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

Sheridan Township’s own rules

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-occupant homeowners building on their own land inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • A homeowner may secure the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits only if the homeowner is doing all the work.
  • All rental units and commercial buildings must have a licensed contractor secure the permits and complete the work.

  “a homeowner may secure these permits if the homeowner is doing all the work.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New construction inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI) that needs a building permit

  • Electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspectors must approve their inspections before the building inspector is called to approve the structure for occupancy.
  • A mandatory blower door test is required for all new constructions and additions on a home.
  • Where well and septic permits were issued, a final inspection by the Clare County health department is required.

  “the electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspectors must have approved all inspections before the building inspector is called to approve the structure of occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New homes, garages, pole buildings and additions inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • Occupancy is illegal before an occupancy permit is obtained.
  • Certificate of occupancy is issued only after all inspections are approved.
  • Fee schedule lists the certificate of occupancy at a $50 flat rate.

  certificate of occupancy fee: 50 USD (flat rate)

  “*certificate of occupancy (required for all new homes, garages, pole building, & additions) ………….$50 flat rate”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Sheridan township's limits (Clare County, MI): the township's official building permit checklist states it has no zoning ordinance

  • The checklist is a joint Grant and Sheridan Township document hosted on the Sheridan township website; it states both townships do not have zoning but do have setback requirements.
  • No Sheridan township zoning ordinance was located or opened.
  • Setbacks, septic/well approvals, driveway permits and building-code rules still apply.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • No zoning districts are published because the township has no zoning ordinance.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Minimum dwelling floor area inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • No township zoning minimum applies because the township has no zoning ordinance.
  • State building code requirements for dwellings still apply.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum lot size inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • No township zoning minimum applies; septic and well approvals from Clare County may still limit lot use.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Permanent structures on land inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • Permanent structures must be 20 ft from the right-of-way on public roads and 10 ft from the side and back edges of the property, per the township ordinances page.
  • The building permit checklist gives 10 ft side and 20 ft easement setbacks.
  • The joint fee schedule says 10 feet side lines and back, 20 feet easements, 33 feet from road right-of-way; the road right-of-way distance conflicts (20 ft vs 33 ft) and is unresolved.
  • Linked building-setback-ordinance.pdf returned HTTP 404 and was not read.

  side and rear setback: 10 ft (from side and back property edges) · road right-of-way setback: 20 ft (conflicting fee-schedule figure is 33 ft)

  “current township ordinances require all permanent structures to be set back 20 ft from the right-of-way on public roads and 10 ft from the side and back edges of the property.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lot coverage inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • No township zoning lot-coverage limit applies because the township has no zoning ordinance.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• Building heightNone

  Building height inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • No township zoning height limit applies because the township has no zoning ordinance.

  “grant & sheridan township- clare county, do not have zoning, but, do have set back requirements for any structures.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes placed inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • Mobile homes older than 1978 are not permitted.
  • All mobile homes require a certified home inspection completed before the building permit issues.
  • The township mobile-home ordinance linked from the checklist returned HTTP 404 and was not read.

  earliest allowed mobile home build year: >= 1978 year

  “mobile homes are not permi7ed older than 1978.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit fees for work inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • Schedule is a joint Grant and Sheridan Township fee schedule effective April 9, 2025.
  • Commercial plan review fee is 0.5% of total estimated/submitted building cost.
  • Board of appeals fee is $300.
  • Special and additional inspections are $65; processing fee for mail or fax is $10.

  base building permit fee (includes 1 inspection): 100 USD (non-refundable; plus new construction square-footage fees) · certificate of occupancy fee: 50 USD (flat rate added to base fee)

  “grant township sheridan township clare county building permit fee schedule effective date: april 9, 2025 base fee (includes 1 inspection) ………………………………………………………………………………… $100”

• Permit processPublished

  Permit application process for construction inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • One set of plans, a plot plan showing distances to property lines, and a new-address request are part of the application.
  • Permit issuing body is inconsistent across sources; confirm with the township.

  “one set of plans must be submi7ed prior to issuance of the building permit”

Rules another office applies inside Sheridan Township

Sheridan 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New construction inside Sheridan township, Michigan (state construction code enforced by local units)

  • The state page lists the 2021 Michigan Building Code as current code; residential work is governed by the Michigan Residential Code.
  • The page lists the 2015 Michigan Residential Code as the residential code entry with an effective date of February 8, 2016; a search summary indicated a 2021 residential edition may have been paused. The current residential edition was not confirmed on an official page.
  • Local units may enforce only the state code, or stricter local amendments approved under state law; no Sheridan township building-code adoption ordinance was found.

  “2021 michigan building code - current code -effective april 9, 2025 note: residential requirements are contained in the michigan residential code.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems on land inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI), administered by the Clare County environmental health department

  • Clare County administers the septic permit and approval for Sheridan township; the township checklist refers applicants to the county health department.
  • Where a septic system already exists, approval of that existing system is required before a building permit issues.

  “copies of well & sep8c permits issued from the clare county environmental health department must be furnished.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New homes and buildings with septic systems inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • A septic permit from the Clare County environmental health department must be furnished with the building permit application.
  • Construction may proceed after the septic permit is issued.

  “copies of well & sep8c permits issued from the clare county environmental health department must be furnished.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic systems installed with a new building inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • A final inspection by the Clare County health department is required once septic permits have been issued.

  “(note: when well and sep8c permits have been issued, they must have a final inspec8on from the clare county health department)”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI), permitted by the Clare County environmental health department

  • If a well already exists, approval of the existing system is required before a building permit issues.
  • Well permit copies from the county environmental health department must accompany the building permit application.

  “copies of well & sep8c permits issued from the clare county environmental health department must be furnished.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveways serving construction inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

  • Driveway permit is needed before the building permit issues.
  • Clare County Road Commission issues the driveway permit.

  “a driveway permit must be obtained from the clare county road commission for all new driveways prior to issuance of the building permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation on private land inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI) and public water or sewer connection
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural exemption from building or land-use rules inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)
• Subdividing land — Land divisions and subdivisions inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)
• Building in a floodplain — Development in mapped floodplains inside Sheridan township (Clare County, MI)

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.