Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Greenbush Township, Michigan

Greenbush Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, relocation or alteration of any structure inside Greenbush township, for the township zoning permit

  • Zoning permit issued by the township; construction may proceed after it is issued.
  • The same section also requires an Alcona County building permit (separate claim).

  “no excavation for any structure shall be begun until a zoning permit from the township and a building permit from alcona county have been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Greenbush township's limits, Alcona County, Michigan, under the Greenbush Township Zoning Ordinance

  • Ordinance states it was adopted 2/10/2015 and effective 2/25/2015; the 'corrected: August 10, 2021' stamp is a correction, not the effective date.
  • Zoning permit from the township is required before construction, relocation or alteration (see section 3.3 claim).

  “an ordinance enacted under public act 110 of 2006, as amended, governing greenbush township in alcona county, michigan to establish districts or zones”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for land inside Greenbush township

  • Ordinance table lists districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, F and C (plus industrial and E districts in the same table); the township also posts a zoning map (not opened).

  “table of permitted uses & special land uses p = permitted by right s = permitted with a special use permit r-1 r-2 r-3 r-4 f c”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Permanent dwelling units in the F district in Greenbush township

  • Minimum floor area applies to permanent dwelling units only.

  minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1050 sq ft (permanent dwelling units only)

  “f forestry district minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum height of principle structure 5 acres 300 ft 30 ft. minimum floor area (per dwelling unit) 1,050 sq. ft. maximum lot coverage n/a”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Permanent dwelling units in the R-1 low density residential district in Greenbush township

    “minimum floor area (per dwelling unit) 1,050 sq. ft. maximum lot coverage 35% minimum floor area shall apply to permanent dwelling units only. this provision shall not apply to structures four (4) feet in height or less.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  F (forestry) district in Greenbush township, which the ordinance describes as designed for farm and agricultural uses in rural, farm-character areas

  • Minimum lot width 300 ft in the F district.

  minimum lot area: >= 5 acres

  “f forestry district minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum height of principle structure 5 acres 300 ft 30 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 low density residential district in Greenbush township (main single-family residential district)

    “r-1 low density residential district minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum height of principle structure 12,000 sq. ft. 100 ft 30 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal structures in the F district in Greenbush township

  • Same height exceptions as R-1 (chimneys, church spires, bell towers excluded; telecommunication towers under Article 7).

  maximum height of principal structure: <= 30 ft

  “f forestry district minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum height of principle structure 5 acres 300 ft 30 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal structures in the R-1 low density residential district in Greenbush township

    “height regulations shall apply to any portion of a structure that could be used as living or commercial space, but shall not apply to areas that could not be used for living or commercial space (chimneys, church spires, bell towers, etc.). these height restrictions do not apply to telecommunication towers and related facilities which are regulated by article 7: supplemental development regulations.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Overnight occupancy of a recreational vehicle on a lot inside Greenbush township (all residential districts; forestry district has a longer limit)

  • Occupancy limited to no more than a week in any 30-day period and not more than 30 days in a calendar year; zoning administrator may add up to 7 more days in any 30-day period, but not extend the total stay beyond the calendar-year limit.
  • Forestry district: no more than 90 days in a calendar year.
  • Only on a lot with a principal structure, or on a lot adjacent to a lot under the same ownership that contains a principal structure; lots not separated by a public right-of-way.
  • A zoning permit is required for RV occupancy in any district.

  RV occupancy per 30-day period (residential districts): <= 7 days (zoning administrator may increase by up to 7 more days) · RV occupancy per calendar year (residential districts): <= 30 days · RV occupancy per calendar year (forestry district): <= 90 days

  “overnight camping in a recreation vehicle on a lot in the township shall be permitted in all residential districts providing that the recreational vehicle shall be occupied for no more than a week in any thirty (30) day period but not longer than thirty (30) days in a calendar year.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township zoning permit and meeting fees for land inside Greenbush township

  • Fee schedule is stated as adopted July 2026; the file name says June 2026. No day of adoption or effective date is given, so effective_at is null.
  • Fees listed are township zoning fees only; county building permit fees are not in this schedule.

  new home zoning permit (new homes, new and used mobile homes set up in R-1, R-4 and F, single-family dwellings in R-2): 75 USD · additions (sheds, boat houses, decks, breezeways) and raising or moving of a building: 45 USD · additions: pole barn, garages: 65 USD · fence permit: 65 USD · special land use permit: 65 USD

  “new homes, new and used mobile homes set up in r-1, r-4 and f also includes single family dwellings in r-2 $75”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Greenbush Township or Alcona County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home built by the owner inside Greenbush township
• Building code adopted — Building code applicable to new homes inside Greenbush township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Greenbush township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Greenbush township
• Setbacks — Front, side and rear yard setbacks for principal structures in the R-1 district in Greenbush township

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.