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

Hudson Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hudson township's limits (Charlevoix County, MI) is zoned by the township under its own zoning ordinance.

  • The township says it has been a zoned community since 1974 and that its zoning ordinance requires a zoning permit before any excavation or work begins.
  • The ordinance adopted in 1974 and amended in 1994 is not posted online; the township says to view it at the clerk's office. Its text was not available to this research, so district-level rules are not verified here.
  • A draft zoning ordinance labeled 'proposed hudson township draft ordinance september 2026' is posted on the township site; no source opened shows it has been adopted, so it is not treated as current law.
  • Zoning permit fees are listed on the township zoning page (see the zoning fee parameter).

  “zoning since 1974, hudson township has been a zoned community. our zoning ordinance requires a zoning permit before any excavation or work begins.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Placing a new resident's mobile home on a lot inside Hudson township

  • A zoning permit is required for a new resident, including mobile homes, per the township fee schedule.
  • The township fee schedule does not state the placement standards; the 1974 ordinance text was not available to verify them.

  zoning permit fee - new resident (including mobile homes): 25 USD

  “zoning permit – new resident (including mobile homes) $25.00”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions of parcels inside Hudson township

  • Land divisions require township approval under the Land Division Act of 1996 per the township page.
  • Dividing and registering a parcel without approval from the parcel division board may result in a municipal civil infraction.
  • Township land division ordinance (2021) and parcel division application fee ($50, plus $25 per additional division) are listed on the township page; the ordinance text was not opened.

  “hudson township has adopted an ordinance to regulate all land divisions within the township.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township zoning permit and related application fees for land inside Hudson township

  • Fee schedule effective August 1, 2018 per the township page.
  • Fees cover zoning permits only; building permit fees are set by the county building department and were not found in an opened source.
  • Applicants bear extra costs beyond one meeting or public hearing, including advertising, for special user permits, ZBA, rezoning and ordinance amendment petitions.

  zoning permit - new resident (including mobile homes): 25 USD · zoning permit - commercial application: 125 USD · special user permit application fee: 225 USD

  “zoning permit – commercial application $125.00 zoning permit – industrial application $125.00 special user permit – application fee* $225.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process inside Hudson township; building, septic and well steps are handled by other agencies

  • Zoning permit application is obtained from the zoning administrator (phone (231) 549-3019 on the township page).
  • Building permits go through the county Department of Building Safety, and septic and well permits through the health department, per the county requirements document.
  • Township hall: 07865 Reynolds Rd., Elmira, MI 49730.

  “contact our zoning administrator for an application or information, or click here for a printable zoning application permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Hudson Township

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

• Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Owners building or improving a residential structure on their own property for their own use and occupancy, including in Hudson township

  • Exemption applies only to the owner's own use and occupancy, per MCL 339.2403(b).
  • The statute does not allow the owner to build for resale; resale rules within two years of occupancy permit were not verified against the current statute text.
  • Local permit affidavits may still apply; the county requires the applicant to be the person doing the work.

  “(b) an owner of property, with reference to a structure on the property for the owner's own use and occupancy.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway culverts for new residential construction in Hudson township

  • Driveway culverts are handled by the Charlevoix County Road Commission, not the building department; no access-permit standards were found.

  “driveway culverts: please call the charlevoix county road commission. (231) 582-7330”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Whether Hudson township itself issues building permits instead of the county
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Hudson township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Hudson township's single-family residential district
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Hudson township's residential districts
• Setbacks — Setbacks for residential structures in Hudson township's residential districts

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.