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

Manlius Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Manlius township limits (Allegan County, Michigan), where the township administers its own zoning ordinance (the Manlius Township zoning book).

  • Zoning governs use and dimensional standards for land inside township limits; the township's own districts apply, not county zoning.
  • Zoning book sections on the forms page are the township's own ordinance articles.

  “click links below to download the manlius township zoning book, zoning applications, voter registration forms, public entertainment and foi forms.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Manlius township limits: the township publishes its zoning district list and zoning map article.

  • Districts named on the forms index include Agricultural, Forestry and Recreation, R-1 Rural Residential, Natural Rivers Overlay, R-2 Medium Residential, R-3 Community Residential, General Commercial, General Industrial and mobile home parks.
  • The district map itself (Article IV) was not opened.

  “article iv - mapping & zoning districts article ix - r-2 medium residential district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-1 Rural Residential district, single-family or two-family dwelling, inside Manlius township.

  • Floor area excludes basement, attached garages, attached porches and accessory buildings (per the minimum floor area rule quoted in section 1.0702 home occupation text).

  minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 720 sq ft (single-family or two-family dwelling in R-1)

  “1.0704.5 minimum floor area per dwelling unit: 720 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Rural Residential district, single-family or two-family dwelling, inside Manlius township.

  • Minimum lot width for single-family or two-family unit is 300 ft (section 1.0704.2).
  • Composite schedule of regulations in Article XVI applies to other uses in the district.

  minimum lot size: 3 acres (single-family or two-family residential unit)

  “1.0704.1 minimum lot size for single-family or two-family residential unit: 3 acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Rural Residential district, single-family or two-family residential unit, inside Manlius township.

  • Setbacks are minimums for the residential unit in R-1.
  • Other permitted and special uses follow the Article XVI schedule.

  front yard setback: >= 30 ft · side yard setback (each side): >= 50 ft · rear yard setback: >= 75 ft

  “1.0704.4 minimum yard setbacks residential unit. for a. front yard: 30 ft. b. side yard: 50 ft. each side c. rear yard: 75 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Rural Residential district, single-family or two-family residential unit, inside Manlius township.

  • Height limit stated for structures in the R-1 district.

  maximum height of structure: <= 35 ft

  “1.0704.3 maximum height of structure: 35 ft.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers in the R-1 Rural Residential district inside Manlius township.

  • Allowed only by special permit in R-1, subject to section 1.0335 (not opened).
  • Other RV occupancy rules in other districts or Article III were not opened.

  “i. travel trailers, subject to section 1.0335.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary dwelling structures on a parcel in R-1 while a dwelling is being built, inside Manlius township.

  • Permitted only while a dwelling is being constructed in conformance with the ordinance.
  • Use may not continue for more than one year.
  • A mobile home used as a temporary dwelling must meet the yard and setback requirements, be skirted and be installed to Michigan Mobile Home Commission standards.

  maximum duration: <= 1 year (while dwelling under construction)

  “d. temporary dwelling structures used on a parcel of land while a dwelling is being constructed thereon in conformance with the requirements of this ordinance, but such use shall not be continued for more than one year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes on individual building lots in the R-1 Rural Residential district inside Manlius township.

  • Allowed only by special permit (special approval use) in R-1 under the cited section, with application procedure in Article XIX.
  • Mobile homes used as temporary dwellings during construction are handled under the R-1 permitted-use text and must meet yard and skirting rules.

  “h. mobile homes on individual building lots (see section 1.0331).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and site condominium developments inside Manlius township.

  • A township land division application form is published; the zoning book includes Article XXIII Site Condominium Development.
  • Substance of the land division and site condominium standards was not opened.

  “article xxiii - site condominium development”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning-related applications for land inside Manlius township.

  • Zoning application, land division, zoning board of appeals variance and rezoning application forms are published.
  • No building, septic or well permit process is published on the township forms page.

  “zoning application > land division application > zoning board of appeals-variance application > manlius township rezoning application”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Manlius township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Manlius township.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Manlius township.
• Inspections — Construction inside Manlius township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new construction inside Manlius 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.