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

Rules another office applies inside Nahma Township

Nahma 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 construction inside Nahma township, where building permits are issued by Delta County Building & Zoning.

  • Permit is obtained from the Delta County Building & Zoning Department, not the township.
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.

  “building permit is obtained from the delta county building & zoning dept.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Parcels inside Nahma township (unincorporated) under the Delta County Zoning Ordinance zoning map sections for Nahma township.

  • Map sections 912a and 912b cover Nahma township; the individual district boundaries on those map sections were not opened.
  • Ordinance is titled as applying to land within Delta County, Michigan; the county is the rule-maker where the township has no zoning.

  “section 912a nahma township zoning map section 912b nahma township zoning map”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Published — Land inside Nahma township under the county ordinance's general scope.

    “an ordinance to establish zoning districts and regulations governing the development and use of land within delta county, michigan”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units inside Nahma township under the Delta County Zoning Ordinance (general regulations, all districts).

  • Applies to every dwelling unit except seasonal dwellings.
  • Up to 120 square feet of the required floor area may be storage space, in a fully enclosed accessory building on the same lot, as stated in the ordinance.
  • Floor area is measured as the ordinance states; the ordinance excerpt does not specify exceptions beyond seasonal dwellings.

  minimum dwelling floor area: >= 600 sq ft (seasonal dwellings excluded; up to 120 sq ft may be storage space)

  “every dwelling unit, except seasonal dwellings, shall have a floor area of not less than 600 square feet, provided, however, that not more than 120 square feet thereof may consist of storage space”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Individual mobile homes in the R-4 mobile home park district inside Nahma township (if that district is mapped there).

  • Applies only to the R-4 district (mobile homes in mobile home parks not subdivided into individual lots).
  • Density limited to seven mobile homes per acre in the R-4 district.
  • Mobile home park street, greenbelt, and recreation area rules also apply.

  lot area per mobile home (R-4): >= 3200 sq ft (no motor vehicle parked on a lot under 4,000 sq ft)

  “each mobile home shall be located on a lot having an area of at least 3,200 square feet; provided, however, that no motor vehicle shall be parked on any lot having an area of less than 4,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in C-1, C-2, C-3 and I districts inside Nahma township, where they abut R-1, R-2 or R-3 districts.

  • Applies only to lots in districts C-1, C-2, C-3 and I.
  • Applies to the boundary line of any R-1, R-2 or R-3 district.

  buffer setback from R-1/R-2/R-3 boundary: >= 30 ft

  “on lots in districts c-1, c-2, c-3 and i, no structure shall be erected or maintained within 30 feet of the boundary line of any r-1, r-2 or r-3 districts.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Structures on lots inside Nahma township, with setback distances set per zoning district.

    “except as otherwise specifically provided in this ordinance, no structure shall be erected or maintained between any lot line and the pertinent setback distance listed below and no structure shall be erected or maintained which exceeds the height limit specified below”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures inside Nahma township, height limits by zoning district.

  • Height limits are listed per district in the Section 300 table, which was not captured.
  • Exceptions stated 'except as otherwise specifically provided in this ordinance'.

  “except as otherwise specifically provided in this ordinance, no structure shall be erected or maintained between any lot line and the pertinent setback distance listed below and no structure shall be erected or maintained which exceeds the height limit specified below”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes used as a dwelling on private lots inside Nahma township under the county ordinance.

  • Mobile home dwellings must be installed with wheels removed and may not have exposed towing mechanism, undercarriage or chassis.
  • Dwelling must comply with all pertinent building and fire codes; mobile home construction must meet 24 CFR 3280 as the ordinance states.
  • The foregoing wheel-removal and related conditions do not apply to a mobile home located in a licensed mobile home park, except as required by state or federal law or the park ordinance.
  • Mobile home parks are allowed in district R-4 only.

  “in the event that a dwelling is a mobile home, as defined herein, each mobile home shall be installed with the wheels removed. additionally, no mobile home shall have any exposed towing mechanism, undercarriage or chassis.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Onsite sewage (OSTDS) permit fees only, for homes inside Nahma township; building permit fees for Delta County were not extracted.

  • Fees are from the 2025 Environmental Health fee schedule.
  • Soil evaluation, replacement, and lab sample fees are separate lines on the same schedule.

  OSTDS permit, single and two-family residence: 328 USD (2025 schedule; other OSTDS fees listed separately)

  “ostds permit - single and two-family residence $328”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Nahma township.
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Nahma township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Nahma township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Nahma township.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits for lots inside Nahma 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.