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

Butler Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Butler township limits, Branch County, Michigan

  • The township's own site links a current zoning ordinance PDF and says it is used to look up the zoning ordinance.
  • Adoption and effective date of the current ordinance are not stated in the captured text.

  “use this web site to look up permits, master plan and the zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Butler township, Michigan

  • The captured text shows chapter 6 as the R-2 low density residential district, plus the AG primary agricultural and R-1 general agriculture and rural residential districts with their own dimensional sections.
  • The full district list and official zoning map were not captured.

  “chapter 6 r-2 low density residential district section 6.01 description and purpose this district is intended for low density single family residential dwellings on large parcels.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Each dwelling unit in the primary agricultural (AG) district of Butler township

  • Minimum measured as useable floor area on the main floor, unless specified elsewhere in the ordinance.

  minimum usable floor area on main floor: >= 864 square feet (unless specified elsewhere)

  “g. minimum floor area. each dwelling unit, unless specified elsewhere, shall have a minimum of 864 square feet of useable floor area on the main floor.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Each dwelling unit in the R-1 general agriculture and rural residential district of Butler township

    “g. minimum floor area. each dwelling unit, unless specified elsewhere, shall have a minimum of eight hundred sixty-four (864) square feet of usable floor area on the main floor.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Primary agricultural (AG) district of Butler township

  • Lot area cannot include any part of a public right-of-way or private road right-of-way.
  • District heading captured only as the preceding chapter before R-1; the AG identification follows the district order in the ordinance.

  minimum lot area: >= 5 acre (unless specified elsewhere)

  “d. lot area. the minimum lot area in this district, unless specified elsewhere, shall be 5 acres. lot area cannot include any part of a public right-of-way or private road right-of-way.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the R-2 low density residential district of Butler township

    “d. lot area. the minimum lot area in this district, unless specified elsewhere, shall by one (1) acres for single family dwellings.”

  • Specified — Agricultural and rural single-family residential land uses in the R-1 general agriculture and rural residential district of Butler township

    “d. lot area. the minimum lot area in this district shall be two (2) acres for all agricultural and rural (single family) residential land uses.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential buildings in the R-1 general agriculture and rural residential district of Butler township

  • No side yard may be less than 20 feet; total side yards must be at least 50 feet for residential buildings.
  • Non-residential buildings in R-1 follow a separate side-yard rule not captured here.

  front yard: >= 50 feet · total side yards: >= 50 feet (no side yard less than 20 feet) · rear yard: >= 50 feet

  “b. side yard. for residential buildings and structures, there shall be total side yards of not less than fifty (50) feet; provided, however, that no side yard shall be less than twenty (20) feet.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-2 low density residential district of Butler township

    “b. side yard. there shall be total side yards of not less than twenty (20) feet; provided, however, that no yard shall be less than ten (10) feet.”

  • Specified — Residential buildings in the primary agricultural (AG) district of Butler township

    “b. side yard. for residential buildings and structures, there shall be total side yards of not less than 50 feet; provided, however, that no side yard shall be less than 20 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupancy of trailer coaches and motor homes on a lot in Butler township

  • Storage or parking is allowed only on a lot with an inhabited dwelling unit, and the vehicle must be owned by the occupant.
  • Vehicles may not be stored on vacant lots.
  • Recreational vehicles are not dwellings under the ordinance definition.
  • Vehicles must otherwise remain unoccupied and may not be connected to sanitary sewer, water or gas beyond the 180-day visitor use.

  visitor occupancy: <= 180 days per year (visitors only)

  “c. trailer coaches, motor homes and other vehicles or equipment designed or adaptable for sleeping purposes may be utilized for up to one hundred and eighty (180) days during the course of one year for visitors. they shall otherwise remain unoccupied and shall not be connected to sanitary sewer facilities, water or gas.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Commercial and office developments in the C-1 commercial district of Butler township only

  • Applies only where public sanitary sewer and public water are available; otherwise private systems approved by the district health department are allowed.
  • Does not establish a residential connection rule.

  “d. public water and sewer commercial and office developments shall be served by public sanitary sewer and public water supply systems where available or private systems approved by the branch-hillsdale district health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction in Butler township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Butler township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for construction in Butler township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction in Butler township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new dwellings in Butler 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.