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

Freeman Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  A dwelling, building, or structure subject to the Freeman Township Zoning Ordinance that is erected, altered, enlarged, or moved within the Township.

  • A Zoning Compliance Permit and a Building Permit must be issued before work begins.
  • Commercial buildings also require State site-plan review and approval.
  • The Township permits page says building permits are run through the Clare County Building Department.

  “No dwelling, building or structure subject to the provisions of this Ordinance shall be erected, altered, enlarged or moved upon a premise from another premise until; [...] a building permit, therefore, has been issued by the Building Inspector”

• InspectionsLimited

  Zoning compliance work and used single-wide mobile homes installed in Freeman Township.

  • The ordinance directs the Zoning Administrator to conduct necessary field inspections for zoning compliance.
  • Used single-wide mobile homes must be inspected and approved by the Township Building Inspector before installation.

  “All used single wide mobile homes shall be inspected and approved by the township Building Inspector prior to being installed.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Changes of use and new buildings or structures erected in Freeman Township.

  • The owner or occupant must obtain both a Zoning Compliance Permit and an Occupancy Permit before occupancy and use.
  • Altered buildings also require a Building Permit and Occupancy Permit before use or change in use.

  “no buildings or structures hereafter erected shall be occupied and used in whole or in part, until the owner or occupant has obtained a Zoning Compliance Permit from the Zoning Administrator and an Occupancy Permit from the Building Inspector”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Freeman Township, Clare County, Michigan.

  • The ordinance divides the unincorporated area into mapped zoning districts.

  “The unincorporated area of Freeman Township is hereby divided into zones or districts as shown on the Official Map”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Mapped districts in the unincorporated area of Freeman Township.

  • The Official Zoning Map is maintained and kept on file with the Township Clerk.

  “The boundaries of these districts are shown upon the map attached hereto and made a part of this Ordinance, which map is designated as the Official Zoning Map of the Township of Freeman.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel trailers, motor homes, tents, pickup campers, buses, and similar temporary dwellings in platted subdivisions in Freeman Township.

  • A temporary-occupancy permit from the Zoning Administrator is required.
  • During permanent-dwelling construction, one unit is limited to three months and may be renewed as stated on the permit; the fee is $35.
  • Hunting occupancy is limited to 30 consecutive days between September 15 and December 31.
  • Summer-vacation occupancy is limited to one structure for no more than 30 consecutive days from May 15 through September 30.
  • The Zoning Administrator must find adequate sanitary facilities and water supply.

  temporary occupancy permit fee: 35 USD (Temporary occupancy permit) · construction occupancy period: 3 months (One temporary unit; renewable as indicated on permit) · hunting occupancy period: 30 consecutive days (September 15 through December 31) · summer occupancy period: 30 consecutive days (May 15 through September 30)

  “Within any platted subdivision in the township travel trailers (as defined in Article II), motor homes, tents, pick-up campers and buses, and other similar undersized temporary dwelling structures may be allowed as a temporary occupancy, but only under the following conditions and restrictions”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping in the AG and RC districts and temporary camping structures in platted subdivisions of Freeman Township.

  • Camping on AG or RC parcels requires completing a county Water and Sewer Provisions Form, but no Temporary Occupancy Permit.
  • For platted subdivisions, temporary occupancy requires a Zoning Administrator permit and adequate sanitary facility and water supply.

  “When camping on a parcel zoned AG or RC it will be necessary to complete a Water and Sewer Provisions Form from the county. It is not necessary to obtain a Temporary Occupancy permit when camping on AG or RC parcels.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory buildings erected after the effective date of the Freeman Township Zoning Ordinance.

  • Basements, cellars, and pole buildings used for dwelling purposes must meet building-code and fire-safety requirements and have Zoning Compliance and Occupancy Permits.

  “Buildings erected after the effective date of this Ordinance as accessory buildings, shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes.”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Dwelling, commercial, and manufacturing buildings erected or altered in Freeman Township.

  • The ordinance requires proper flush-type toilet facilities, including septic tanks and seepage beds, compliant with Michigan law and health-department rules.

  “no building or structure shall hereafter be erected or altered and used for dwelling, commercial or manufacturing purposes that does not provide proper flush type toilet facilities”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Multiple-dwelling projects, subdivisions, and mobile-home parks in Freeman Township where community water and sewage service is available.

  • Connection is required before any lots are sold when community water and sewage service is available.

  “When community water and sewage service is available it is required in all multiple dwelling projects, subdivisions and mobile home parks prior to any lots being sold.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Accessory buildings or structures smaller than 144 square feet in Freeman Township.

  • The structure must meet all accessory-building yard requirements.

  accessory-structure area: < 144 square feet (Must meet all yard requirements for accessory buildings)

  “An accessory building or structure of less than one hundred forty four (144) square feet in area shall not require a building permit provided that said building or structure meets all yard requirements for accessory buildings.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Proposed new or redesigned subdivision plats in Freeman Township.

  • Lots must equal or exceed the applicable district minimum size and width.
  • The plat must comply with the State Subdivision Control Act and any adopted Township subdivision regulation.

  “No proposed plat of a new redesigned subdivision shall hereafter be approved by the Township Board unless the lots within such plat equal or exceed the minimum size and width requirements set forth in the various districts of this Ordinance”

• Driveway accessRequired

  A parcel occupied by a use or building other than an accessory use or building in Freeman Township.

  • The parcel must have frontage on and direct access to a public-street right-of-way or primary road accepted for maintenance by the Clare County Road Commission.

  “Any parcel of land which is to be occupied by a use or building, other than an accessory use or building, shall have frontage on and direct access to a public street right-of-way or primary road which has been accepted for maintenance by the Clare County Road Commission.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning Compliance Permit applications and late permit applications under the Freeman Township Zoning Ordinance.

  • A permit fee is doubled if no permit was secured before work began.
  • The Township Board establishes the amount of new Zoning Compliance Permit fees.
  • The temporary occupancy permit fee is $35.

  temporary occupancy permit fee: 35 USD (Section 4.19 temporary occupancy permits)

  “The amount or fee for all new Zoning Compliance Permits shall be established by the Township Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning Compliance and Building Permit applications for erection, alteration, enlargement, or moving of dwellings, buildings, and structures in Freeman Township.

  • Applications go to the Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector respectively before work is intended to begin.
  • The plan must be submitted in duplicate and include listed parcel, structure, use, feature, setback, septic-drainage-field, and owner/agent-signature information.
  • The application must show compliance with Clare County Health Department and local ordinance rules; specified details may be waived where not pertinent.

  building permit decision period: <= 10 days (After receipt where officials determine conformity)

  “Application for a Zoning Compliance Permit and a Building Permit shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator and the Building Inspector, respectively, prior to the time when the erection, alteration, enlargement or moving of a dwelling, building or structure or part thereof is intended to begin.”

Rules another office applies inside Freeman Township

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in the Agriculture (AG) District.

  • The listed floor area excludes basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches, attached garages, and accessory buildings.

  minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 720 square feet (AG district)

  “Agriculture, AG 20 acres ---- 3 40 25% 50 10 50 720”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwelling units in the Single Family Residential (R) District.

    “Single Family 10,000 100 2-1/2 35 25% (l) 10 (l) 720”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Parcels in the Single Family Residential (R) District.

  minimum lot size: >= 10000 square feet (R district) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet (R district)

  “Single Family 10,000 100 2-1/2 35 25% (l) 10 (l) 720”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Parcels in the Agriculture (AG) District.

    “Section 7.03 MINIMUM PARCEL SIZE. Twenty (20) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the Single Family Residential (R) District.

  • Non-waterfront property has a 30-foot roadway/front setback and 10-foot rear setback.
  • Waterfront property has a 50-foot water-line setback and a 30-foot roadway setback.

  side setback: >= 10 feet (R district) · non-waterfront front setback: >= 30 feet (roadway) · non-waterfront rear setback: >= 10 feet (non-waterfront property) · waterfront water-line setback: >= 50 feet (waterfront property) · waterfront roadway setback: >= 30 feet (waterfront property)

  “For non-water front property, setbacks are thirty (30) feet for the front yard (roadway setback) and ten (10) feet for the rear yard. For water front property, setbacks are fifty (50) feet from the "water line" (see definition in Article II) and thirty (30) feet from roadway.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the Agriculture (AG) District.

    “Agriculture, AG 20 acres ---- 3 40 25% 50 10 50 720”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings in the Agriculture (AG) District.

  maximum lot coverage by all buildings: <= 25 percent (AG district)

  “Agriculture, AG 20 acres ---- 3 40 25% 50 10 50 720”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the Single Family Residential (R) District.

    “Single Family 10,000 100 2-1/2 35 25% (l) 10 (l) 720”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the Agriculture (AG) District.

  • Agricultural structures such as silos may not exceed 100 feet.

  maximum building height: <= 40 feet (AG district) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (AG district) · maximum agricultural structure height: <= 100 feet (silos)

  “The height of agriculture structures such as silos shall not exceed one hundred (100) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the Single Family Residential (R) District.

    “Single Family 10,000 100 2-1/2 35 25% (l) 10 (l) 720”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Single mobile homes on privately owned lots in the Agriculture (AG) District in Freeman Township.

  • The home may not be occupied by migratory agricultural labor.
  • It requires concrete ribbons or the State-required foundation, State and local health-standard water and sewage disposal, and skirting within six months.

  “Single mobile homes on private ownership lots provided they are not occupied by persons engaged in agriculture pursuits such as migratory labor.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems proposed for buildings in Freeman Township.

  • A septic tank permit from the Clare County Health Department must be obtained before issuance of a Building Permit.

  “A septic tank permit shall be obtained from Clare County Health Department prior to the issuance of any Building Permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems associated with any Building Permit inside Freeman Township.

  • The permit must be obtained from the Clare County Health Department before issuance of any Building Permit.

  “A septic tank permit shall be obtained from Clare County Health Department prior to the issuance of any Building Permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Freeman Township.
• Building code adopted — Building work inside Freeman Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Freeman Township.
• Septic inspection — New or replacement septic systems inside Freeman Township.
• Well permit — Private wells in Freeman 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.