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

Beaver Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Beaver township's limits, administered by township enforcement officials under the zoning ordinance.

  • Construction may proceed only after the permit is issued (permit is a precondition, not a prohibition).
  • The general permit sentence was not found in the text read; section 17.10 presupposes building permits, and section 3.24 states the explicit requirement for ground-mounted solar systems.
  • Fee schedule is adopted by township board resolution (section 17.10).

  permit fee: schedule adopted by resolution of the township board (fee amounts not found in text read)

  “no person, firm or corporation shall excavate, erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure in beaver township or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate building permit for each such building or structure from the enforcement officials as required in the building code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction for which a township building permit is required, inside Beaver township's limits.

  • Inspections are made by township enforcement officials upon notification from the permit holder (section 17.11).
  • Section 17.11 lists foundation inspection and further inspections; the full list was not read.

  “all construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to on-site inspections by enforcement officials as required in the building code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Beaver township's limits (Bay County, Michigan): Beaver Township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Ordinance No. 2019-02.

  • Enacted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (2006 PA 110) per the ordinance enacting clause.
  • Section 21.02 states the ordinance was adopted at a special meeting of the township board on the 28th day of may, 2019, while the cover header states adopted 5-29-19; the dates conflict.
  • Source is a copy hosted on energyzoning.org, not a township-hosted page; the township's own site was not located. Amendments after the 9-30-20 effective date are not checked.

  “the above ordinance was adopted at a special meeting of the township board on the 28th day of may, 2019.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts and the official zoning map for land inside Beaver township's limits.

  • Land not included within a district is in the ag district (section 4.03).
  • The official zoning map is kept at the township hall; the map itself was not opened.

  “section 4.05 official zoning map the official zoning map shall be maintained in the beaver township hall”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family and other principal structures in the ag agricultural district (section 4.01(a)) of Beaver township.

  • Values are read from a flattened PDF table in section 5.01; verify against the printed schedule.
  • Section 5.02(b) allows an existing lot of record to be used for one single family use with 15,000 sq ft and 100 ft width on a public road.

  min lot area: >= 43560 sq ft · min lot width: >= 200 ft

  “section 5.01 schedule of dimensional regulations for structures district ag agricultural maximum structure height (ft.) 35 front yard side yard (ft.) (ft.) rear yard (ft.) min. lot area (sq. ft.) min. lot width (ft.) 50 10 50 43,560 200”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal structures in the rr rural residential district (section 4.01(b)) of Beaver township.

    “rr rural residential 35 30 10 40 43,560 200”

  • Specified — Lots platted or otherwise of record as of the effective date of the zoning ordinance, in any zoning district of Beaver township, used for one single-family dwelling.

    “(b) existing lots of record - a lot which is platted or otherwise of record as of the effective date of this ordinance may be used for a (one) single family use provided the lot has a minimum lot area of fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet, a minimum width of one hundred (100) feet on a public road”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal structures in the mr medium density residential district (section 4.01(c)) of Beaver township, the main single-family residential district.

  • Side yard is 20 ft for special uses in the mr district.
  • Accessory structures are subject to separate setback rules in section 3.19 (not fully read).
  • Values read from a flattened PDF table in section 5.01.

  front yard: 25 ft · side yard: 10 ft (20 ft for special uses) · rear yard: 30 ft

  “mr medium density residential 35 25 10 (20 for special uses) 30 200”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal structures in the ag agricultural district (section 4.01(a)) of Beaver township.

    “section 5.01 schedule of dimensional regulations for structures district ag agricultural maximum structure height (ft.) 35 front yard side yard (ft.) (ft.) rear yard (ft.) min. lot area (sq. ft.) min. lot width (ft.) 50 10 50 43,560 200”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal structures in the rr rural residential district (section 4.01(b)) of Beaver township.

    “rr rural residential 35 30 10 40 43,560 200”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal structures in the ag agricultural district (section 4.01(a)) of Beaver township.

  • Height exceptions in section 5.03 (chimneys, spires, silos, elevated water towers, and similar structures) apply in all districts.
  • Values read from a flattened PDF table in section 5.01.

  maximum structure height: <= 35 ft (section 5.03 height exceptions)

  “section 5.01 schedule of dimensional regulations for structures district ag agricultural maximum structure height (ft.) 35”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal structures in the rr rural residential district (section 4.01(b)) of Beaver township.

    “rr rural residential 35 30 10 40 43,560 200”

  • Specified — Principal structures in the mr medium density residential district (section 4.01(c)) of Beaver township, the main single-family residential district.

    “mr medium density residential 35 25 10 (20 for special uses) 30 200”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupancy of a travel trailer or recreational vehicle on a parcel inside Beaver township's limits.

  • Where no primary structure exists, landowner occupancy is limited to 30 consecutive days.
  • With an active construction permit making habitation in a permanent structure infeasible, landowner occupancy may run up to 12 months, extendable by the building official for an additional 6 months, limited to two extensions.
  • With a primary residence on the property, others may inhabit an RV for no more than 15 days in any 30-day period.

  maximum consecutive occupancy with no primary structure (landowner): <= 30 days (not applicable where an active construction permit is issued) · occupancy with active construction permit: <= 12 months (building official may extend an additional 6 months, limited to two extensions) · occupancy by non-owner with primary residence: <= 15 days (per any 30-day period)

  “where no primary structure exists on a parcel, travel trailers and recreational vehicles are permitted when occupied by the landowner for a continuous duration of no more than 30 consecutive days.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside the manufactured home park district (mhp) of Beaver township; the district is listed in section 4.01(f).

  • Foundation standard applies to manufactured homes in the mhp district.
  • Manufactured homes outside the mhp district were not determined.
  • Section 3.16(a) prohibits using a manufactured home or travel trailer for any business, occupation or trade.

  minimum foundation height below grade: >= 42 inches (mhp district standard)

  “there shall be a foundation around the entire exterior perimeter of the manufactured home of concrete or block of a minimum height of forty-two (42) inches below grade”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Dwellings inside the manufactured home park district (mhp) of Beaver township: the township ordinance accepts a septic system approved by the county health department.

  • This is a township-ordinance reference applying only to dwellings in the mhp district; it does not cover conventional single-family lots.
  • Bay County Health Department is the approving authority named in the ordinance.

  “the dwelling shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply and/or a well or septic system approved by the county health department.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Dwellings inside the manufactured home park district (mhp) of Beaver township: connection to public sewer and water, or an approved well or septic system.

  • Public sewer and water connection is required where available under this subsection's wording; availability distance rule not found in text read.
  • Where public water or sewer is not available, a well or septic system approved by the county health department is the alternative.
  • General connection rule for conventional single-family homes in ag, rr or mr districts was not located.

  “the dwelling shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply and/or a well or septic system approved by the county health department.”

Rules another office applies inside Beaver Township

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Building a home with an onsite sewage disposal (septic) system at a site inside Beaver township not served by municipal water and/or sewage collection, issued by Bay County Health Department.

  • Permit must be secured before beginning any work.
  • Permits are non-transferable from person to person (per the page citing Section 6-7 of the Sanitary Code of Bay County).
  • Construction may proceed only after the permit is issued.
  • Permit fee and processing time (21 calendar days) are stated on the page; the fee amount was not in the text read.

  “the permit(s) must be secured from this department prior to beginning any work.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of an onsite sewage disposal (septic) system at a site inside Beaver township not served by municipal water and/or sewage collection, inspected by Bay County Health Department.

  • Final inspection must occur before the system is covered.

  “a final inspection of the onsite sewage disposal system installation must be conducted by this department prior to covering the system.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sanitation (on-site septic) at a site inside Beaver township not served by municipal water and/or sewage collection: permitted only through the Bay County Health Department.

  • Permit must be obtained before work begins; system must be isolated 50 feet from water supply wells (per the page).
  • Changes from the permit must be approved first.

  “onsite sewage disposal systems must be isolated a minimum of fifty (50) feet from all water supply wells.”

• Well permitRequired

  Building at a site inside Beaver township not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system: water supply well permit from Bay County Health Department.

  • Permit must be obtained before any work begins.
  • Water supply well must be installed by a registered well driller; final inspection and water sampling required.

  “your water supply well must be installed by a registered well driller.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Beaver township's limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the ag, rr and mr districts of Beaver township.
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in the ag, rr and mr districts of Beaver township.
• Tiny homes — Occupancy of a tiny home inside Beaver township's limits.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units on residential parcels inside Beaver township's 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.