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

Calvin Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Unincorporated land within Calvin Township, Cass County, Michigan

  • Ordinance adopted April 10, 2018; effective April 20, 2018
  • Enacted under Act 110 of 2006; includes ZBA and special land use procedures

  “an ordinance enacted under act 110, public acts of 2006, as amended, governing the unincorporated portions of the township of calvin, cass county, michigan”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Calvin Township

  • Districts: A-1 Agricultural Production, A-2 Agricultural Residential (low density), R Residential (mid-density), B Business, PUD
  • Boundaries shown on the township zoning map

  “the township of calvin is hereby divided into the following districts”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A-1 and A-2 districts inside Calvin Township (A-2 incorporates the A-1 floor-area rule)

  • Excludes garages and basements
  • One-family dwellings also need minimum continuous width or depth of 14 feet for at least 20 feet of length

  minimum floor area: >= 1000 square feet (exclusive of garages or basements)

  “f. minimum building floor area: no residential dwelling unit shall have less than one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor area exclusive of garages or basements.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R Residential district inside Calvin Township, single-family and two-family dwellings

    “single family and two-family dwellings shall contain a minimum of one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor area for each family exclusive of garages and basements.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural Production District inside Calvin Township

  • Applies to productive agricultural land
  • One dwelling unit per lot unless part of an approved site condominium project
  • Minimum width 400 feet along a public street
  • Variance available through zoning board of appeals

  minimum parcel size: >= 40 acres

  “a. minimum lot or parcel area: the minimum parcel size is 40 acres for productive agricultural land. there shall not be more than one dwelling unit upon each lot or parcel unless part of an approved site condominium project. b. minimum building site or parcel width: the minimum building site or parcel width shall be four hundred (400) feet along a public street.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — A-2 Agricultural Residential (low density) District inside Calvin Township

    “a. minimum building site or parcel area: no building or structure shall be established on any site or parcel less than two (2) acres. iii-8 b. minimum building site or parcel width: the minimum building site or parcel width shall be two hundred (200) feet along a public street.”

  • Specified — R Residential (medium density) District inside Calvin Township

    “no building or structure shall be established on any building site or parcel less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet in area and sanitary sewer, otherwise minimum lot area is one (1) acre without sanitary sewer.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-2 Agricultural Residential District inside Calvin Township

  • Side setback 20 feet (corner-lot street side differs)
  • Rear setback 35 feet
  • A-1 district has its own setback section 305.4d; R district has its own 307.4d (not fully captured here)

  front setback, US/state highway: 75 feet · front setback, county road: 60 feet · front setback, private road: 30 feet

  “d. yard and setback requirements: 1. front setback: seventy-five (75) feet from right-of-way line for u.s. or state highway; sixty (60) feet from rightof-way line from county roads; and thirty (30) feet from the right-of-way line for private roads. 2. side setback: twenty (20) feet except in case of a corner lot where the side yard on the street side shall not be less than the setback required for the front setbacks.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural Production District inside Calvin Township

  maximum coverage by buildings: <= 10 percent

  “c. maximum building site or parcel coverage: the maximum building site or parcel coverage shall not exceed ten (10) percent.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-2 Agricultural Residential District inside Calvin Township (the R district has the same 25 percent limit)

    “c. maximum building site or parcel coverage: the maximum building site or parcel coverage shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 district inside Calvin Township (A-2 and R districts also set 35 ft for dwellings)

  • Farm buildings and structures up to 100 feet
  • Height measured per section 202.23

  maximum dwelling height: <= 35 feet (farm buildings up to 100 feet)

  “1. for dwelling and non-farm structures, height shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet. 2. for general and specialized farm buildings and structures, building height shall not exceed one hundred (100) feet. 3. building height is measured in accordance with section 202.23 of this ordinance.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of a travel trailer or motor home as a dwelling in residential areas of Calvin Township

  • Definition-based limit only; any separate RV storage or campground rules were not reviewed

  “in no case shall a travel trailer, motor home, automobile chassis, tent, or other portable building be considered a dwelling in single-family, two-family, or multiple-family residential areas.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Calvin Township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Calvin Township
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Calvin Township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Calvin Township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Calvin 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.