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

Heath Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New structures inside Heath township; building permits are obtained through the building contact the township lists (Professional Code Inspections)

  • The township page states the requirement for all new structures; it does not address alterations or accessory structures.
  • Permit contacts listed on the page: 1-800-628-3335 or 1-616-877-2000.

  “heath township is planned and zoned. permits are required on all new structures.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Heath township's limits, Allegan County, Michigan, under the township's own zoning ordinance

  • The zoning ordinance text on the township site is marked 'as amended june 2, 2023'; amendments after that date were not checked.
  • Land not included within a mapped district is in the AG agricultural district (section 4.03).

  “heath township is planned and zoned. permits are required on all new structures.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Heath township, Allegan County, Michigan

  • The zoning map is referenced by section 4.02 and was not opened.
  • Districts listed: AG, R-1, R-1a, R-2, R-3, R-4, C-1, I-1, NR overlay and SGA.

  “the township of heath is hereby intended to be divided into the following zoning districts: (a) ag agricultural district (b) r-1 rural estate district (c) r-1a rural residential district (d) r-2 single family residential district (e) r-3 multiple family residential d”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in the AG agricultural district inside Heath township

  • Applies 'unless specified elsewhere'.

  minimum usable floor area per dwelling unit: >= 900 square feet (unless specified elsewhere)

  “each dwelling unit, unless specified elsewhere, shall have a minimum of nine hundred (900) square feet of usable floor area.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single and two family dwellings in the R-2 single family residential district inside Heath township

    “(a) single and two family dwelling - nine hundred (900) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  All uses in the AG agricultural district inside Heath township

  • Applies 'unless specified elsewhere'.
  • Private sewage disposal on lots not connected to public sewer is governed by the Allegan County Health Department (see septic claims).

  minimum lot area: >= 5 acres (unless specified elsewhere) · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet (unless specified elsewhere)

  “(d) lot area - the minimum lot area and width for all uses in this district, unless specified elsewhere, shall be five (5) acres and two hundred (200) feet, respectively.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single family dwelling lots in the R-2 single family residential district inside Heath township

    “(d) lot area and width (single family) - the minimum lot area and width for a single family dwelling shall be twelve thousand, (12,000) square feet and one hundred (100) feet, respectively.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential buildings and structures in the AG agricultural district inside Heath township

  • Other buildings and structures are not limited to this figure; they 'shall not exceed their usual and customary heights' unless otherwise provided.

  maximum height, residential building or structure: <= 35 feet

  “no residential building or structure shall exceed thirty five (35) feet in height. unless otherwise provided, all other buildings and structures shall not exceed their usual and customary heights.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings and structures in the R-2 single family residential district inside Heath township

    “no building or structure shall exceed thirty five (35) feet in height or two and one half (2 1/2) stories.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dwellings inside Heath township that are not connected to public sewer and water

  • Private sewer and water facilities are allowed only when approved by the Allegan County Health Department, and only where the township does not require a public connection.

  “(k) all dwellings shall be connected to a public sewer system and public water supply system as required by the township or to such private sewer and water facilities as approved by the allegan county health department.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New dwellings inside Heath township

  • All dwellings must connect to public sewer and public water 'as required by the township'. Connection is otherwise met by private sewer and water facilities approved by the Allegan County Health Department.
  • The text read does not state a distance-to-main or availability threshold; the township's public-sewer and public-water availability rules were not located.

  “(k) all dwellings shall be connected to a public sewer system and public water supply system as required by the township or to such private sewer and water facilities as approved by the allegan county health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Splitting land into parcels inside Heath township

  • The township page says a land split must be approved before a parcel split, citing the state land division act; the township's approval steps and forms are not stated on that page.
  • The zoning ordinance also has an open-space cluster option (chapter 21) for AG, R-1 and R-1a districts; not analyzed here.

  “because of the new state land division act, you must have the land split approved first”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways serving new construction inside Heath township

  • Plans for the driveway are submitted with the building permit application; the driveway standards in chapter 22 were not otherwise opened.

  “plans for the location and construction of a driveway or joint driveway shall be submitted at the time of an application for a building permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit process for new dwellings inside Heath township

  • The township page lists contacts only; the step-by-step permit sequence and the building inspector's review timing are not published on the pages read.
  • Dwelling building permits require construction plans with a plot plan, per the zoning ordinance excerpt.

  “(m) prior to issuance of a building permit for any dwelling unit, construction plans at a scale of no less than one quarter inch (1/4") to one foot (1'), including a plot plan, adequate to illustrate compliance with the requirements of this ordinance shall be submitted to the building inspector.”

Rules another office applies inside Heath Township

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private septic systems on land inside Heath township that are not connected to a public sewer; the Allegan County Health Department handles septic approval and permits for these lots

  • Township page: septic tank permits may be obtained from the Allegan County Health Department at 2233 33rd St., Allegan, MI 49010, phone 1-269-673-5411.
  • Zoning ordinance: private sewer facilities must be approved by the Allegan County Health Department.

  “septic tank permits may be obtained from the allegan county health department at 2233 33rd st., allegan, mi. 49010.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Heath township
• Building code adopted — New construction inside Heath township
• Inspections — Inspections for new construction inside Heath township
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certification for new dwellings inside Heath township
• Lot coverage — Building coverage on lots inside Heath 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.