City of Alpena

Alpena County, Michigan

Last verified September 17, 2026

City of Alpena is a jurisdiction in Alpena County, Michigan, which does not currently list an online permit database — contact the department directly by phone or email. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Contact

Phone: 989-354-1760
Email: chrish@alpena.mi.us
Department Site: Planning, Development, Zoning & Building Safety Department (opens in a new tab)

Source: alpena.mi.us (opens in a new tab)

Permit Search

No online permit database on file — contact the department directly by phone or email.

Certificate Holder Mailing Address

City of Alpena, City Hall - Basement Level
208 N. First Avenue
Alpena, MI 49707

Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Additional Notes

Key staff (all confirmed on alpena.mi.us): Planning, Development & Zoning Director Montiel Birmingham (989-354-1771, montielb@alpena.mi.us); Building Division Manager/Inspector/Plan Reviewer Chris Hatch (989-354-1762, chrish@alpena.mi.us); Building Official Don Gilmet (989-354-1761, donaldg@alpena.mi.us). No online permit-search database (e.g. BS&A) was found for the City. The City's site references a 'Joint Statement from the City of Alpena and Charter Township of Alpena' and an associated RFP, but the linked documents were not accessible to confirm details -- flagging as a possible future shared-services arrangement between the City and the separate Charter Township of Alpena that could not be verified; this is a hedge, not a confirmed fact.

What You Need Before Applying for a Permit

Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — City of Alpena's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.

Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.