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

Mitchell Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, remodeling, alteration or moving of a building in Mitchell township: a township land use permit is required under the zoning ordinance. This is a zoning permit and does not establish whether a separate construction-code permit is required.

  • Only lawful nonconforming uses and uses or structures expressly permitted without a land use permit are exempt (Section 3.01).
  • The land use permit is issued by the zoning administrator on behalf of the township (Article 2 definition).

  “no building or structure or part thereof shall be allowed to be used, constructed, remodeled, altered, or moved upon any property unless it is in conformance with this ordinance, and a land use permit has been obtained.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Mitchell township's limits (Alcona County, Michigan): the township's own zoning ordinance applies.

  • The ordinance is the 2010 Mitchell Township Zoning Ordinance, adopted June 14, 2010 and effective September 1, 2010, enacted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Act 110 of 2006).
  • The copy read is the 2010 text posted on the township site; amendments after 2010 were not located and must be checked before relying on it.
  • The zoning administrator named in the Alcona County township list is Mike Sanford (listed as Mitchell Township zoning administrator); that list is a county document, not a source for the rule itself.

  “mitchell township alcona county adoption date: june 14, 2010 effective date: september 1, 2010 prepared with the assistance of: northeast michigan council of governments”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Mitchell township with township zoning: the ordinance names and regulates the districts (including RR/rural residential, AG agricultural, FR forest recreation, RC resource conservation, resort residential, MHD manufactured housing, VMU, CB, LI and a waterfront overlay).

  • The district text is printed as 'rural residential district (rr)' in Section 5.05 while the body refers to the 'low density residential district (ldr)'; the district label is inconsistent in the 2010 text.

  “rc resource conservation fr forest recreation district ag agricultural r-r resort - residential district rur rural residential district mhd manufactured housing development vmu village mixed use cb commercial & business district li light industrial district wo waterfront overlay”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential districts that carry Schedule of Regulations footnote (d) (includes the rural residential and resort residential rows) in Mitchell township.

  • Two-story dwelling: minimum first-floor area 700 square feet and minimum total 1,000 square feet for both stories.
  • Footnote (d) is referenced on residential rows of Section 5.11; applicability to each row is read from the garbled table.

  minimum floor area, one-story dwelling: >= 1000 sq ft (two-story: 700 sq ft minimum first floor and 1,000 sq ft total)

  “the minimum floor area of a one (1) story dwelling shall be 1,000 square feet, and a two (2) story dwelling shall have a minimum first floor area of 700 square feet with a minimum total of 1,000 square feet for both stories.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Resort residential district (Section 5.04, 'r-r' row of the Section 5.11 Schedule of Regulations) in Mitchell township.

  • Table extraction is garbled; the row is read as 15,000 square feet lot area and 75 feet width.
  • Section 5.04 is titled 'resort residential district (rr)' in the 2010 text; the schedule row is labeled 'r-r'.

  minimum lot area: >= 15000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 75 feet

  “r-r resort residential 15,000 ft2 75 35 40 15 (b) 15 1000 ft2 (d) 40%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural residential district (Section 5.05, 'rur' row of the Section 5.11 Schedule of Regulations) in Mitchell township.

    “rur rural residential 2 acres 200 35 40 20 (b) 35 1000 ft2 (d) 20%”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Resort residential district in Mitchell township (Section 5.11 'r-r' row).

  • Read from garbled table row; confirm against full schedule page.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 40 %

  “r-r resort residential 15,000 ft2 75 35 40 15 (b) 15 1000 ft2 (d) 40%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural residential district in Mitchell township (Section 5.11 'rur' row).

    “rur rural residential 2 acres 200 35 40 20 (b) 35 1000 ft2 (d) 20%”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  A mobile home (manufactured home) newly sited on an individual lot in Mitchell township, in the district where it is located.

  • Must meet the minimum lot size, yard setbacks and minimum floor area for its district.
  • Must be attached to an approved permanent foundation or basement, anchored to a Michigan Mobile Home Commission-compliant system.
  • Wheels, axles and towing assembly must be removed before attachment to foundation; no exposed undercarriage.
  • Must be installed under HUD 'manufactured home installation standards'.

  “a mobile home newly sited on an individual lot shall meet the standards for minimum lot size, yard set-backs, and minimum floor area for the district in which it is located and shall meet the following additional standards:”

• Permit processPartial

  Land use permit under the Mitchell township zoning ordinance only; the construction-code permit process is not covered here.

  • The ordinance defines the land use permit and names the zoning administrator as issuer; it does not set out the application steps, fees or timelines in the portions read.

  “land use permit: written authority issued by the zoning administrator on behalf of the township permitting the use of land or the construction, moving, exterior alteration, or use of a building or structure in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a Mitchell township dwelling.
• Building code adopted — Construction-code adoption for Mitchell township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction in Mitchell township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Mitchell township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Mitchell 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.