HB 5529

Updating the Land Division Act to Allow Small Residential Lots

House Bill 5529 modernizes Michigan’s land division process to cap municipal minimum parcel size requirements to 1,500 square feet in areas served by public water and sewer.

Today, many communities effectively require large lot sizes even in fully serviced areas. Those minimums raise housing costs, limit infill development, and prevent smaller, more affordable homes from being built. HB 5529 addresses that barrier while maintaining infrastructure and legal safeguards.

What the bill does

Prohibits municipalities from requiring a minimum parcel size greater than 1,500 square feet for a detached single-family home if the lot:

• Is accessible, and

• Will be served by public water and public sewer.

• Applies the same 1,500 square-foot minimum standard to platted subdivisions served by public infrastructure.

Maintains existing requirements for:

• Legal descriptions and parcel mapping

• Road access

• Utility easements

• Tax certification or apportionment

• Compliance with statutory division limits

Clarifies administrative procedures related to transferring division rights and deed disclosures.

Why this matters

Large minimum lot sizes are one of the most powerful but least visible drivers of housing scarcity. Even in areas with full urban infrastructure, current rules often require far more land per home than is necessary for safety or functionality.

HB 5529 makes it possible to:

• Build smaller, more affordable homes in serviced areas

• Support infill development and compact neighborhoods

• Reduce land costs per home

• Allow more efficient use of public infrastructure

By aligning lot size requirements with existing sewer and water capacity, the bill lowers a major structural barrier to housing production without eliminating review authority or safety protections.

• Updates

  2/18/2026: Introduced by Representative Kristian Grant

  Referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform

• Sponsors

  Kristian Grant (District 82)

  Stephen Wooden (District 81)

  Joseph Aragona (District 60)

  Carrie Rheingans (District 47)

  Reggie Miller (District 31)

• Resources

  Official Text