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

Resort Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Resort township limits, administered by Resort township under its own zoning ordinance

  • Zoning applies to land within Resort township; the ordinance text reviewed is the version amended through 12-22-2021 as hosted on energyzoning.org.
  • The township's own hearing notice says draft amendments (solar energy systems, parking, screening, landscaping, site plan review) were heard January 28, 2025; adoption of those amendments was not confirmed.
  • Zoning administrator contact per the township notice: Ken Lane, zoning administrator, Resort township.

  “to consider draft amendments to the resort township zoning ordinance as follows”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Resort township limits

  • The zoning map is incorporated by reference in section 301 and was not opened; district boundaries were not verified.
  • Overlay areas (waterfront resource WR and historic resource HR) are listed but were not analysed.

  “for the purpose of this ordinance, resort township is hereby divided into the following districts: residential districts r-1a one family residential r-1b one family residential r-2a general residential r-2b general residential rr recreational residential”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal one-family detached dwelling in the R-1A and R-1B districts of Resort township

  • Figure is the minimum floor area for the principal use stated in section 403.

  minimum floor area, principal use: >= 720 sq ft

  “4. minimum floor area principal use – 720 square ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal building in the RR recreational residential district of Resort township

    “4. minimum floor area: principal building – 720 square ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal one-family detached dwelling use in the R-1A and R-1B one-family residential districts of Resort township

  • Source text states the R-1A and R-1B standards together in section 403; the two districts are not separated in the excerpt.
  • Parcel size is the minimum parcel size stated in section 403 (45,000 sq. ft.); lot width 100 feet minimum is also stated.

  minimum parcel size: >= 45000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 100 ft

  “section 403. specific development standards in r-1a and r-1b district 1. parcel size 45,000 sq. feet minimum 2. lot width 100 feet minimum”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal uses in the RR recreational residential district of Resort township (the rural-residential district)

    “section 603. specific development standards in rr district 1. parcel size: 45,000 sq. feet minimum 2. lot width: 100 feet minimum”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal uses in the FF farm and forest district of Resort township (the agricultural/rural district)

    “section 802. specific development standards in ff farm and forest district 9. parcel size 90,000 sq. feet minimum 10. lot width 150 feet minimum”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal uses in the R-1A and R-1B one-family residential districts of Resort township

  • The PDF text extraction lists the setback values as one sequence after the labels 'front (faces road)', 'sides', 'rear'; the mapping 30 / 10 / 25 feet to front / sides / rear follows that label order and should be confirmed against the printed table.
  • Non-waterfront accessory buildings of 600 sq ft or less need not be farther than 10 ft from the rear lot line (same section).

  front yard setback: 30 ft · side yard setback: 10 ft · rear yard setback: 25 ft (non-waterfront accessory buildings of 600 sq ft or less: 10 ft)

  “7. minimum yard setback a. front (faces road) b. sides c. rear sq. 30 feet 10 feet 25 feet, except for non-waterfront accessory buildings 600 ft. or less need not be farther from rear lot line than 10 ft.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings on lots in the R-1A and R-1B one-family residential districts of Resort township

  • Lot coverage is measured as the area of buildings as a percent of the lot.

  maximum lot coverage by buildings: <= 30 %

  “6. maximum percent of lot coverage by the area of buildings 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Buildings on lots in the FF farm and forest district of Resort township

    “14. maximum percent of lot coverage by the area of buildings 35%”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Detached accessory buildings on any lot in Resort township; this claim does not address dwelling units inside or attached to a principal building

  • Applies to accessory buildings as defined in article II; does not address attached or internal dwelling units or in-law suites.

  “an accessory building shall not be used as a dwelling and shall not contain sleeping facilities.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new residential construction inside Resort township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Resort township
• Building code adopted — Residential building code for construction inside Resort township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Resort township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Resort 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.