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

Howard Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Howard Charter Township, Cass County, Michigan

  • Evidence is the township's own zoning compliance application listing its zoning districts; the zoning ordinance text itself was not located or opened.

  “zoning district (circle one): ar (agricultural residential) r1 (low density residential) r3 (manufacture housing park) r4 (lake residential) c1 (mixed use) c2 (general commercial) m (manufacturing) l1 (light industrial)”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Howard Charter Township

  • Only district names are published on the application form; district regulations not opened.
  • Districts: AR, R1, R3, R4, C1, C2, M, L1.

  “zoning district (circle one): ar (agricultural residential) r1 (low density residential) r3 (manufacture housing park) r4 (lake residential) c1 (mixed use) c2 (general commercial) m (manufacturing) l1 (light industrial)”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning compliance application inside Howard Charter Township

  • Fee is for the zoning compliance application only; building permit fees not found.
  • Other township copies of the form show $30.00; which version is current is unconfirmed.

  zoning compliance application fee: 25 USD (non-refundable)

  “application fee of $25.00 (non-refundable) is to be included with the application”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning approval then building permit inside Howard Charter Township

  • Zoning administrator approves or denies first; building official has limited hours (Wednesdays 9:00 am - noon).

  “upon approval you may contact the building official (business hours: wednesdays, 9:00 am - noon) to obtain a building permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Howard Township

Howard 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

  Onsite sewage disposal inside Howard Township (Cass County); handled by the Van Buren/Cass County District Public Health Department

  • Value 'county' is the closest enum for a two-county health district.

  “the van buren/cass county district public health department and its duly appointed employees shall have jurisdiction throughout van buren and cass counties in all areas incorporated and unincorporated, which includes cities, villages and townships”

• Septic permitRequired

  New, altered, repaired or extended sewage disposal systems inside Howard Township

  • Permit not required if only the house-to-tank line, tank-to-field line, or septic tank repairs are needed.
  • Installation only by registered installer or resident owner of the property.
  • Permit valid 12 months, not transferable.
  • Code effective Feb 1, 1997; current version not confirmed.

  “has made written application and received written confirmation of permit issuance from the health department.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted septic installations inside Howard Township

  • Final approval is withheld unless installation complies with permit conditions.

  “the health department shall deny final approval of any installation which does not comply with any permit”

• Well permitRequired

  New water supply wells or extensive changes inside Howard Township

  • Not required for irrigation, test, recharge, dewatering, heat exchange, industrial wells and certain oil/gas site wells.
  • Test well converted to a domestic production well needs a permit.
  • Late application penalty equals the normal fee.

  “no person shall begin construction of a new water supply, or make extensive changes to existing water supplies, without first obtaining a water supply construction permit from the van buren/cass county district public health department.”

Still unanswered

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

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