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

Garfield Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Land use permit from the township Zoning Department for the listed work inside Charter Township of Garfield limits

  • Applies to a change of use, additions to existing structures, new structures of 100 square feet or more (including sheds and decks), and earth disturbance of 100 square feet or more.

  threshold for new structure or earth disturbance: >= 100 square feet

  “a land use permit is needed for a change of use, any addition to an existing structure, a new structure of 100 square feet in size or more (including sheds and decks), or the disturbance of 100 square feet or more of earth.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Charter Township of Garfield limits (Grand Traverse County, MI), under the township's own zoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 68 per the township zoning page)

  • Uses and structures are regulated by the township Zoning Department; land use permits, site plan review, special use permits and variances are separate approvals.

  “the zoning department is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the garfield township zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Charter Township of Garfield

  • District list is in Article 3 of Ordinance 68; the zoning map is linked from the zoning page. District-by-district text not read because the ordinance PDF returned HTTP 404.

  “article 3 – zoning districts article 4 – procedures article 5 – development standards”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Waterfront lots on Silver Lake in Charter Township of Garfield, as stated in the township zoning FAQ

  • Stated in response to a Silver Lake question; the FAQ does not say whether the rule covers other waterbodies.

  waterfront setback from ordinary high water mark: 50 feet (Silver Lake)

  “the waterfront setback is 50 feet from the ordinary high water mark.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Accessory sheds and pole barns in the residential and agricultural districts of Charter Township of Garfield (not principal-building setbacks)

    “in the residential and agricultural districts, sheds or pole barns must comply with front and side setbacks, but may be located a minimum of 10-feet from the rear yard property line”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions inside Charter Township of Garfield limits under the township zoning ordinance

  • Land divisions and boundary adjustments are processed through the assessing department, per the zoning page link.
  • Subdivision regulation sits in Articles 4 and 5 of the ordinance.

  “the subdivision regulations set forth in article 4, procedures, and article 5, development standards, of this ordinance promote the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the local government”

• Short-term rentalsProhibited

  Short-term rental of a residential dwelling for less than 30 days in Charter Township of Garfield

  • Not allowed within a residential dwelling; the zoning FAQ says short-term rentals may be permitted in certain zoning districts as bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels, campgrounds and other similar uses.

  minimum rental period: >= 30 days (rentals under this period are prohibited in residential dwellings)

  “short-term rental of a residential dwelling for any period of less than 30 days is currently not allowed in garfield township.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning and planning application fees for Charter Township of Garfield

  • Covers planning and zoning fees; a separate building permit fee schedule is linked from the zoning page but was not opened.

  “current fee schedule – adopted june 23, 2026”

• Permit processPublished

  Development and zoning permit process for Charter Township of Garfield

  • Permit packets and guides are linked from the zoning page; the residential building permit packet PDF returned HTTP 404.

  “the following information, including the guide to development, is intended as a resource to help navigate the development review process.”

Rules another office applies inside Garfield Township

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

• Who permits septicCounty

  Septic systems on land inside Charter Township of Garfield limits, handled by the Grand Traverse County Health Department (Environmental Health), not the township

  • Township utilities page routes well and septic permit information to the county health department.

  “well and septic grand traverse county health department for detailed permit and contact information”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Charter Township of Garfield limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Charter Township of Garfield limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Charter Township of Garfield limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Charter Township of Garfield limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district of Charter Township of Garfield

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 Garfield 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.