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

Monitor Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, alteration, repair, moving, improvement, removal, conversion, or demolition of a building or structure inside Monitor Charter Township.

  • A separate building permit is required for each building or structure.
  • The ordinance states the permit must be obtained from the Building Inspector as required in the building code.

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

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Monitor Charter Township, Michigan.

  • The ordinance is enacted under Michigan Act 110 of 2006, as amended.

  “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the "Monitor Township Zoning Ordinance."”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and zoning map for land inside Monitor Charter Township.

  • District-specific use and dimensional rules require consultation of the Township Zoning Ordinance and zoning map.

  “Water Tap Fees Zoning Compliance Permit Zoning Map Pay Permits Online Click here to pay for a permit”

Rules another office applies inside Monitor Township

Monitor 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)

  On-site sewage systems at sites inside Monitor Charter Township that are not served by municipal water supply and/or sewage collection.

  • The Bay County Health Department's stated permit requirement applies to sites in Bay County not served by municipal water supply and/or sewage collection.
  • Township local regulations must also be checked.

  “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 inspectionRequired

  Permitted on-site sewage disposal system installations inside Monitor Charter Township.

  • The final inspection must occur before the system is covered.
  • Applies to systems permitted by the Bay County Health Department.

  “A Final Inspection of the onsite sewage disposal system installation must be conducted by this department prior to covering the system.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells at Monitor Charter Township sites not served by municipal water supply and/or sewage collection.

  • The permit must be secured before work begins.
  • The well must be installed by a Registered Well Driller.
  • The Health Department must be notified upon completion for final inspection and water sampling.

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

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Monitor Charter Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Monitor Charter Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside Monitor Charter Township.
• Minimum lot size — Single-family residential districts inside Monitor Charter Township.
• Setbacks — Single-family residential districts inside Monitor Charter 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Monitor Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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