What are the rules and risks of building or renovating on a Lake Michigan bluff?

What are the rules and risks of building or renovating on a Lake Michigan bluff?

Bluff work is high-stakes: permits + geology + water are the boss. In Michigan, if the parcel is in a High Risk Erosion Area, a permit can be required for structures and major work—even if you’re not right at the edge.

Michigan side: the big regulatory headline

• High Risk Erosion Areas (HREA): EGLE notes permits are required for construction of structures on HREA parcels, with common triggers like homes/additions/septic/substantial reconstruction.

• Shoreline management: certain shore protection / shoreline activities require EGLE permits.

Indiana side: the big regulatory headline

• Indiana DNR requires prior approval for permanent structures in navigable waterways or Lake Michigan under state water regulations.

Bluff risk checklist (don’t skip these)

• Geotech report (slope stability, soil type, groundwater pathways)

• Stormwater plan (roof runoff and drainage can accelerate bluff failure)

• Setback math (what’s buildable now vs “rebuildable later”)

• Insurance reality (wind, flood, bluff collapse exclusions—get quotes early)

The brutal truth

If a bluff is actively failing, the question isn’t “can we renovate?” It’s “can we protect, maintain, and insure this over a decade without getting trapped by permits + physics.”