Zoning, building permits and septic rules in St. James Township, Michigan

St. James Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside St. James township limits (Beaver Island north end, Charlevoix County, MI). The township administers its own zoning ordinance, which is the joint Peaine/St. James ordinance adopted 2004 for St. James.

  • The ordinance text reviewed is the 2004 adopted text hosted on energyzoning.org, not the township's own host.
  • The township homepage shows a 2026 zoning ordinance update in draft with public review through April 20, 2026; the adopted status of any new text was not verified.
  • Zoning permit required before construction (see section 4.05 and the county building requirements).

  “st. james township ordinance no. 24 adopted april 7, 2004 effective: april 26, 2004”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts established for land inside St. James township

  • Districts are listed in the 2004 ordinance; the official zoning map is shown on the township site.
  • Township homepage shows a 2026 draft zoning ordinance update; current district list may change.

  “article v establishment of zoning districts zoning districts zoning district maps interpretation of zoning district boundaries areas not included within a district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in the R-3 manufactured home development district (section 6.02) inside St. James township

  • Usable floor area excludes porches, garages, basements and utility rooms.

  minimum usable floor area per dwelling unit: >= 600 square feet (excludes porches, garages, basements, and utility rooms)

  “e) floor area regulations - each dwelling unit in this zoning district shall have a minimum of six hundred (600) square feet of usable floor area”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the R-3 manufactured home development district (section 6.02) inside St. James township

  minimum lot area: >= 5000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

  “4) lot area - there shall be a minimum lot area of five thousand (5,000) square feet with a minimum width of fifty (50) feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the single-family district at section 6.00 (listed first as 'r-1' in the ordinance table of contents) inside St. James township

  • Rear yard setback not captured; corner-lot front yard rule also applies.

  minimum front yard setback: >= 35 feet (corner lot: greater street also not less than 35 feet) · minimum side yard setback: >= 25 feet (each side of any dwelling or accessory building)

  “2) minimum side yard setback - there shall be a side yard setback of not less than twenty-five (25) feet on each side of any dwelling or accessory building.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-3 manufactured home development district (section 6.02) inside St. James township

    “2) side yard - there shall be a minimum side yard setback of ten (10) feet on each side of the building excepting the street side of the corner lot, where a twenty (20) foot side yard setback shall be required.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the single-family district at section 6.00 (listed first as 'r-1') inside St. James township

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “c) height regulations - no building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-2 single-family residential district (section 6.01) inside St. James township

    “c) height regulations - no building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-3 manufactured home development district (section 6.02) inside St. James township

    “c) height regulations - no building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Parking or occupying a travel trailer, motor home, or pop-up camper on private land inside St. James township

  • Not allowed on any lot or parcel except as provided in section 4.19.
  • Exceptions named in the ordinance include licensed manufactured home parks, forest campgrounds, state parks and township parks.
  • Public-place parking is separately prohibited (see the prohibited claim).

  “no mobile home, travel trailer, motor home, pick-up or pop-up camper shall be parked on any lot or parcel except as provided for by this section.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Prohibited — Parking or using a travel trailer, utility trailer, motor home, pick-up or pop-up camper as a dwelling or overnight stop on any street, alley, highway or public place inside St. James township

    “a) it shall be unlawful for any person to park, or cause to be parked, any travel trailer, utility trailer, motor home, pick-up or pop-up camper on any street, alley, highway, or other public place in the township for storage, use as a dwelling, either temporarily or permanently, or for overnight stops, outside a licensed manufactured home park, a forest campground, a state park, or a township park.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping with travel trailers or camping units inside St. James township

  • Allowed only in a licensed manufactured home development, for temporary stays not exceeding 90 days (section 6.02, R-3 district).
  • Camping on streets, alleys, highways or public places is unlawful except in licensed parks and campgrounds (section 4.19(a)).

  maximum temporary stay: <= 90 days

  “k. sites for travel trailers or camping accommodations may be provided within a manufactured home development for temporary stays not to exceed ninety (90) days.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured home occupancy in the R-3 manufactured home development district (section 6.02) inside St. James township

  • Allowed only in a manufactured home development that meets state manufactured-home regulations and the ordinance's development requirements.
  • Sanitary waste disposal permit must be submitted with the zoning permit application.

  “1) manufactured home developments provided that all state regulations governing manufactured homes and the following requirements and procedures are met:”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling in the R-2 single-family residential district (section 6.01) inside St. James township

  • One accessory dwelling per lot, subject to section 4.4 of the ordinance.
  • Lot must have a minimum area of 30,000 square feet.
  • Accessory dwelling may not exceed the lesser of 1,000 square feet or 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area.

  minimum lot area for accessory dwelling: >= 30000 square feet · maximum accessory dwelling floor area: <= 1000 square feet (or 50% of principal dwelling floor area, whichever is less)

  “one accessory dwelling per lot subject to the provisions of section 4.4 of this ordinance and further provided the lot or parcel shall have a minimum area of 30,000 square feet and the accessory dwelling shall not exceed the lesser of 1,000 square feet or 50 % of the floor area of the principal dwelling an”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Accessory dwellings on any lot inside St. James township under the general provisions

    “not more than one (1) accessory dwelling shall be permitted on any one (1) lot.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dwellings and other buildings inside St. James township with their own water and sewage disposal

  • Water supply and sewage disposal must be safe and sanitary and approved by the health agency before zoning permit.
  • Applies to year-round or seasonal dwellings and other occupied buildings.

  “every building hereafter erected, altered or moved upon any premises and used in whole or in part for dwellings (year-round or seasonal), recreational, business, commercial or industrial purposes, including churches, schools and other buildings in which persons customarily congregate, shall be provided with a safe and sanitary water supply system and with means for collecting and disposing of all human excreta”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permit process inside St. James township; building permit follows through the county

  • Health agency approval must be filed with the zoning permit application.
  • Zoning permit expiration and occupancy certificate provisions exist in Article XII (not read in full).

  “article xii administration and enforcement administration zoning permits zoning permit expiration zoning permit application occupancy certificate”

Rules another office applies inside St. James Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  New residential construction and alterations inside St. James township, under the Charlevoix County Department of Building Safety (county-run; township not shown to have its own building department)

  • Building permit application must be complete with plans; permit is issued only after review.
  • Residences over 3,500 sq ft require sealed plans.
  • Zoning permit and septic/well permits must be obtained with the building permit application.

  “note: all applications and plans must be reviewed before permit can be issued.”

• Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Owner-occupant building permits in St. James township under Charlevoix County building safety

  • Homeowners may take out permits only if they are doing the actual work.
  • Contractors need a residential builders license copy on the application.

  “homeowners may take out their permits - only- if they are doing the actual work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside St. James township, enforced through Charlevoix County Department of Building Safety

  • State building code applies; the county building department is the permitting and inspecting office named in its requirements sheet.

  “section 109 of the state building code requires the permit holder to notify this office when any portion of the work is ready for inspection.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside St. James township inspected by Charlevoix County Department of Building Safety

  • Permit holder must call the building office 24 hours ahead for each stage of inspection listed on the county sheet (footing, foundation, rough, final, etc.).

  “section 109 of the state building code requires the permit holder to notify this office when any portion of the work is ready for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings in St. James township after construction, issued by Charlevoix County Department of Building Safety

  • Building may not be used or occupied until a certificate of use and occupancy is issued; the sheet cites the state code language.

  “a building or a structure shall not be used or occupied until a certificate of use and occupancy has been issued by the appropriate enforcing agency.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site septic systems on land inside St. James township not served by municipal sewer; the district health agency issues the approval and permit

  • Health agency written approval of sanitary facilities must be filed with the zoning permit application.
  • The ordinance names the agency as 'northwest michigan community health agency'; the current office name was not verified on an official page (a search result mentioned Health Department of Northwest Michigan, not opened).

  “septic & well, if not on municipality sewer, a valid permit is needed from the health department”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or repaired septic systems on land inside St. James township not on municipal sewer

  • Permit needed only if the property is not on a municipal sewer.
  • Health agency approval must accompany the zoning permit application.

  “septic & well, if not on municipality sewer, a valid permit is needed from the health department”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells on land inside St. James township not on municipal water

  • Permit needed if not connected to municipal water/sewer service.
  • Health agency approval must accompany zoning permit application.

  “septic & well, if not on municipality sewer, a valid permit is needed from the health department”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway culverts for property inside St. James township; the county road commission handles them

  • Culvert permitting goes through the Charlevoix County Road Commission; driveway approach standards were not read.

  “___16. 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 St. James Township or Charlevoix County directly.

• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside St. James township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside St. James township
• Septic inspection — Septic inspection inside St. James township
• Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home in St. James township must connect to public water or sewer when available
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural exemption from township or county permits inside St. James 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.