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

Burt Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Burt Township, Alger County, Michigan.

  • The ordinance regulates development and use of land within the township.

  “An Ordinance to establish zoning districts and regulations governing the development and use of land within Burt Township, in accordance with the provisions of Act 184 of 1943, as amended;”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Every single/two-family dwelling in Burt Township, excluding recreational structures.

  • Unfinished basements, garages, porches, and breezeways are excluded.

  minimum floor area: >= 600 square feet (Excludes recreational structures, unfinished basements, garages, porches, and breezeways.)

  “Every single/two family dwelling, excluding recreational structures, shall have a floor area of not less than six-hundred (600) square feet, exclusive of unfinished basements, garages, porches and breezeways.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  All newly established driveways in all Burt Township zoning districts.

  • The required authorization is a land-use permit.

  “All newly established driveways, in all districts, require a land use permit.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning permits and certificates inside Burt Township.

  • The Township Board periodically establishes the fee schedule by resolution; it is available at the Zoning Administrator's office and may be changed only by the Township Board.
  • No permit or certificate issues until fees are paid in full.

  “The Township Board shall periodically establish by resolution a schedule of fees for administering this Ordinance. The schedule of fees shall be made available in the office of the Zoning Administrator and may be changed only by the Township Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning compliance permits for construction, use, or occupancy inside Burt Township.

  • A permit is void if no building construction has been done within 12 months after the application and permissions were granted.

  construction deadline: <= 12 months (After this period, the application and granted permissions become void if no building construction has occurred.)

  “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premise, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partially altered, or enlarged in it's use or structure until a Zoning Compliance Permit (Land Use Permit) shall have been issued therefore by the Zoning Administrator.”

Rules another office applies inside Burt Township

Burt Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and alteration of homes, camps, garages, decks, porches, and storage buildings inside Burt Township.

  • The Burt Township applications page identifies the building-permit application as Alger County's.
  • parameters are subject to separate electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permitting.

  “Building Permit Application – Alger County”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Multiple-family development inside Burt Township.

  • The rule applies to all structures in a multiple-family development.

  maximum groundcover ratio: <= 40 percent (All structures in a multiple-family development.)

  “The maximum groundcover ratio for all structures in a multiple family development shall be forty (40) percent.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Storage sheds in the R-1 Residential One District inside Burt Township.

  • The exemption is limited to structures 200 square feet or smaller.

  structure size: <= 200 square feet (No land-use permit is required.)

  “Storage Sheds, whether permanent or moveable, require a land use permit. Amended on 12/13/2011 to read: No Land use permit will be required for structures 200 square feet or smaller.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Burt Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Burt Township.
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Burt Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Burt Township.
• Living in an RV — Private-land RV occupancy inside Burt 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.