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

Sheridan Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Sheridan township's limits that requires a building permit under the township's permit forms.

  • Permit fees and schedules are on the township permit page as separate documents; the fee amounts were not opened.
  • Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits are listed separately on the township permit page.

  “his responsibilities include reviewing all applications for zoning, building permits, conditional use permits, appeals and variances.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Sheridan township's limits. The township administers its own zoning ordinance (Township of Sheridan, Calhoun County, Michigan Zoning Ordinance).

  • Zoning permits and conditional use permits are reviewed by the township zoning administrator per the township building and zoning page.
  • Zoning-only topics in this record are answered from the township ordinance.

  “his responsibilities include reviewing all applications for zoning, building permits, conditional use permits, appeals and variances.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Sheridan township's limits, as listed in the township zoning ordinance table of contents.

  • Table of contents lists AA Agricultural (Article 4), RB Medium Density Residential (Article 5), MF Multiple Family Residential (Article 6), HS Highway Service Commercial (Article 7), CS Community Service Commercial (Article 8), and other districts.
  • The official zoning map is referenced in section 3.02 of the ordinance; the map itself was not opened.

  “article 4 - aa agricultural district section 4.01 - purpose”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the RB Medium Density Residential district inside Sheridan township (Article 5, section 5.04(d)).

  • Minimum basic length and/or width dimensions of not less than 24 feet.
  • Measured as the first-floor area per dwelling unit.

  minimum first floor area: >= 720 sq ft

  “d. minimum floor area: the minimum first floor area shall not be less than seven hundred twenty (720) square feet per dwelling unit with a minimum basic length and/or width dimensions of not less than twenty-four (24) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the AA Agricultural district inside Sheridan township (Article 4, section 4.04(d)).

    “d. minimum floor area: the minimum floor area shall not be less than seven hundred twenty (720) square feet with a minimum basic width dimension of not less than twenty-four (24) feet as measured across any front, side, and rear elevation.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  RB Medium Density Residential district inside Sheridan township (Article 5), single-family dwelling lots.

  • The captured passage begins mid-sentence ('nd central sanitary sewerage system,'), so the served-lot condition is inferred from the paired 'where a lot is not so served' sentence and not quoted in full.
  • Lots served by central water and central sanitary sewer: 10,000 sq ft per single-family dwelling unit. Lots not so served: 15,000 sq ft per single-family dwelling unit.
  • Two-family dwellings: 15,000 sq ft (served) or 30,000 sq ft (not served). Other buildings: 2 acres minimum (schedule note 4 in section 29.02).

  minimum lot area, served by central water and sanitary sewer: >= 10000 sq ft (single-family dwelling unit) · minimum lot area, not served by central water and sewer: >= 15000 sq ft (single-family dwelling unit)

  “a. lot area: where a lot is served with a public water supply system and central sanitary sewerage system, there shall be provided a minimum of ten thousand (10,000) square feet of lot area for each single-family dwelling unit and fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet of lot area for each two (2) family dwelling unit. where a lot is not so served, there shall be provided a minimum of fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet of lot area for each single-family dwelling unit”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AA Agricultural district inside Sheridan township (Article 4, section 4.04(a)).

    “section 4.04 - regulations the following regulations shall apply in all aa – agricultural districts: a. lot area: no building or structure shall be established on any lot less than one (1) acre in area.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  RB Medium Density Residential district inside Sheridan township (Article 5, section 5.04(e)(1)), front yard.

  • Captured passage ends at 'from the'; the reference line (right-of-way) and side/rear yards were not captured in full.
  • Schedule of regulations note 1 in section 29.02 points to additional front yard setback restrictions for some districts.

  minimum front yard: >= 30 ft

  “1. front yard: not less than thirty (30) feet from the right-of-way line.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AA Agricultural district inside Sheridan township (Article 4, section 4.04(e)(1)), front yard.

    “1. front yard: not less than fifty (50) feet from the right-of-way line.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  RB Medium Density Residential district inside Sheridan township (Article 5, section 5.04(c)).

  • Passage is from the RB regulations block; section number inferred as noted in the RB lot-size claim.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “c. lot coverage: the maximum lot coverage shall not exceed thirty percent (30%).”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AA Agricultural district inside Sheridan township (Article 4, section 4.04(c)).

    “c. lot coverage: the maximum lot coverage shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Sheridan township's limits, through the township land division permit.

  • The zoning ordinance also contains a residential cluster subdivision option (section 15.17); its terms were not opened in full.

  “land division permit view mechanical permit, fees, & schedules view plumbing permit, fees, & schedules view”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, zoning and related permits issued by Sheridan township.

  • The township lists 'building permit, fees, & schedules' and similar fee documents as downloads; amounts were not captured in this research pass.

  “checklist for construction permits view poverty exemption application policy and guidelines view building permit, fees, & schedules view”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Construction, zoning and land division permits issued by Sheridan township.

  • Process checklists and forms are posted; the full step sequence was not opened.

  “checklist for construction permits view poverty exemption application policy and guidelines view building permit, fees, & schedules view”

Rules another office applies inside Sheridan Township

Sheridan 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)

  On-site septic systems on land inside Sheridan township's limits are handled by the Calhoun County Public Health Department, Environmental Public Health (county service area, applies inside Sheridan township).

  • The county page says check with the township before applying, to confirm a municipal system is not available.

  “sanitarians in the environmental public health department work with owners and contractors to issue permits, as well as evaluate sites, design the system, locate the area for installation, and inspect the final work.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or replacement on-site septic systems on land inside Sheridan township's limits; permit issued by Calhoun County Public Health Department.

  • Check with the township before applying to confirm a municipal system is not available.
  • Septic system installers must be registered with CCPHD before beginning installation.
  • Fees and application details are on the CCPHD Environmental Public Health Portal, not opened.

  “check with your township prior to applying for a well or septic permit to ensure a municipal system is not available.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-site septic systems inside Sheridan township's limits, inspected by Calhoun County Public Health Department sanitarians.

  • Inspection is of the final work per the county page; the county page does not state a separate inspection fee or schedule.

  “sanitarians in the environmental public health department work with owners and contractors to issue permits, as well as evaluate sites, design the system, locate the area for installation, and inspect the final work.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Homes inside Sheridan township's limits without access to a municipal sewer; the county permits on-site septic in place of municipal sewer.

  • Allowed only where a municipal system is not available, per the township check the county requires before a septic permit.
  • Septic installation requires a CCPHD permit and installer registration.

  “well and septic systems serve rural homes and businesses without access to a municipal system.”

• Well permitRequired

  New or replacement private wells on land inside Sheridan township's limits; permit issued by Calhoun County Public Health Department.

  • Check with the township before applying for a well permit to confirm a municipal water system is not available.
  • Water testing is offered for a fee through the county environmental health office.

  “check with your township prior to applying for a well or septic permit to ensure a municipal system is not available.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing or permitting inside Sheridan township's limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction codes enforced inside Sheridan township's limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Sheridan township's limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new dwellings inside Sheridan township's limits.
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Sheridan township's 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.