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

Kawkawlin Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Kawkawlin township's limits: the township administers its own zoning ordinance and zoning map (A-R, R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4, C-1, C-2, I-1 districts).

  • The township zoning page lists a zoning ordinance, zoning maps, and a zoning permit application.
  • The zoning map shown is dated 8/27/2019 on its sheets; the zoning ordinance text itself was not opened in this research pass.
  • Ordinance amendments were proposed in 2026 (drafts and notices only); adopted status not verified.

  “zoning ordinance zoning maps zoning complaint form zoning permit application application for plan review master plan 2002-2022”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Kawkawlin township's limits

  • District list comes from the township zoning map legend: A-R agricultural/rural residential; R-1 single-family; R-1A single family; R-2 single and two family; R-3 multiple family; R-4 manufactured home park; C-1 neighborhood commercial; C-2 highway commercial; I-1 light industrial.
  • District dimensional standards are in the ordinance schedule, which was not opened.

  “r-3: multiple family residential minor road i-1: light industrial r-4: manufactured home park rivers/streams feet”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits issued by Kawkawlin township

  • The page links a 'building permit fees' document; the fee amounts were not opened.
  • Bay County charges its own on-site evaluation fee for septic and well (see county claims).

  “building inspector: jay gustin – (989) 798-6737 – [email protected] building permit application building permit fees new home construction checklist”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits issued by Kawkawlin township

  • Published items: building permit application, new home construction checklist, zoning permit application, and special use/rezoning/site plan/variance applications.
  • Step-by-step sequence and review timelines were not published on the pages opened.

  “building permit application building permit fees burn permit policy electrical permit application fireworks permit policy”

Rules another office applies inside Kawkawlin Township

Kawkawlin 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 (septic) inside Kawkawlin township where the site is not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system; administered by the Bay County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

  • The county answer applies inside Kawkawlin township; the county service area is countywide, so geography is recorded as countywide rather than township-specific because the schema does not allow township-specific for county authority.
  • Sites served by municipal sewer are outside this county permit rule.

  “a representative of this department will conduct a site evaluation of the soil conditions, including the soil type, topographical features, and the depth to the seasonal high water table.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic systems on sites inside Kawkawlin township that are not served by a municipal water supply and/or sewage collection system

  • Permit must be secured from the county health department before beginning any work.
  • Applications are processed within 21 calendar days after the completed application is received and the fee is paid and receipted; the county notes workload and weather can delay approval.
  • Septic installers must register with the Environmental Health Division; the registration test has a $50 fee.
  • On-site evaluation fee is listed at the top of the county application form (amount not opened).

  “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.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Onsite (non-sewer) sanitation on sites inside Kawkawlin township not served by municipal water and/or sewage collection

  • Onsite sewage disposal must be isolated a minimum of 50 feet from all water supply wells.
  • Any change from the county-issued permit must first be approved.

  minimum isolation distance from water supply wells: >= 50 feet

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

• Well permitRequired

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

  • Permit must be secured from the county health department before beginning any work.
  • New wells must comply with the Bay County well ordinance and Part 127 of Act 368 of 1978, as amended.
  • Water supply well must be installed by a registered well driller.

  “all new wells will be in compliance with the requirements of the bay county well ordinance and part 127 - act 368 of 1978, as amended.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a single-family home inside Kawkawlin township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Kawkawlin township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home inside Kawkawlin township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district (R-1) of Kawkawlin township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the R-1 single-family district of Kawkawlin 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.