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

Frankenlust Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and alterations inside Frankenlust township

  • A building permit is issued only after the zoning administrator confirms compliance through a zoning permit.
  • Construction may proceed only after the building permit is issued.

  “no building permit shall be issued unless a zoning permit has been issued by the zoning administrator for the same development and is in effect.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of any new, changed or altered structure or premises inside Frankenlust township

  • Certificate is issued by the building inspector only after the zoning administrator confirms compliance with the ordinance.
  • A certificate is not issued for a structure or use that does not comply with the ordinance.

  “it shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any structure or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued therefore by the building inspector.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Frankenlust township limits, administered under the township's own zoning ordinance

  • The copy is hosted on energyzoning.org, not the township's own site, and the township website could not be reached. Cover reads Ordinance No. 79, Effective Date June 29, 2018, with a second stamp of August 05, 2022; page footers read January 1, 2014. The current adopted version should be confirmed with the township.

  “zoning ordinance ordinance no. 79 effective date: june 29, 2018 frankenlust township bay county, michigan”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Frankenlust township limits

  • District list is from the ordinance copy on energyzoning.org; confirm currency with the township.

  “district name symbol agricultural district ag rural small farm district sf single-family residential districts r-1, r-2, r-3 two-family residential district rt multiple-family residential district rm”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential dwellings inside Frankenlust township on lots in the agricultural (ag), rural small farm (sf) and residential districts that are not served by both a municipal sanitary sewer system and a municipal water system

  • Lot must also satisfy Bay County environmental health division requirements for private septic systems.
  • Minimum lot size for lots served by municipal sewer and water is not stated in this passage; the district table is garbled in the text copy.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (Applies only where the lot is not served by a municipal sanitary sewerage system and a municipal water system)

  “c. minimum lot area. the minimum lot area for residential dwellings in any rural district or residential district not served by a municipal sanitary sewerage system and a municipal water system shall be not less than one (1) acre, and shall satisfy all applicable bay county environmental health division requirements for use of private septic systems.”

Rules another office applies inside Frankenlust Township

Frankenlust 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)

  Onsite sewage disposal systems on sites inside Frankenlust township that are not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system; administered by the Bay County Health Department

  • The health department advises checking with township representatives that plans meet local rules.
  • The county page is county-wide and does not name Frankenlust township; the county rule is applied inside the township because no township-level septic rule was found.

  “if you are planning to build at a site located in bay county which is not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system, you are required to obtain a permit from this department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New onsite sewage disposal systems on sites inside Frankenlust township not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system

  • Permit must be obtained from the Bay County Health Department before any work begins.
  • Site evaluation of soil conditions is part of the process before the permit is issued.

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

• Well permitRequired

  New water supply wells on sites inside Frankenlust township not served by a municipal water supply

  • Well must be installed by a registered well driller, per the county page.
  • Permit must be secured before work begins.

  “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 Frankenlust Township or Bay County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building on their own land inside Frankenlust township
• Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Frankenlust township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Frankenlust township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Frankenlust township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Frankenlust 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.