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

Thornapple Township’s own rules

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties in the Duncan Lake Sewage Disposal District inside Thornapple Township.

  • The property must abut a street, alley, or right-of-way with public sanitary sewer within 200 feet at the nearest point from the structure where sewage originates.
  • Connection is required upon official notice but not less than one year after the sewer is available.

  public sewer distance: <= 200 feet (Measured at the nearest point from the structure in which sewage originates.) · minimum connection timing: >= 1 year (After the sewer is made available for connection.)

  “The owner of any house, building or property used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the Duncan Lake Sewage Disposal District and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way, in which there is located, or may in the future be located, a public sanitary sewer within 200 feet at the nearest point from the structure in which sewage originates, is hereby required, at his expense, to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer, in accordance with the provision of this Code, when given official notice to do so, provided that such connection shall not be required to be made less than one year after the sewer is made available for connection thereto.”

Rules another office applies inside Thornapple Township

Thornapple 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

  Construction of a building or structure inside Thornapple Township.

  • An owner, builder, architect, engineer, or agent must submit a written application to the appropriate enforcing agency before construction.
  • parameters are not stated in the cited statewide page.

  “Before construction of a building or structure”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside Thornapple Township under the Michigan Building Code and Michigan Residential Code.

  • The appropriate enforcing agency administers the building-permit process.

  “The Michigan Building Code controls all matters concerning the construction”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage systems inside Thornapple Township, which is in Barry County.

  • BEDHD is the public health service agency for Barry and Eaton counties.

  “including all cities, villages and townships”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, extension, or replacement of an individual sewage disposal system inside Thornapple Township.

  • The permit is issued by the Health Officer.
  • The permit remains valid for twelve months from issuance unless sooner declared void; construction, alteration, repairs, or extension may not continue without renewal.

  permit validity: 12 months (Unless sooner declared void.)

  “unless he has first obtained a permit issued by the Health Officer”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Newly installed on-site sewage systems inside Thornapple Township.

  • The owner or contractor must notify BEDHD when the system is completed.
  • The final inspection occurs before the system can be covered.

  “Final inspections are performed on newly installed systems”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Thornapple Township.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Thornapple Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Thornapple Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Thornapple Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential and agricultural zoning districts inside Thornapple 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.