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

Flint Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, structural changes, repairs, or moving an existing building inside Flint Charter Township, including accessory and principal buildings.

  • A zoning compliance permit and/or building permit must be obtained before work begins.
  • The application must show compliance with township zoning, the state construction code, other applicable township codes and ordinances, and the Land Division Act.

  “without first obtaining a zoning compliance permit and/or a building permit from the building department.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings and premises subject to Flint Charter Township's zoning ordinance.

  • The zoning administrator may make inspections necessary to enforce Chapter 14.
  • Plans must be inspected for conformity before a zoning compliance permit for excavation or construction is approved.

  “to make inspections of buildings, or premises necessary to carry out the enforcement of this chapter.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, and structures for which a building permit is required inside Flint Charter Township.

  • The building department must issue the certificate after zoning-administrator verification of compliance.
  • Accessory buildings completed with the principal dwelling may be included in the principal dwelling certificate rather than receiving a separate certificate.
  • Temporary certificates may be issued when weather prevents exterior improvements and a performance guarantee is provided.

  “until the building department has issued a certificate of occupancy/compliance”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Flint Charter Township, Michigan.

  • Zoning applies according to the district in which the land, building, or structure is located.

  “Flint Charter Township, Genesee County, Michigan Ordains the following zoning chapter:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Flint Charter Township.

  • District controls are subject to the ordinance schedule and its footnotes.

  “The township is hereby divided into the following districts:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes in Flint Charter Township single-family residential districts and RMH manufactured/mobile-home residential district.

  • A single-family dwelling, including manufactured homes, is a permitted principal use in single-family residential districts.
  • Manufactured homes are also permitted in RMH.
  • A manufactured home used as a single-family dwelling must meet the district's lot, width, residential-floor-area, yard, and height requirements, be permanently founded, and comply with installation/anchoring requirements.

  minimum horizontal dimension: >= 24 feet (Across any front, side, or rear elevation.)

  “Single-family dwelling, including manufactured homes.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township building and related permit applications.

  • The page identifies an approved fee schedule.
  • Some applications paid by credit card may incur a small fee.

  “Fee Schedule - Fee Schedule 012125, as approved”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building, zoning, site-plan, special-land-use, and sewer/water-related applications inside Flint Charter Township.

  • The Township publishes a Building/Zoning Permit Application and other listed application forms.
  • Special-land-use applicants must submit a site plan and required fee before Planning Commission consideration.

  “Building Applications and Documents 6 documents Building/Zoning Permit Application document _recordid 242 Includes Michigan Uniform Energy Code worksheet”

Rules another office applies inside Flint Township

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New single-family dwellings in Flint Charter Township R-1A Single-Family Residential and R-AG Rural Residential/Agricultural districts.

  • The schedule applies within the indicated zoning district.
  • The schedule is subject to its footnotes.

  R-1A minimum floor area per unit: >= 1400 square feet · R-AG minimum floor area per unit: >= 1400 square feet

  “R-AG Rural Res./Agricultural [...] 1,400 R-1A Single-Family Res. [...] 1,400”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New single-family dwellings in Flint Charter Township R-1A Single-Family Residential and R-AG Rural Residential/Agricultural districts.

  • The schedule applies within the indicated zoning district and includes footnotes.

  R-1A minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet · R-AG minimum lot area: >= 217800 square feet (5 acres.)

  “R-AG Rural Res./Agricultural 217,800 (5 acres) [...] R-1A Single-Family Res. 20,000”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New single-family dwellings in Flint Charter Township R-1A Single-Family Residential and R-AG Rural Residential/Agricultural districts.

  • Front yards cannot be used for off-street parking and must remain open and unobstructed except for landscaping, plant materials, or vehicle access drives.
  • All yards abutting a public street are front yards for setback purposes.

  R-1A front setback: >= 40 feet · R-AG front setback: >= 40 feet

  “R-AG Rural Res./Agricultural [...] 40 [...] R-1A Single-Family Res. [...] 40”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New single-family dwellings in Flint Charter Township R-1A Single-Family Residential and R-AG Rural Residential/Agricultural districts.

  • The schedule applies within the indicated district and includes footnotes.

  R-1A maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent · R-AG maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “R-AG Rural Res./Agricultural [...] 20 [...] R-1A Single-Family Res. [...] 30”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New single-family dwellings in Flint Charter Township R-1A Single-Family Residential and R-AG Rural Residential/Agricultural districts.

  • The schedule applies within the indicated zoning district and includes footnotes.

  R-1A maximum building height: <= 25 feet (Maximum two stories.) · R-AG maximum building height: <= 25 feet (Maximum two stories.)

  “R-AG Rural Res./Agricultural [...] 2 25 [...] R-1A Single-Family Res. [...] 2 25”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential construction inside Flint Charter Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Flint Charter Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Flint Charter Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Flint Charter Township.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Flint 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 Flint 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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