Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Little Traverse Township, Michigan

Little Traverse Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Little Traverse township limits: the township administers its own zoning ordinance for land use and development (zoning rules, permits and oversight).

  • The township's official zoning page states the township provides zoning rules, permits and oversight. The zoning ordinance text itself was not opened on an official site; the only codified copy located (energyzoning.org, codified copy #9a) is third-party and was not used as evidence.
  • Residential permits not requiring special approval are issued by Emmet County (see building_permit_requirement); special-approval items are handled by the township.

  “little traverse township zoning provides rules, permits, and oversight for land use and development within the township.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New single-family dwelling inside Little Traverse township that connects to the public sewer (Harbor Springs Area Sewage Disposal Authority system, per the township sewer application form)

  • Connection is made under a township sewer service permit with a permit and inspection fee and a tap-in fee of $1,000.00 per REU; the form states a single family dwelling = 1 REU.
  • Installation and connection must be inspected and approved before backfilling; the owner must notify the supervisor 24 hours in advance.
  • The form does not itself state a mandatory-connection distance rule; whether connection is required when sewer is available was not verified.
  • Owner maintains the building sewer at owner's expense.

  tap-in fee per REU: 1000 USD (per REU; single family dwelling = 1 REU)

  “agrees to notify the supervisor 24 hours in advance when building sewer will be, or is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land division (splits) of parcels inside Little Traverse township

  • Land division is handled through a township land division application and fee (township fee schedule lists land division fees).
  • The township's land division standards and approval criteria were not opened; the Michigan Land Division Act and township ordinance text were not verified.

  “land division application (pdf) ach agreement for utilities (pdf)”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township zoning and land division permit/application fees inside Little Traverse township

  • Schedule is dated effective April 10, 2013 and may be outdated; the fee amounts on the PDF are not mapped to individual permit types in this record.
  • Residential permits not requiring special approval use Emmet County standard fees (see building_permit_requirement).

  “little traverse township zoning and land division fee schedule effective april 10, 2013”

• Permit processPartial

  Township zoning permit process inside Little Traverse township

  • Township handles zoning actions (zoning action application, variance, site plan review, special use, rezoning and similar) per its Applications list.
  • Residential permits not requiring special approval are routed to Emmet County (see building_permit_requirement).

  “application for zoning action (pdf) zoning variance application (pdf) site plan review checklist (pdf)”

Rules another office applies inside Little Traverse Township

Little Traverse 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

  Residential permits for land inside Little Traverse township that do not require special approval (permit issued by Emmet County Office of Planning and Zoning).

  • Applies only to residential permits not requiring special approval; permits requiring special approval (site plan review, special use, variance, etc.) are handled by the township.
  • The township fee schedule states Emmet County standard fees apply to these permits issued from the county office.
  • Whether the county issues every building trade permit (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) was not verified.

  “residential permits not requiring special approval are issued at the emmet county office of planning and zoning.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit or licensing inside Little Traverse township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Little Traverse township
• Inspections — Building (non-sewer) inspections inside Little Traverse township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Little Traverse township
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Little Traverse 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.