Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Grand Island Township, Michigan

Grand Island Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Grand Island township limits, Alger County, Michigan. Zoning in Alger County is administered by individual townships, so this township's own zoning applies here; it is not a county rule for the unincorporated area.

  • The Alger County building codes page states: "in alger county, all zoning is handled by individual townships."
  • The Alger County zoning administration list names Grand Island Township's zoning contact (John Shauver, P.O. Box 215, Munising, MI 49862, 906-869-4323).
  • The Grand Island Township zoning ordinance text was not verified on an official page. The only copy found was on a third-party host (energyzoning.org), titled Grand Island Township Zoning Ordinance adopted December 11, 2012; it shows districts including TD (Town Development) and LS/R (Lakeshore Residential). Its contents are not treated as official.
  • A directory listing gives a different zoning phone number (906-387-2659); the county's 2026 list gives 906-869-4323. Confirm before use.
  • A September 2023 Munising Township meeting record references possible absorption of Grand Island Township; no confirmation that this occurred was found.

  “in alger county, all zoning is handled by individual townships.”

Rules another office applies inside Grand Island Township

Grand Island 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 Grand Island township (an unincorporated township in Alger County), issued by the Alger County building codes department.

  • The page states: "all commercial work requires a permit."
  • Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are separate: "electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits are required."
  • Building permit application needs drawings: a cross section, insulation package, plot plan and floor plan.
  • Health department approval of well and/or septic must come before the county issues the building permit (see septic claims).
  • Zoning review by the township comes before the building permit; the page lists zoning among the steps to take when building.
  • Status is conditional because construction proceeds after the permit is issued.

  “a reminder as to which projects we need a building permit for new construction and alteration of homes, camps, garages, decks, porches, and storage buildings.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Residential septic systems and wells on land inside Grand Island township, Alger County. The county building department defers well and septic approval to the health department, which serves Alger County.

  • The Alger County building codes page says: "well/septic, your property must be approved for a well and/or a septic before i can issue you a building permit, contact the health department."
  • LMAS District Health Department page states it offers "guidance and regulation on food services, sewage disposal, soil erosion, sedimentation control, and water supply management."
  • Authority is mixed: the health district approves wells and septic; the county issues the building permit.

  “well/septic, your property must be approved for a well and/or a septic before i can issue you a building permit, contact the health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New home septic system inside Grand Island township, Alger County

  • Property must be approved for a septic before the county issues a building permit (per Alger County page).
  • Applications go to the health department (LMAS District Health Department, Munising office).
  • Status is conditional because the permit is a precondition to a building permit; the LMAS application itself was not opened.

  “well/septic, your property must be approved for a well and/or a septic before i can issue you a building permit, contact the health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water well for a new home inside Grand Island township, Alger County

  • The county page says the property must be approved "for a well and/or a septic" before the building permit issues, so the well approval applies where a well is part of the project.
  • Status is conditional: the well is approved through the health department before construction proceeds.
  • The LMAS well-drilling and well-record rules were not verified on an official page in this run.

  “well/septic, your property must be approved for a well and/or a septic before i can issue you a building permit, contact the health department.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway connections to county or state roads that run through or serve land inside Grand Island township

  • Applies only to driveways onto county or state roads; the page does not address driveways onto township or private roads.
  • The page names no issuing office for the driveway permit.

  “county or state roads require a driveway permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process for construction inside Grand Island township, Alger County

  • Steps named on the county page: zoning review, well and/or septic approval by the health department, soil erosion permit within 500 feet of a lake or stream or for one acre or more of earth change, fire number from the sheriff, driveway permit, and the building permit itself.
  • The building permit step requires drawings; the county page describes them but does not give a full checklist or fees.
  • Process is partial: the page lists steps, not a complete published procedure.

  “building permit, you need drawings showing a cross section so i can view the structural components for code compliance as well as the insulation package, plot plan, and floor plan”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Grand Island township
• Building code adopted — Construction code applied to new homes inside Grand Island township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Grand Island township
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificate for a new home inside Grand Island township
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Grand Island 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.