Bolthole Index

Calhoun County, Michigan

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

Leroy Township, Michigan runs its own zoning and building office: the township lists a Zoning Administrator and a Building Dept. Coordinator1. Septic and well permits for every address in the township come from the Calhoun County Health Department, and the county permit must come before the township building permit2. We could not confirm the township's lot sizes, setbacks or RV rules, so ask the township office before you buy.

At a glance

Zoning
Set by Leroy Township, not Calhoun County; district rules unconfirmed13
Building permit
Required under the Michigan building code; township lists a building office41
Septic permit
Required from the Calhoun County Health Department before the building permit52
Well permit
Required from the county health department before drilling6
Public sewer
Must connect when sewer abuts the property7
Mobile homes
Township must approve occupancy before a septic permit issues8
Owner-builder
State builder-license exemption for your own home; permits still apply9

Who to call

Building permits

Leroy Township Hall (Building Dept. and Zoning Administrator)

Township office for building and zoning questions; lists a Building Dept. Coordinator and a Zoning Administrator

(269) 979-9421

8156 4 Mile Road East Leroy, MI 49051

Septic permits

Calhoun County Public Health Department, Environmental Public Health

Well and septic permits, site evaluation, system design review and final inspection

Septic permits

Calhoun County Public Health Department (Battle Creek office)

Office location for the health department, including well and septic staff

269-969-6370

190 E. Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49014

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 25, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Leroy Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Leroy Township, Michigan have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Zoning in Calhoun County is set township by township, and the county planning commission reviews township ordinances rather than administering them3. Leroy Township's own office lists a Zoning Administrator1, so zoning questions for a Leroy parcel go there, not to Calhoun County.

We could not confirm Leroy Township's zoning districts, minimum lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, accessory dwelling rules or any RV or tiny-home rule. Michigan law leaves those to each local government10. Ask the Zoning Administrator which district a parcel is in and what it allows before you make an offer.

Do you need a building permit in Leroy Township, and who issues it?

Michigan requires an owner or builder to apply in writing to the appropriate enforcing agency before constructing a building or structure4. Leroy Township's office lists a Building Dept. Coordinator1, and the Michigan construction code is enforced locally in Calhoun County11. We could not confirm the township's fee schedule or inspection steps, so call the township office to confirm which agency issues your permit.

A new home also needs a certificate of occupancy before anyone lives in it12. Owner-builders are exempt from the state residential-builder license when they build for their own use on their own property, but that does not remove permit, inspection or zoning requirements9.

How do septic permits work inside Leroy Township?

The Calhoun County Health Department administers private sewage systems inside Leroy Township13. Installing, repairing or substantially altering a septic tank or drain field requires a soil evaluation or written construction permit first5. The township may not issue its building permit before that health permit exists2.

A septic permit lasts 12 months5. The department inspects within 48 hours of being told the system is finished, and the system cannot be backfilled until it approves14. A habitable building must connect to public sewer when sewer runs along the property, and no septic permit issues if sewer is within 300 feet of the building unless the Health Officer waives it7.

Soils matter here: only 4.6% of Calhoun County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15.

Do you need a well permit in Leroy Township?

Yes, for a new private well where public water is not available: the Calhoun County Health Department issues the permit, and it must be in hand before any drilling starts6. The department can require a test well first, and a building permit cannot issue on land without public water until the Health Officer approves the private water supply6.

Can you live in an RV, mobile home or tiny home on your land in Leroy Township?

We could not confirm Leroy Township's RV, camping or tiny-home rules, so ask the Zoning Administrator before you move anything onto a lot1. Michigan's campground rules cover sites offered to the public and do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own land16. A tiny house also needs local zoning, building and plumbing approvals17.

For a mobile home, the county will not issue a septic permit until the owner shows the Health Officer that the township will approve the site for a mobile home, and each unit needs its own septic system8.

Building a home in Leroy Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Zoning Administrator at the township office to confirm the parcel's district and what it allows1.
  2. Ask the Calhoun County Health Department for a soil evaluation and septic permit, and a well permit if public water is not available56.
  3. Check with the township whether public sewer is available before you apply7.
  4. Apply for the building permit with the enforcing agency, after the health permits exist2.
  5. Call for the septic inspection before backfilling14.
  6. Request a certificate of occupancy when work is done12.

What stays with Calhoun County, and what to check before you buy

Calhoun County does not set Leroy Township's zoning3, but its health department handles septic and wells everywhere in the township13. For land outside the township, see the Calhoun County page.

Before buying, check flood risk: fill for a septic system is not allowed in a designated wetland or flood plain18, and new residential construction is prohibited in a regulated floodway19. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state permit20. Calhoun County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%21.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Leroy Township's zoning districts, lot sizes, setbacks, RV or tiny-home rules, or building permit fees; ask the township office before you buy1.
  • A septic permit must come before the building permit, so a lot that fails its soil evaluation can stop the project2.
  • Permit fees for county septic and well work are set in a health department fee schedule we could not read; ask the department for current amounts22.

Sources

  1. Leroy Township Hall (Building Dept. and Zoning Administrator) (leroytwp-calhounmi.gov)
  2. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Calhoun County Planning Commission 2023 Annual Report, quoted and re-checked
  4. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Marshall Township (Calhoun County) Permits, Applications & Inspections (2026 county census)
  12. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Calhoun County Sanitation Code (Leroy Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Legislation governing campgrounds in Michigan (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. michigan.gov (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. calhouncountymi.gov, quoted and re-checked
  19. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Calhoun County Sanitation Code, quoted and re-checked

Written October 25, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Leroy Township

Rules another office applies inside Leroy Township

Leroy Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Manufactured homesLimited

    A mobile home or trailer using a newly installed sewage-disposal system inside Leroy Township.

    • The owner must provide the Health Officer evidence that the municipality will approve occupancy of the site by the mobile-home unit.
    • Each mobile home or trailer must have its own approved septic tank and drainage system.
    “Before a permit may be issued for the installation of a sewage disposal system to serve a mobile home, the owner shall furnish the Health Officer evidence that the municipality will approve a permit for occupancy of the site by a mobile home unit. Each mobile home or trailer shall be required to be served by its own septic tank and drainage system that is approved.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Leroy Township; administration is by the Calhoun County Health Department.

    • A soil evaluation and/or written construction permit is required before the listed sewage work.
    • The local governmental unit may not issue its building permit before the health permit.
    “It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Health Officer of Calhoun County to enforce the provisions of this code throughout Calhoun County.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, installation, repair, or substantial alteration of a privy, septic tank, or subsurface disposal system inside Leroy Township.

    • A soil evaluation and/or written construction permit from the Calhoun County Health Department is required.
    • The permit must be obtained before issuance of a building permit by the local governmental unit.
    • The application is obtained from the Calhoun County Health Department.
    • Permit duration is 12 months; renewal is at the Appendix A fee-schedule rate.

    permit term: 12 months (Renewal rate is established by the Appendix A fee schedule.)

    “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to construct, install, repair or substantially alter any privy, septic tank or subsurface disposal system, without first obtaining a soil evaluation and/or a written construction permit from the Calhoun County Health Department.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New or replacement septic systems and subsurface disposal systems inside Leroy Township.

    • The department inspects within 48 hours after completion notification, or at a mutually agreed time.
    • The system must not be backfilled before inspection and approval.
    • After approval it must be covered within 48 hours.

    inspection notification response: <= 48 hours (Or at a time mutually agreed to with the sewage disposal installer.)

    “The Health Department shall inspect any septic system within forty-eight (48) hours of notification that the system is completed or at a time mutually agreed to with the sewage disposal installer. A new or replacement septic system and/or any subsurface disposal system shall not be backfilled until an inspection has been completed and approval granted by the Calhoun County Health Department, after which the system shall be covered within forty-eight (48) hours.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Off-grid sanitation serving a habitable building, trailer, or mobile home inside Leroy Township.

    • The dwelling, trailer, or mobile home must have an approved sewage disposal system including plumbing fixtures, building drains, and building sewers.
    • A private system generally may serve no more than one dwelling unless the Health Officer specifically waives that requirement.
    • Waste cannot be discharged inside the dwelling, on the ground, into groundwater, roadside ditches, surface waters, water courses, inland lakes, or a closed drain other than a sanitary sewer.
    • A privy needs a sewage-disposal permit before construction and is prohibited where public sewer is available or a local ordinance prohibits it.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy, or permit to be occupied, any habitable building, trailer or mobile home, which is not equipped with an approved sewage disposal system to include plumbing fixtures, building drains and building sewers as defined in Michigan State Plumbing Laws for the transportation and disposal in a sanitary manner of all forms of sewage.”
  • Well permitRequired

    New private water wells inside Leroy Township where public water is not available.

    • A Calhoun County Health Department permit must be obtained before construction.
    • Section VII exceptions apply.
    • The written application must be signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • The department may require a test well and specify tests.
    • The permit cannot be altered without prior department approval, including changing well location.
    • A building permit cannot issue or construction commence on land without public water until the Health Officer has issued a private-water-supply permit.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to construct, install or cause to be installed, any type of new water well without first obtaining a permit from the Calhoun County Health Department. This permit must be obtained before any construction begins.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Habitable buildings or premises inside Leroy Township that originate sanitary sewage.

    • Connection is required when the public sanitary sewer is in a right-of-way, easement, highway, street, or public way that crosses, adjoins, or abuts the property.
    • An on-site sewage permit cannot issue where a public sanitary sewer is available or located along the property and passes within 300 feet of the building; the Health Officer may waive that 300-foot requirement to address environmental contamination.

    public-sewer distance from building: <= 300 feet (Health Officer or representative may waive the distance requirement to abate, avoid, or correct environmental contamination.)

    “A habitable building or premise shall connect to a public sanitary sewer system when the public sanitary sewer system is located in a right-of-way, easement, highway, street, or public way which crosses, adjoins, or abuts upon the property from which sanitary sewage originates.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and site-condominium projects inside Leroy Township that require sewage-system review.

    • The owner or representative must provide engineered plans to the Health Department.
    • Plans include, but are not limited to, house and property-line locations, proposed well, driveway, roads, initial and reserve septic, and drainage areas.
    • Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requirements also apply.
    “It shall be the responsibility of the owner/representative to furnish the Health Department with engineered plans for all subdivision or site condominium projects. Plans will include, but not be limited to, location of house, property lines, proposed well, driveway, roads, proposed septic (initial and reserve), drainage areas.”
  • Permit processPartial

    County health permitting for sewage-disposal work inside Leroy Township.

    • Obtain a soil evaluation and/or written construction permit from the Calhoun County Health Department before the local building permit.
    • Obtain the application from the Health Department.
    • The Health Officer may deny the permit for subdivision-law violations, failure to meet minimum code requirements, failure to operate properly, or an actual or potential health hazard; denial is furnished in writing within 30 days.

    written denial period: <= 30 days (Runs from the denial or decision to deny a sewage-disposal installation permit.)

    “Such permits must be obtained prior to the issuance of a building permit by the local governmental unit. Application for permits shall be obtained from the Calhoun County Health Department.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential building construction inside Leroy Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Leroy Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Leroy Township.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Leroy Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of newly constructed dwellings inside Leroy Township.
16 more unanswered
  • Local zoning
  • Zoning districts
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Leroy Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Calhoun County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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