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

Hawes Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Construction in Hawes township, as stated for manufactured-home additions

  • Additions must conform to the building codes of the State of Michigan and Alcona County (local ordinances) as determined by the local building inspector; the township does not appear to adopt a building code by its own ordinance in the reviewed text.

  “conform to the building codes to the state of michigan, and alcona county (local ordinances) as determined by the local building inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hawes township limits (Alcona County, Michigan); the township's own zoning ordinance governs use and dimensional rules there

  • Ordinance text is headed 'June, 2012' while the file is dated 2022-05-16; the 2022 adoption and 2024 revision named by search were not confirmed (the discovernortheastmichigan.org copy returned HTTP 404), so the current version and effective date are unverified.
  • Zoning map is adopted as part of the ordinance and kept at township offices.

  “the township of hawes ordains an ordinance to establish zoning districts and provisions governing hawes township, alcona county, michigan in accordance with the provisions of act 110 of the public acts of 2006, the michigan zoning enabling act, as amended”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Hawes township limits

  • Districts named in the ordinance: R-1 residential; R-2 residential lake shore; A-R agricultural-residential; A agricultural; F-R forest-recreational; C commercial; I-D industrial development. Overlay zones named on the map were not verified in the text.

  “hawes township is hereby divided into the following districts”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family R-1 residential district inside Hawes township

  • Minimum lot area 12,000 sq ft and minimum width 80 ft per the reference table; the extracted table text is flattened, so column mapping is read from row order.
  • Lot-size rule applies per dwelling area.

  minimum lot area: >= 12000 sq ft (R-1 district; per reference table of regulations) · minimum lot width: >= 80 ft (R-1 district)

  “r-1 r-2 a-r a f-r c i-d notes: 1. width 12,000sf 80’ 12,000sf 80’ 62,000sf 125’ 20 acres 466’ 10 acres 330’ 12,000sf 100’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural-residential A-R district inside Hawes township

    “r-1 r-2 a-r a f-r c i-d notes: 1. width 12,000sf 80’ 12,000sf 80’ 62,000sf 125’ 20 acres 466’ 10 acres 330’ 12,000sf 100’”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A-R agricultural-residential district inside Hawes township

  • 35% limit of all buildings, measured on buildable area (lot less setbacks).

  maximum lot coverage (all buildings): <= 35 percent (measured on buildable area)

  “max pct of lot coverage (area of all bldgs) 35% 35% 35% 35% 35% n/a n/a n/a n/a”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 residential district inside Hawes township

    “max pct of lot coverage (area of all bldgs) 35% 35% 35% 35% 35% n/a n/a n/a n/a”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-R agricultural-residential district inside Hawes township

  • Maximum height measured from grade to peak; 32 ft per reference table row.

  maximum structure height, grade to peak: <= 32 ft (per reference table of regulations)

  “max hgt of structure grade to peak min yard setback side back 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 40’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 residential district inside Hawes township

    “max hgt of structure grade to peak min yard setback side back 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 40’”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers and recreational vehicles on land inside Hawes township

  • An RV or travel trailer is not a residential dwelling unit under the ordinance, so it cannot satisfy dwelling-based rules.
  • Other RV occupancy or camping rules were not located in the ordinance text reviewed.

  “a travel trailer or recreational vehicle is not to be considered a residential dwelling unit.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes placed for occupancy inside Hawes township

  • Site must be prepared with electric, water, sewage disposal and foundation meeting the Alcona County construction code before placement.
  • Installation of electric, water and sewage disposal must be complete before occupancy.
  • During construction of a permanent dwelling, one manufactured home may be occupied for up to 12 months from the zoning permit date, with a zoning permit required.

  temporary occupancy during construction: <= 12 months (owner occupying one manufactured home on the premises while building a dwelling)

  “no manufactured home shall be located or placed in hawes township without prior completion of site preparation to include electric, water, sewage disposal and foundation to meet the current alcona county construction code.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Occupied buildings inside Hawes township

  • Every building used for human occupancy must have a septic tank sewage disposal system meeting health department standards; no non-septic off-grid option was found in the reviewed text.

  “every building or structure hereafter erected or moved upon any premises, and used in whole or in part for human occupancy shall be provided with a safe and sanitary water supply and a septic tank sewage disposal”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits for construction inside Hawes township

  • A zoning permit is issued by the zoning administrator after compliance with the ordinance; the permit fee is non-refundable if the request is denied, and the amount is not stated in the reviewed text.
  • Building, septic and well steps are not described in the township ordinance.

  “upon compliance with all applicable provisions of this ordinance the zoning administrator may then issue a permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Hawes township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Hawes township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Hawes township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Hawes township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land inside Hawes 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.