Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hastings, Michigan

Hastings’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and combination work inside Hastings city limits; most homeowner projects require a combination permit

  • Permits are issued by Professional Code Inspections at 110 W. Center St., Hastings (269-948-4088), per the city guide.
  • Plans, a plot plan and construction type are submitted before permit issuance; construction must follow approved plans.
  • Site plan approval by the Planning Commission is required before a building permit can be issued for projects that need site plan review.

  “if a permit is not obtained before construction, you have violated city codes and regulations; you'll be subject to fines and penalties.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction work inside Hastings city limits

  • Inspection is the second step after permit issuance and before approval and completion, per the city guide.
  • Inspections are performed through Professional Code Inspections (PCI) for the city.

  “your second step is the inspection of the work. your last step is the approval and completion of the work.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hastings city limits (city of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan). Hastings city administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 90 Zoning of the Hastings City Code.

  • Zoning applies inside city limits only; the adjacent Hastings Charter Township is a separate jurisdiction and is not covered by this claim.
  • Use and development are governed by the city zoning ordinance and its district regulations.

  “the city of hastings' zoning ordinance regulates the development and usage of properties and buildings within city limits.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Hastings city, including R-R, R-S, R-1, R-2, R-D and B-5 districts shown in Chapter 90

  • The zoning map is a separate city document; district boundaries were not verified against the map.

  “for the purpose of this chapter, the city is hereby divided into 16 classes of zone districts known as: r-r rural residential district r-s suburban residential district r-1 one-family residential district r-2 one-family residential district r-d duplex apartment district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Buildings and structures in the R-R rural residential district of Hastings city

  • Requirement applies to all uses in the R-R district.

  minimum lot area: >= 44000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet (for all uses)

  “minimum lot area and width, 44,000 square feet and 150 feet of lot width for all uses.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings and structures in the R-1 one-family residential district of Hastings city

    “buildings and structures shall not be erected or enlarged in the r-1 district unless the following requirements are met and maintained: minimum lot area 9,900 square feet. minimum lot width 75 feet.”

  • Specified — Buildings and structures in the R-2 district of Hastings city

    “buildings and structures shall not be erected or enlarged in the r-2 district unless the following requirements are met and maintained: minimum lot area 8,000 square feet. minimum lot width 66 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the R-R rural residential district of Hastings city

  • Corner lots: setback along the principal street at least 40 feet; along the secondary street at least 30 feet, as determined by the zoning administrator.
  • Other uses: 30 feet on each side yard.

  front yard setback: >= 40 feet · side yard setback total for dwellings: >= 50 feet (no side setback less than 20 feet) · rear yard setback: >= 25 feet

  “provided no side setback shall be less than 20 feet. for all other uses, 30 feet on each side. for corner lots, the setback along the principal street shall be a minimum of 40 feet while the setback along the secondary street shall be at least 30 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings and structures in the R-R rural residential district of Hastings city

  • Value read from the Sec. 90-216 site development standards table, R-R row, in the 'maximum lot cover (percent)' column.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “rear yard, 25 feet. maximum building height, 35 feet. maximum lot coverage, 30 percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in the R-R rural residential district of Hastings city

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “rear yard, 25 feet. maximum building height, 35 feet.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments in the B-5 mixed use district of Hastings city only. No general accessory-dwelling rule for other residential districts was located.

  • Accessory apartment must be on the same lot as a single-family detached dwelling and clearly subordinate to it.
  • Above-garage accessory apartments are permitted only where the garage serves a single-family dwelling.

  minimum floor area of accessory apartment: >= 600 square feet

  “accessory apartments above garages, provided the garage serves a single-family dwelling. an accessory apartment is a dwelling unit that is on the same lot as a single-family detached dwelling and is smaller than and clearly subordinate to the single-family detached dwelling. such dwelling shall contain a minimum of 600 square feet of floor area.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Planning and zoning development application fees (site plan, rezoning, PUD, special use and similar) in Hastings city

  • The city fee schedule is reviewed annually and updated as needed; the figures were not opened.
  • Building permit fees were not located and are not covered by this claim.
  • Fees may be paid at City Hall by check or cash, in the drop-box, or by credit card with a 3.00% charge (minimum $1.50), per the guide.

  “hastings' fee schedule can be found on their 'application for planning commission (site plan, rezoning, pud, special use, etc.) on the city's planning and zoning webpage.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Site plan, zoning and construction permit process in Hastings city

  • Site plan approval by the Planning Commission is required before a building permit can be issued, under the city zoning ordinance.
  • Applications go to the City Clerk at least three weeks before the first-Monday Planning Commission meeting; technical review by the zoning administrator and a joint review committee.
  • Construction permits are issued by Professional Code Inspections at 110 W. Center St., Hastings.

  “the zoning ordinance of the city of hastings requires that a site plan be approved by the city of hastings planning commission before a building permit can be issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hastings or Barry County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Hastings city limits
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Hastings city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Hastings city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the R-1 one-family residential district of Hastings city
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Hastings city limits

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.