FAQs

Below is a list of generalized questions and answers that are asked on a continual basis. We hope that this will help you. If you do not find your question here please feel free to call us at (734) 654-6992 ext. 2 or email to gbaker@ashtownship.org.

General

Q. I am new to Ash Township, what are the local utilities and other services that are in the community?

A. There are many services offered in Ash Township, here are a few general services:

Detroit Edison

Michigan Gas

Charter Communications

Trash Pick-up

Stevens

800-779-0344

734-856-8451

Fairway Disposal 

734-790-2382

Taxes

Q. When are tax payments due?

A. Summer taxes are due July 1st thru September 14th without penalty. 1% interest starts September 15th and the first of every month another 1% is added until payment is made. For the Winter taxes, payments are due December 1st thru February 14th. On February 15th, 3% is added through the end of February. March 1st, all delinquent Real Property Taxes are sent to Monroe County Treasurer for collection.

Personal property taxes are still payable to Ash Township.

Q. When do tax bills get sent out?

A. Tax bills are mailed out on or before July 1st, for the Summer taxes and on or before December 1st, for the Winter taxes.

Q. Where do I obtain a dog license?

A. Ash Township does not regulate animal control, you must contact Monroe County Animal Control at:

Animal Control Division
911 S Raisinville Rd
Monroe, Mi 48161
Phone: (734) 240-3125
Fax: (734) 240-3130

you can click on the link to go to the Monroe County Animal Control website for information on animal control, dog licensing, lost and found, animal adoption, ect. You may also pick up a dog license application/renewal form at the Ash Township Hall to fill out and mail to Monroe County.

Roads

There are several types of roads in Ash Township. Below is a description of the different types of roads and who will maintain them.

Federal Highway – The Federal Highway Commission contracts the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to maintain the federal highways. I-275 is the only Federal Highway in Ash Township.

State Highway – Michigan Department of Transportation, Telegraph is the only state highway in Ash Township.

All other roads, excluding the Village of Carleton, are local roads and under the jurisdiction of the Monroe County Road Commission. Local roads are divided into 2 categories.

Primary – These are the major traffic carriers across the township such as Labo, Grafton etc.

Secondary – These roads are less traveled roads such as those in a subdivision and the filler roads that lead to a primary road such as Sweitzer, Port Creek, Jones, etc.

Private – These are roads that look like any other public road but, it was never dedicated for public use by Ash Township or MCRC. These roads are owned and maintained by the property owners that live on them.

Q. Who fixes my road and who pays for it?

A. Please locate what type of road you live on above. State and Federal roads are maintained with money collected from Act 51 (the gas tax). All local roads are under the jurisdiction of the Monroe County Road Commission (MCRC). The MCRC also uses Act 51 money for maintenance of the roads. However, when it comes to secondary roads, Ash Township must pay for anything other than routine maintenance. So indirectly through the tax on a gallon of gas and property taxes, you as a consumer and property owner pay for road maintenance and replacement.

Q. If I think my road needs service, (scraping, pot hole filling, dust control, etc.) who do I call?

A. You can always call the Township Manager, Greg Baker, or the MCRC directly at 734-240-5100 ext. 0 and ask to put in a service request. The Township and the MCRC will need to know information such as the nature of the complaint, nearest address, cross roads, (i.e. Newburg between Maxwell and Grafton), your name and phone number in case we need more information.

Q. I want to pave my driveway, do I need a permit?

A. Yes, if the pavement (asphalt or concrete) is to be put in the road right-of-way you will need to contact the MCRC to find out what their building requirements for your individual road may be.

Q. I am building a new home and need to place a culvert in the ditch for access to my property; do I need a permit for that?

A. Yes, you would need to contact the MCRC for information on how large the culvert must be and the type of material it must be made of. The MCRC will come out and stake the elevations of both ends of the culvert for you and it must be installed to those elevations or you will have to remove it and try again.

Q. I have a dead tree on my property in the road right-of-way; will the Township or the County have the tree removed?

A. Yes, the MCRC will remove a dead tree in the right-of-way, but only if the tree poses a current threat to public safety. With limited funds, the MCRC no longer removes trees just because they’re dead. You can always ask the Township Board if they would consider paying for the removal or share in the cost with you. Once again you would need to prove that it is a threat to public safety.

Q. The ditch in front of my house is full of water and does not drain, can I clean it myself? If not who will?

A. First, without permission from MDOT or MCRC no one can work in any road right-of-way. This is for your safety as well as the safety of the motoring public. We in Monroe County have a difficult time with drainage. Our relatively flat terrain makes it difficult to move water in roadside ditches. You should first call the Township Manager and he will try and determine what is causing the water not to flow. It could be a plugged driveway culvert down stream, a collapsed cross tile under the road, someone has illegally dumped material in the ditch, it has not been cleaned in years, etc. and he will call MCRC for a service request. It is important to note that it often takes several days for water to work its way from your roadside ditch. This temporary water would not be a problem for you and just be patient. A roadside ditch is not designed to hold water for long periods, if it does, call Ash Township first. It should also be noted that the ditch in front of your house may be a County drain. In this case it may always have some water in it, but once again call the Township and they may need to get the Monroe County Drain Commission (MCDC) involved.

Q. I want to get my road fixed but I am told I live on a private road, what does that mean?

A. A private road may look like any other public road but it was never dedicated for public use by the Township or the MCRC. Private roads are not maintained by the MCRC or Ash Township, they are maintained and the financed by the property owners that live on them.

Blight

Q. I have a neighbor who has two vehicles without license plates in his yard, is this legal? If not, how do I make a complaint?

A. You now have two ways of filing a complaint with the Township. You can go to the blight page in this web site and follow the instructions for filing a complaint via e-mail, or you can come to Ash Township during business hours and fill out and sign a complaint form. Please note that Ash Township will not pursue complaints that are left anonymously.

Q. If I make a blight complaint about my neighbor will you tell him who made the complaint, I don’t want any trouble?

A. If asked yes, the information contained on the complaint form is considered public information. Through the Freedom of Information Act, anyone, including your neighbor can ask for public information and by law we are obligated to give the information to him or her.

Q. I heard that Ash Township can issue tickets for blight, is that true?

A. Yes, but in all cases you will be issued a warning and given a reasonable amount of time (usually 10 days) in order to correct the blighted situation first. If the blight is not corrected in the given amount of time then under The Township’s Municipal Civil Infraction Ordinance tickets can and will be issued to the landowner. These tickets can have fines from $50.00 to $500.00 and can be issued daily until the blighted condition is corrected. Ash Township may also seek compliance in a court of law.

Q. How do I get a copy of Ash Township’s Blight Ordinance?

A. You can come to the Township Hall during business and ask for a copy of any ordinance on file or go to the blight page on this web site and download the ordinance. There is a minimal charge for this service.

Fire and Police Protection

Q. I am new to Ash Township, do we have a police department?

A. Ash Township does not have a police department of its own. We rely on the Michigan State Police (MSP) and the Monroe County Sheriff’s (MCSD) for police services. In some instances the Village of Carleton’s police department may respond in cases of emergency. As always in an emergency dial 911, in all other cases you can call the MCSD at (734) 240-7400 or MSP at (734) 242-3500.

Q. I do not have water on my road; will the fire department be able to fight a fire at my home without a fire hydrant near by?

A. Yes, the fire department has several pumper style fire trucks that are capable of carrying hundreds of gallons of water and one large tanker truck that can transport more than 1,000 gallons of water to any fire scene.

Q. In case of a fire should I call the Township first?

A. As with all emergencies your first call should be to 911. Whether it is a fire, car accident, slip and fall, or an unknown ailment, you should always call 911 first. For non-emergencies you can call the Township during normal business hours.

Q. I know we have a volunteer fire department, can anyone join?

A. Yes, with limitations, you must be at least 18 years of age, have a good driving record, and be in good health. A physical exam is necessary. You will be required to attend and pass the State of Michigan’s Fire Fighters I exam within a year of being accepted to the fire department. Without volunteers like you Ash Township would have to pay for fire protection from one of the surrounding communities.

Q. How do I apply for the fire department?

A. You can pick up an application at the Township Hall.