Bolthole Index

Berrien County, Michigan

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

Lincoln Township is a charter township in Berrien County, Michigan. Lincoln Township adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Lincoln Township’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Lincoln Township come from Berrien County (Berrien County Health Department, Environmental Health Office · 269-927-5623). 26 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Berrien County page.

Answers from the rulebook for Lincoln Township

Lincoln Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting or altering any building inside Lincoln charter township, including new residential construction

    • Permit is a building permit or zoning compliance permit issued by the township building inspector.
    • Applications must be accompanied by a basic site plan under article 10 unless a detailed site plan is required elsewhere in the ordinance.
    • Decks attached to a dwelling, and detached decks over 200 square feet, require basic site plan review and a building permit (section 230.326(b)).
    “no building shall be erected or altered without first obtaining a building permit or zoning compliance permit.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Lincoln charter township limits: the township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Lincoln charter township zoning ordinance, effective June 21, 2008, amended through October 2019).

    • The ordinance text reviewed is the October 2019 amended version as posted on the township site; later amendments were not verified within the research budget.
    • Zoning does not apply to the Village of Stevensville, a separate municipality.
    “lincoln charter township zoning ordinance iv table of contents effective june 21, 2008, amended through october 2019”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts of Lincoln charter township, including AG, LD, CR, HD, MH, NRD, CMU, HC, LI, HI and PUD

    • Districts are shown on the official zoning map referenced in section 230.401.
    “for the purposes of this ordinance, the zoning districts as provided in this ordinance are bounded and defined as shown on a map entitled”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AG agricultural district inside Lincoln charter township

    • Dwelling must also meet a 24-foot minimum horizontal dimension and 7.5-foot floor-to-ceiling height under section 230.312.

    minimum living area: >= 1000 sq ft

    “minimum lot width: 150 ft. maximum lot coverage: 35% minimum living area: 1,000 sq. ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    LD low density residential district inside Lincoln charter township

    • Minimum lot area is 12,000 sq ft where the structure is connected to public water and/or sewer.
    • For structures not connected to public water and/or sewer, minimum lot width is 90 feet and minimum lot area is 23,000 square feet.

    minimum lot area, connected to public water or sewer: >= 12000 sq ft · minimum lot area, not connected to public water and/or sewer: >= 23000 sq ft

    “(b) for structures not connected to public water and/or sewer minimum lot width shall be 90 feet and the minimum lot area shall be 23,000 square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Lincoln charter township

    • Setbacks on major streets are set by section 230.330.
    • Accessory buildings housing livestock or fowl need 200 feet from non-agricultural zoned property and 75 feet from agricultural zoned property.

    front setback: >= 35 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 50 feet

    “min. 50-foot rear setback lot line min. 10-foot side setback min. 150-foot lot width min. 35-foot front setback”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Lincoln charter township

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “minimum lot width: 150 ft. maximum lot coverage: 35% minimum living area: 1,000 sq. ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    LD low density residential district inside Lincoln charter township

    • Maximum number of stories is 2.5.

    maximum building height: <= 40 feet · maximum number of stories: <= 2.5 stories

    “minimum lot area: maximum building height: 40’ ft. (a) minimum building setbacks:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Using a recreational vehicle or trailer as a principal or seasonal dwelling on any land inside Lincoln charter township

    • Exceptions: part of a campground licensed by the Michigan Department of Public Health, or an accessory dwelling in the AG district under section 230.305.
    • Unoccupied parking or storage of RVs and trailers on a street or front yard is prohibited for more than 48 hours at a time.

    parking or storage limit on street or front yard: <= 48 hours (prohibited for more than this period at a time)

    “no person shall use or permit the use of any temporary dwelling or trailer as a principal or seasonal dwelling on any site, lot, field, parcel or tract of land, except: a. as part of a campground licensed by the michigan department of public health. b. as an accessory dwelling in the ag district per section 230.305 herein.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary camping in trailers or temporary dwellings inside Lincoln charter township

    • Allowed only as part of a campground licensed by the Michigan Department of Public Health, or as an accessory dwelling in the AG district.
    • Unoccupied parking or storage of RVs on a street or front yard is limited to 48 hours at a time.
    “unoccupied parking or storage of temporary dwellings, recreational vehicles, trailers, etc. on a street or front yard is prohibited for more than forty eight (48) hours at a time.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Small dwellings such as tiny homes used as a residence inside Lincoln charter township

    • A dwelling must have a minimum horizontal dimension of 24 feet across any front, side or rear elevation and a floor-to-ceiling height of at least 7.5 feet.
    • Manufactured homes must be installed with wheels, axles and towing mechanism removed.
    • Tiny homes built on a trailer chassis would likely fail the 24-foot width rule; the ordinance does not define tiny home.

    minimum horizontal dimension across any front, side or rear elevation: >= 24 feet (at time of manufacture, placement, or construction) · minimum floor to ceiling height: >= 7.5 feet

    “the dwelling unit shall have a minimum horizontal dimension across any front, side or rear elevation of twenty-four (24) feet at time of manufacture, placement, or construction. floor to ceiling height shall be a minimum of seven and one-half (7 1/2) feet.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes used as a dwelling inside Lincoln charter township, outside licensed parks

    • Manufactured homes must be installed with wheels, axles and towing mechanism removed.
    • Standards do not apply to manufactured homes in a manufactured home park licensed by the Michigan Manufactured Home Commission, which is the MH district.
    • Dwelling standards also apply: 24-foot minimum width and 7.5-foot floor-to-ceiling height.
    “if the dwelling unit is a manufactured home, it shall be installed with the wheels, axles and towing mechanism removed.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwellings inside Lincoln charter township, only in the AG agricultural district

    • Permitted only in the AG district, to provide temporary housing for workers engaged in agricultural employment.
    • Must meet all lot area, setback and dimensional standards and conform to Michigan Right to Farm Act standards.
    “accessory dwellings are an accessory use permitted in the ag, agricultural district to provide temporary housing for workers engaged in agricultural employment in lincoln charter township”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Single-family and two-unit dwellings inside Lincoln charter township not connected to public sewer

    • Private sewage disposal is allowed only where approved by the Berrien County Health Department.
    • LD district homes must connect to public sewer where available, which limits private systems.
    “single-family dwelling units and two-unit dwelling units shall be connected to public water and sewer, or to private facilities for potable water and disposal of sewer approved by the berrien county health department”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Uses in the LD low density residential district inside Lincoln charter township

    • Connection is required only if public water and sanitary sewer are available.
    • Where public water or sewer is not connected, the LD district requires larger lots (see the minimum lot size claims).
    “all uses within this district are required to connect to public water and sanitary sewer, if available.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building and trade permits issued by Lincoln charter township inside its limits (the township also issues permits for the Village of Stevensville)

    • Fees are set from time to time by township board resolution (zoning section 230.326(c)).
    • A building permit fee schedule effective April 1, 2022 is linked from the building forms page; its figures were not opened.
    “building permit fee schedule (goes into effect april 1, 2022) (pdf)”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building and trade permit applications inside Lincoln charter township

    • Submit permit and certificate applications by email to [email protected]; inspection requests go to 269-287-3548.
    • Applications include a basic site plan for building permits (zoning section 230.326(a)).
    “to submit permit/certificate applications: [email protected]”

Rules another office applies inside Lincoln Township

Lincoln 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)

    Private sewage disposal on land inside Lincoln charter township where public sanitary sewer is not provided; the Berrien County Health Department is the approving authority named in the township ordinance

    • Scope recorded as health-district because the schema pairs that kind with district-specific geography; the township ordinance itself names the Berrien County Health Department.
    • Township building inspector withholds the building permit until a sewer permit and county health approval are presented (section 230.339(b)).
    “c. the building inspector may order all work stopped and to notify the berrien county health officer, in any instance where a private sewage disposal system is being constructed, altered or extended without a permit issued by the berrien county health department.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New homes on private septic inside Lincoln charter township, where public sanitary sewer is not provided

    • A sewer permit, presented to the township building inspector, is required before a building permit is issued.
    • The permit is issued through the Berrien County Health Department as stated in the township ordinance; the county form and fee were not verified.
    “where a building is to be occupied by human beings on property which is not provided with public water or public sanitary sewer facilities, no building permit shall be issued until the building inspector has been presented with a sewer permit”
  • Well permitRequired

    New homes on private wells inside Lincoln charter township, where public water is not provided

    • A certificate from the Berrien County Health Department showing the well has been approved must be presented before a building permit issues.
    • Well permit form, fee and process were not verified within the research budget.
    “no building permit shall be issued until the building inspector has been presented with a sewer permit and a certificate from the berrien county health department showing that the well has been approved.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Lincoln charter township
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Lincoln charter township limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new homes inside Lincoln charter township
  • Septic inspection — Inspection of private septic systems inside Lincoln charter township
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural exemption from township building or zoning rules inside Lincoln charter township
4 more unanswered
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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 Lincoln Township 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 Lincoln Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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