of the driveway.

The city contracts with the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner (WRC) to operate, maintain and bill its sanitary sewer and public water system.

The city offers a secondary water meter for outdoor use. Water through it is charged for water only, not sewage treatment. Irrigation from the lake or a well gets no benefit.

The county reports no lead or copper in the source water and no known lead service lines in the Orchard Lake Village water system.

Discolored water is explained on the county page as settled sediment disturbed in the lines. Residents can call 248-858-0958 about water pressure.

City demolition rules list DTE Energy and Consumers Energy among the utilities that must be shut off and capped before a house is torn down.

The city requires zoning, electrical and mechanical permits for a whole-house generator and says the work must follow the 2015 Michigan Residential Code and the 2014 National Electrical Code edition.

NOAA recorded a 70-knot thunderstorm wind event in Orchard Lake Village on August 20, 2011. The record says dozens of large branches and trees came down and greenhouses had scattered roof and minor structural damage.

NOAA logged 1-inch hail in Orchard Lake Village on August 24, 2011.

Two separate 1-inch hail reports came from Orchard Lake Village during the July 4, 2012 storms, at 6:05 pm and 6:27 pm.

On July 19, 2013 a 12-inch diameter tree was reported blown down in Orchard Lake Village in a 50-knot thunderstorm wind event.

On June 25, 2023 a 55-knot thunderstorm wind event put a large tree and many limbs down on a road in Orchard Lake Village.

The city's residential permit guide says work is regulated by the 2015 Michigan Residential Building Code and city ordinances.

The Building Department enforces state codes and city ordinances. It asks owners to call before changing a property. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Permit forms on the city site include building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, water and sewer, demolition, tree removal and fire protection permits.

A water and sewer permit costs $50 for a sewer connection and $40 to $65 for a water service by pipe size. Each inspection costs $50.

Demolition needs a permit, a site plan and capped utilities. A soil erosion permit from the county is required within 500 feet of a lake, river or stream.

Demolition rules also require registered-mail letters to adjacent homeowners and grading of the vacant lot to match surrounding grade.

New residential construction needs inspections at the foundation, basement wall steel, drain tile and damp-proofing before backfill, and underground plumbing. A certificate of occupancy comes only after all progress inspections pass.

Inspection requests go to the Building Department at 248-682-2400 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, at least 24 hours before the wanted time.

For a water or sewer emergency at any hour, call the county Water Resources Commissioner 24-hour line at 248-624-6366.

The county 24-hour pollution hotline is 248-858-0931. The WRC main number is 248-858-0958 and billing questions go to 248-858-1110.

Police non-emergency dispatch is 248-975-9200 and emergencies go to 911. The department has eleven full-time sworn officers.

Residents can sign up for Nixle police alerts by texting their zip code to 888777.