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

Coldwater Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Coldwater township limits (Branch County, Michigan): the township administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The township zoning page states the ordinance was adopted May 2, 2016 and has amendments effective through August 12, 2024; the copy opened is the PDF dated 9-23-16, so current text was not verified.
  • Zoning permits and zoning administration are handled by the township zoning administrator, per the township planning and zoning page.

  “coldwater township is a zoned community.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Coldwater township limits: district list and zoning maps published by the township.

  • The township page names the district types as industrial, commercial, residential and agriculture; the ordinance opened uses Agricultural (AG) and residential R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts in Article 4 spatial tables.
  • Zoning map (as of 10-2-2017) and section maps are linked from the township zoning page; map currency not verified.

  “there are different types of zoning districts here in coldwater township; industrial, commercial, residential and agriculture.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family lots in the AG (agricultural) district inside Coldwater township limits.

  • Figure applies to lots served by septic and well; sewer and water lots use the same 43,560 sq ft figure in this district.
  • Read from text extraction of table 4-3 a of the ordinance PDF dated 9-23-16; current amended text not verified.

  minimum lot area, single-family, septic/well: >= 43560 sq ft (sewer/water lots also 43,560 sq ft in AG) · minimum lot width, single-family, septic/well: >= 150 ft

  “lots minimum area septic/well 43,560 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. single-family sewer/water 43,560 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family lots in the R-2 residential district inside Coldwater township limits.

    “lots minimum area septic/well 43,560 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. 15,000 sq. ft. single-family sewer/water 43,560 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft. 8,500 sq. ft.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal residential structures in the AG (agricultural) district inside Coldwater township limits.

  • Side setback is 50 feet total in AG per the table; rear setback and the per-side minimum were cut off in the extraction and not verified.
  • Read from the 9-23-16 PDF; current amended text not verified.

  front setback: >= 30 ft · side setback total, residential: >= 50 ft

  “setbacks front setback 30 30 30 30 side setback residential 50 total 20 total 20 total 20”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal residential structures in the R-2 residential district inside Coldwater township limits.

    “setbacks front setback 30 30 30 30 side setback residential 50 total 20 total 20 total 20”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Seasonal tent and recreational vehicle campgrounds inside Coldwater township limits; this is not a rule for camping on private land generally.

  • Campgrounds may not be located closer than 500 feet from an area zoned R-2, R-3 and R-4.
  • Seasonal tent and recreational vehicle campgrounds must contain at least five acres.
  • Travel trailer areas must meet the Michigan Campground Act requirements.

  minimum campground area: >= 5 acres · minimum distance from R-2, R-3, R-4 zoning: >= 500 feet

  “seasonal tent and recreational vehicle campgrounds, including recreational areas, must contain at least five (5) acres in area.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured home used as a temporary dwelling after a disaster substantially destroys the principal dwelling, on land inside Coldwater township limits.

  • Permit is valid for one year.
  • Dwelling must be connected to an approved water well and septic tank system.
  • Setbacks of table 4-3 a must be met.
  • Dwelling must have at least 675 square feet of livable floor area.
  • The township zoning page lists a moratorium on manufactured housing (ordinance 16-04); its current effect was not verified.

  minimum livable floor area for temporary dwelling: >= 675 sq ft · permit validity: 1 year

  “manufactured homes may be permitted as a temporary use in cases where disaster results in substantial destruction of the principal dwelling.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Temporary accessory manufactured home for a relative of the property owner, inside Coldwater township limits.

  • Planning commission approval is required.
  • Relative defined in section 7-8 (mother, father, daughter, son, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, grandparent and similar family members).
  • Requires a finding of physical hardship of the intended occupant and no other practical alternatives.

  “the planning commission may approve the use of a manufactured home for a relative of the residing property owner upon a finding of physical hardship of the intended occupant and no other practical alternatives exist.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation of new lots inside Coldwater township limits in the agricultural and residential districts.

  • New lots must meet the minimum area and width requirements of table 4-3 a.
  • The township site lists a Land Division Act ordinance 16-01, which was not opened.

  “all lots shall meet the minimum area and width requirements of table 43 a. new lots shall not be created, except in conformance with these requirements.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Parcels abutting private roads inside Coldwater township limits. Does not establish driveway standards for parcels on public roads.

  • No building or zoning permit for a parcel abutting a private road until the road has been approved, with exceptions in the ordinance.
  • Private road approval requires an engineered plan, a letter of intent and submitted road names.
  • Access easements for public utilities including sewer and water are required for parcels not fronting an established public road.

  “except as provided in this ordinance, no building/zoning permits shall be issued for parcels abutting private roads until the road has been approved.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process only, inside Coldwater township limits. It does not cover building permits.

  • Application forms are a zoning application and plot plan; zoning administrator signs approval.
  • After-the-fact zoning permits cost triple the regular fee.
  • Zoning permit issued only conveys land use rights and does not include rights under any building code.
  • Construction requires notice to the zoning administrator before starting and before staking.

  “to apply for a zoning permit, you need to complete the following forms.”

Rules another office applies inside Coldwater Township

Coldwater 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)

  Septic systems for structures on land inside Coldwater township limits, under the Branch County Health Department as the permitting authority referenced by the township ordinance.

  • Zoning permits are not issued for a structure that needs water and sanitary facilities until the Branch County Health Department issues the well and septic permits (ordinance section 2-8).
  • The township zoning ordinance does not itself set septic design or installation standards in the text opened.

  “zoning permits shall not be issued for any structure required to have water and sanitary facilities unless well and septic permits are issued by the branch county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A structure requiring water and sanitary facilities on land inside Coldwater township limits must have a septic permit from the Branch County Health Department before a township zoning permit issues.

  • Condition applies only to structures required to have water and sanitary facilities.
  • Construction may begin only after the health department permit is issued and the township zoning permit is issued.

  “zoning permits shall not be issued for any structure required to have water and sanitary facilities unless well and septic permits are issued by the branch county health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  A structure requiring water and sanitary facilities on land inside Coldwater township limits must have a well permit from the Branch County Health Department before a township zoning permit issues.

  • Condition applies only to structures required to have water and sanitary facilities.
  • Permit is issued by the health department, not the township.

  “zoning permits shall not be issued for any structure required to have water and sanitary facilities unless well and septic permits are issued by the branch county health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction inside Coldwater township limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Coldwater township limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption that applies inside Coldwater township limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Coldwater township limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new dwellings inside Coldwater township limits

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.