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

Burt Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Burt township limits (Cheboygan County, MI); Burt township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance

  • The ordinance states it is enacted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Act 110 of 2006.
  • Effective date of the 2026 update is not stated on the pages reviewed; the PDF is posted on the township site with a 2026/07 upload path.
  • Earlier township zoning versions (revised May 2000; 2022 compilations) are superseded by this ordinance per Section 1.05.

  “this ordinance is ordained and enacted into law pursuant to the provisions and in accordance with the michigan zoning enabling act, act 110 of the public acts of 2006.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and map for land inside Burt township

  • Districts: WR waterfront residential, R-1 general residential, RR rural residential-agricultural, MR mixed residential, C-1 local commercial, I light industrial, CR conservation recreation.
  • Official zoning map is titled Burt Township Zoning Map, Cheboygan County, Michigan, and is signed by the township clerk.

  “the following zoning districts shall be established in burt township: wr r-1 rr mr c-1 i cr waterfront residential general residential rural residential - agricultural”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units (not guest houses) on any lot inside Burt township

  • Minimum 800 sq ft of livable floor area per dwelling unit.
  • WR district table requires 1,200 sq ft total minimum floor area per dwelling with 800 sq ft on the first floor, and minimum dwelling width of 24 ft within 800 ft of Burt Lake.
  • Guest houses are exempt from the 800 sq ft minimum.

  minimum livable floor area per dwelling unit: >= 800 sq ft (guest houses)

  “except for guest houses, dwelling units must contain at least 800 square feet of livable floor area as defined in this ordinance.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Land in the General Residential district (R-1) inside Burt township

  • Lots under 3 acres and lots of 3 acres or more have different accessory building limits.
  • Side yard setbacks for existing lots of record 120 ft wide or less are reduced to 10 ft.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet

  “1 ac 200’ 30% front side (f) rear from existing structures maximum height”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Land in the Rural Residential - Agricultural district (RR) inside Burt township

    “5 ac 200 ft 20% front side rear from existing structures maximum height (f) (g) (i) minimum floor area per dwelling unit total 1st floor”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal structures in the Rural Residential - Agricultural district (RR) inside Burt township

  • Front 50 ft, side 25 ft, rear 50 ft; structure from existing structures 20 ft (per table row).
  • Lakefront lots: 75 ft waterfront-side setback from the ordinary high water mark.
  • Eaves may extend up to 24 inches into the required setback.
  • Accessory building setbacks are 50 ft front, 25 ft side, 50 ft rear, per table row.

  front setback: 50 feet · side setback: 25 feet · rear setback: 50 feet

  “(d) for all lakefront lots, the minimum structure setback on the waterfront side shall be seventy-five (75) feet from the ordinary high water mark.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in the General Residential district (R-1) inside Burt township

  • Coverage includes buildings, roofs, sidewalks, concrete, asphalt, compacted gravel, patios or decks, and driveways.
  • Impervious area of a public trail crossing the property is excluded.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “1 ac 200’ 30% front side (f) rear from existing structures maximum height”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the Rural Residential - Agricultural district (RR) inside Burt township

    “5 ac 200 ft 20% front side rear from existing structures maximum height (f) (g) (i) minimum floor area per dwelling unit total 1st floor”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal structures in the General Residential district (R-1) inside Burt township

  • Accessory buildings: maximum height at eaves 16 ft; single accessory building footprint limits by lot size in the table.

  maximum principal structure height: <= 35 feet

  “50’ 25’ 50’ 20’ 35’ 800 sq ft 800 sq ft 14’ 1 2 50’ 25’ 50’ 20’ 16’”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal structures in the Rural Residential - Agricultural district (RR) inside Burt township; farm accessory structures at 45 ft

    “5 ac 200 ft 20% front side rear from existing structures maximum height (f) (g) (i) minimum floor area per dwelling unit total 1st floor 50’ 25’ 50’ 20’ 35’ 800 sq ft 800 sq ft”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Storage of recreational units (RVs, campers) on private land inside Burt township

  • One unoccupied recreational unit may be stored in the side or rear yard on a lot with an existing single-family dwelling or an approved accessory dwelling unit.
  • Additional unoccupied units must be in an enclosed approved structure or fully screened from public and private roads and adjacent properties.
  • On lots of three acres or larger without a dwelling, one unoccupied unit is allowed except in the waterfront residential district (WR).

  recreational units stored without dwelling: 1 unit (lots three acres or larger outside the WR district)

  “except in the waterfront residential district (wr), on lots three (3) acres or larger in any zoning district, without an existing single-family dwelling, the unoccupied storage of one (1) recreational unit shall be allowed.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds and travel trailer parks (commercial) inside Burt township where the zoning district allows them

  • Campsites may not be occupied for more than six weeks in any one year.
  • All campgrounds must comply with state of Michigan health department requirements.
  • Sanitary facilities at least 100 feet from property lines; campsites at least 50 feet from property lines.

  minimum campground lot size: >= 10 acre · minimum campground lot width: >= 600 feet

  “a minimum lot size shall be ten (10) acres, and not less than six hundred (600) feet width.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Short-term use of one recreational unit on a lot with an existing single-family dwelling inside Burt township

    “the short term use of one (1) recreational unit for recreational purposes, including sleeping and/or cooking, shall be allowed in any zoning district within the side or rear yard on any lot with an existing single-family dwelling for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days in a calendar year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes placed on land inside Burt township

  • Mobile homes must be installed according to manufacturer set-up requirements and comply with the 1974 federal mobile home construction and safety standards.
  • Wheels, axles and towing assembly must be removed and no exposed undercarriage may remain.
  • Mobile homes may not be used as an accessory building.
  • Manufactured home developments and mobile home parks are a special use in the MR district.

  “d. mobile homes shall not be used as an accessory building.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Guest houses (secondary living quarters) on lots with a single-family dwelling inside Burt township; permitted in WR, R-1, RR, C-1, I and other districts per Article III tables

  • Occupied only by the single family in the primary residence or their guests.
  • Maximum six occupants at one time and maximum 1,200 sq ft.
  • Maximum lot coverage by all structures of 20%.
  • May not be rented separately from the primary residence.
  • Maximum 12 cumulative weeks per year unless the zoning administrator grants more time under the listed criteria.
  • Not permitted on non-conforming lots; requires a county occupancy permit and septic connection certification.

  maximum guest house floor area: <= 1200 sq ft · maximum cumulative occupancy per year without zoning administrator approval: <= 12 weeks (zoning administrator may grant more)

  “the guest house cannot be occupied by more than six (6) people at one time and cannot exceed 1200 sq. ft. nor a maximum lot coverage by all structures of more than twenty (20%) percent.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit applications for dwellings and substandard dwellings inside Burt township

  • Application for a substandard dwelling is made at the time of zoning permit application for the permanent dwelling.
  • Special land use and site plan reviews are handled by the planning commission and may refer to county and district agencies.
  • Planning commission may distribute site plans to the county planning, drain, road and health agencies.

  “application for the erection and use of a substandard dwelling shall be made at the time of zoning permit application for the permanent dwelling.”

Rules another office applies inside Burt Township

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

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Guest houses inside Burt township only; the Cheboygan County building department issues the occupancy permit

  • Applies to a guest house (secondary living quarters), not to the primary dwelling.
  • Requires a certification that the guest house is properly connected to an approved septic system by the district health department.
  • Guest houses are not permitted on non-conforming lots.

  “guest houses shall not be permitted on non-conforming lots.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New dwellings inside Burt township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Burt township
• Building code adopted — New construction inside Burt township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Burt township
• Septic permit — New septic systems inside Burt 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.