Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Eau Claire, Michigan
Village of Eau Claire is a village in Berrien County, Michigan. Village of Eau Claire adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Village of Eau Claire’s rules apply, not the county’s. 3 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 23, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Berrien County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Village of Eau Claire
Village of Eau Claire’s own rules
Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)
Existing buildings and structures inside the Village of Eau Claire limits, under the property maintenance code
Adopted with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes prescribed in the ordinance codified in section 150.01.
Takes effect 30 days after adoption and legal publication.
property maintenance code: International Property Maintenance Code 2012
“be and is hereby adopted as the property maintenance code of the village, in the state”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Adopted (with conditions) — New construction and alterations inside the Village of Eau Claire limits, under the State Construction Code Act and state plumbing code as administered by the village
“the village hereby elects to administer and enforce public act 230 of 1972, being m.c.l.a. § 125.1508b(6), and the state plumbing code.”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
Land inside the Village of Eau Claire limits (Berrien County, Michigan); the village's own zoning ordinance, adopted by reference in the village code
Section 150.02 adopts the village zoning ordinance by reference and incorporates it as if set out in full; the zoning ordinance text itself is not reproduced in the code and was not located on an official page during this research.
Section 150.02 history lists amendments through ord. 2021-3, passed 5-26-2021.
Section 150.05 and section 150.06(e) send building setback and lot regulations to this adopted-by-reference zoning ordinance.
“the village zoning ordinance is hereby adopted by reference and incorporated herein as if set out in full.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Eau Claire or Berrien County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Eau Claire village
Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for land inside Eau Claire village
Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for a single-family home inside Eau Claire village (main residential district not identified)
Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for a single-family home inside Eau Claire village (main residential district not identified)
Setbacks — Building setbacks for a single-family home inside Eau Claire village (main residential district not identified)
19 more unanswered
Lot coverage
Building height
Living in an RV
Camping on your land
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Who permits septic
Septic permit
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
Subdividing land
Driveway access
Building in a floodplain
Short-term rentals
Permit fees
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.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Eau Claire publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Berrien County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Village of Eau Claire means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
