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

Breitung Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Breitung charter township.

  • The Township page directs residents to zoning packets and identifies a Zoning Administrator and Deputy Zoning Administrator.

  “In an effort to make the zoning process easier and more accessible to our residents, Breitung Township Zoning staff has created packets of zoning information for each of our zoning districts.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Breitung charter township.

  • The Township directs a landowner who does not know the property's zone to the Zoning Map.
  • The page also lists additional Scenic Preservation and Resource Production materials.

  “Zoning Districts Residential 1 (R-1) Rural Residential 1 (RR-1) Rural Residential 2 (RR-2) Rural Residential 3 (RR-3) Commercial 1 (C-1) Commercial 2 (C-2) Industrial (I)”

Rules another office applies inside Breitung Township

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

• Septic permitRequired

  New construction, replacement systems or tanks, new/increased use, and privies inside Breitung charter township when an onsite sewage system is used.

  • For new construction, a site evaluation is required before construction-code permits are issued.
  • A replacement system or failed tank requires a permit.
  • New or increased sewage use requires a site evaluation.
  • A new vault or earth-pit privy requires a permit.

  “New construction: a site evaluation is required to determine if land is suitable for an on-site sewage permit before construction code permits are issued. Replacement system: a permit is required to replace a failing or failed system. Tank only: a permit is required to replace a failed tank. New and increased use: a site evaluation is required to evaluate existing systems for those seeking to increase sewage flows by new additions or to connect a new dwelling to an existing system. Privy: a permit is required to install a new vault or earth pit privy.”

• Well permitRequired

  New and replacement private residential wells inside Breitung charter township.

  • A permit is also required for Type II and Type III, geothermal, and hydraulic-fracturing wells.
  • The completed construction application must be returned to the department.

  “New private well: a permit is required for the construction of a new private residential well. Replacement well: a permit is required for the construction of a replacement well.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building work inside Breitung charter township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Breitung charter township.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Breitung charter township.
• Inspections — Building work inside Breitung charter township.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered structures inside Breitung charter 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Breitung Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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