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

Colfax Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Grading, excavation and construction inside Colfax township under the joint zoning ordinance, plus building permits issued by the Benzie County building department where state law requires them.

  • A zoning permit comes first.
  • Zoning permit is not required for buildings of 100 square feet or less, though ordinance standards still apply and a building permit may be needed.
  • Building permit applies where required by state law.

  “no grading, excavation, or construction shall be initiated prior to the issuance of a zoning permit and, where required by state law, the building inspector certifies proposed structures and buildings comply with the construction code through the issuance of a building permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupying any structure or use inside Colfax township

  • Permit for occupancy is issued by the building inspector under the construction code.

  “no structure or use shall be occupied, in whole or in part, without first receiving a permit for occupancy from the building inspector pursuant to the construction code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Colfax township, Benzie County, MI. Zoning is a joint ordinance with Weldon Township and the Village of Thompsonville, administered through the Colfax Township and Village of Thompsonville Joint Planning Commission.

  • Only the township and village together may adopt changes to the joint ordinance.
  • Ordinance is the Greater Thompsonville Area Zoning Ordinance.

  “the greater thompsonville area zoning ordinance was adopted by the colfax and weldon township boards and village of thompsonville council in april 2015.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of the joint ordinance covering Colfax township

  • Also includes NR, MF, MHC, C-1, C-2, I-1, AP and PUD districts; an 11x17 zoning map is on the township site.

  “rc-1 resource conservation rc-2 resource conservation rr-1 rural residential-1 rr-2 rural residential-2 r-1 low density r-2 medium density residential r-3 high density residential”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  All single-family dwellings in all districts inside Colfax township

  • Does not apply to temporary dwellings or mobile homes in a licensed manufactured housing community.

  minimum floor area: >= 720 sq ft (temporary dwellings; licensed manufactured housing communities)

  “all dwellings shall have a minimum floor area of 720 sq. ft”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory buildings and structures in RR-1/RR-2, R-1/R-2 and R-3 districts inside Colfax township; principal building heights in table 4-4 not resolved.

  • Agricultural buildings such as barns and silos are not subject to height limits.
  • Other height exceptions in table 4-4 footnote 4.

  accessory max height RR-1/RR-2: <= 30 feet · accessory max height R-1/R-2: <= 20 feet · accessory max height R-3: <= 15 feet

  “district rr-1 and rr-2 r-1 and r-2 r-3 maximum height in feet maximum height in stories 30 20 15 1 1 1”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles used as dwellings inside Colfax township

  • Temporary dwellings need zoning administrator approval and a zoning permit with plot plan.
  • The passage read lists emergency housing while a permanent dwelling is under repair; other listed purposes were not read.
  • Campgrounds are a listed use in the NR district; not analyzed.

  “temporary dwellings are prohibited except as approved by the zoning administrator according to this section.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes on individual lots inside Colfax township

  • Must meet single-family dwelling standards, including permanent foundation, skirting and anchoring.
  • A separate MHC manufactured housing community district exists.

  “no dwelling shall have exposed wheels, towing mechanism, undercarriage, or chassis.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Single-family dwellings inside Colfax township

  • Public sewer and water, or private facilities approved by the health department.
  • The standard does not apply to temporary dwellings or licensed manufactured housing communities except as state and federal law require.

  “the dwelling shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply or to such private facilities approved by the benzie county health department.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings inside Colfax township

  • Only a height exemption was read; farm fences are also exempt from the zoning permit.
  • Applies except where the ordinance regulates otherwise.

  “agricultural buildings and structures, such as barns and silos, shall not be subject to height limitations.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Colfax township

  • Only the township page's listing of a land division ordinance was read, not its text.
  • Site condominiums and platted subdivisions also need a zoning permit.

  “blight ordinance no. 19 - amended colfax township jpc ordinance no. 06-10-2020 greater thompsonville area zoning ordinance and maps land division ordinance joint master plan”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning permits inside Colfax township

  • Schedule effective May 1, 2026.
  • Site condominium/platted subdivision fees carry an attorney review fee.
  • County building permit fees are on a separate county schedule not opened.

  single family dwelling zoning permit (first fee listed): 60 USD (column order extracted, confirm)

  “zoning permits permit type single family dwelling multiple family dwelling (per unit) residential addition / change in use pole building / detached garage accessory structure signs (non-permanent) commercial / industrial structure commercial / industrial addition permanent signs site condominium / platted subdivision* fee $60 $60 $60 $60 $60 $60 $100 $100 $100 $250”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning permits for dwellings inside Colfax township

  • Plot plan required.
  • Decision within 15 days of a complete application.
  • Permit expires after one year unless the first building inspection is passed.

  decision time: <= 15 days

  “the decision by the zoning administrator shall be made within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of a complete application including copies of all required county, state and federal permits.”

Rules another office applies inside Colfax Township

Colfax 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Colfax township; Benzie County's building department enforces the state codes in Benzie County, which the township's documents page points residents to. The township does not appear to adopt its own code.

  • The county page names Benzie County as its enforcement area; the township's documents page also sends residents to it for state code inspections.

  “this department is responsible for administration and enforcement of the state code or codes in benzie county and springdale township in manistee county”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder building permits inside Colfax township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Colfax township
• Minimum lot size — Residential and rural districts inside Colfax township
• Setbacks — Residential and rural districts inside Colfax township
• Lot coverage — Residential and rural districts inside Colfax 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.