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

Bethany Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Bethany township's zoning jurisdiction (Gratiot County, Michigan); the township administers its own zoning ordinance rather than county zoning.

  • The ordinance is titled 'Zoning Ordinance' (Ordinance 310) and is adopted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, PA 110 of 2006.
  • Uses are regulated by district under the ordinance, with permits, special uses, and a zoning board of appeals and planning commission provided for in the ordinance.
  • The township's amendment history after the copy reviewed was not checked.

  “an ordinance to establish zoning districts and regulations governing the development and use of land within the zoning jurisdiction of bethany township”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Bethany township; districts include R-1 single-family residential (Article 5), R-2 mobile home park (Article 6), AG agricultural (Article 7), and C commercial (Article 8), among others.

  • District list and standards are printed in the ordinance text (Articles 4-8 and later).
  • The official zoning map that accompanies the ordinance was not opened; parcel-level district assignments are not confirmed here.

  “section 5.4 development standards a. area requirements. 1. general requirements: a. minimum lot size: 1 acre.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1 district in Bethany township.

  • 900 sq ft minimum with a basement; 1,000 sq ft minimum without a basement.

  minimum floor area with basement: >= 900 sq ft (dwelling has a basement) · minimum floor area without basement: >= 1000 sq ft (dwelling constructed without a basement)

  “g. minimum floor area per single-family dwelling: nine hundred (900) square feet, provided the dwelling has a basement. for single-family dwellings constructed without a basement, the minimum floor area is one thousand (1,000) square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural (AG) district in Bethany township.

    “7. minimum floor area per unit: 960 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family residential (R-1) district in Bethany township.

  • Lots served by public sewer and water may be reduced under the cluster or open-space option, with a 12,000 sq ft minimum per the township's single-family reduction rule; that rule was read but not analyzed further.
  • Septic and well rules in the township and county still apply.

  minimum lot size: >= 1 acre (R-1 district; see cluster or open-space reduction) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet (R-1 district)

  “a. minimum lot size: 1 acre. b. minimum lot width: 150 feet. c. maximum height: 35 feet or 2.5 stories.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural (AG) district in Bethany township.

    “section 7.4 development standards a. area requirements 1. minimum lot size: 1 acre. 2. minimum lot width: 165 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family residential (R-1) district in Bethany township.

  • Front setback is measured from the road as stated: 50 feet or 83 feet from the center of the road, whichever is greater, except on M-46.
  • A side yard abutting a street must be at least 20 feet when there is a common rear yard (section 5.4 development standards 2.a).

  front setback: >= 50 feet (or 83 feet from center of road, whichever is greater; except on M-46) · side setback: >= 20 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

  “d. minimum front setback: 50 feet or 83 feet from the center of the road whichever is greater, except on m-46. e. minimum side setback: 20 feet. f. minimum rear setback: 25 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural (AG) district in Bethany township.

    “4. minimum front setback: 50 feet or 83 feet from the center of the road whichever is greater, except on m-46. 5. minimum side setback: 20 feet. 6. minimum rear setback: 25 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family residential (R-1) district in Bethany township.

  • Maximum lot coverage is 25 percent of the lot.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “g. minimum floor area per single-family dwelling: nine hundred (900) square feet, provided the dwelling has a basement. for single-family dwellings constructed without a basement, the minimum floor area is one thousand (1,000) square feet. h. maximum lot coverage: 25%.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural (AG) district in Bethany township.

  maximum height: <= 60 feet (or 2 stories, as stated)

  “3. maximum height: 60 feet or 2 stories.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family residential (R-1) district in Bethany township.

    “c. maximum height: 35 feet or 2.5 stories.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Mobile or manufactured homes used as a dwelling outside a licensed mobile home park in Bethany township.

  • Must be connected to a public sewer and water supply, or to similar private facilities approved by the local health department.
  • Must meet the ordinance's dwelling standards, including a foundational perimeter wall, permanent anchoring, no exposed chassis, at least two exterior doors, and compliance with building, construction and fire codes.
  • Mobile home parks are a separate use in the R-2 district (Article 6), licensed under the Michigan Mobile Home Commission.

  “f. it is connected to a public sewer and water supply, or to similar private facilities approved by the local health department.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private on-site sanitation (septic or other system) for a dwelling in Bethany township.

  • Installations must conform to the county and health department requirements and applicable state agencies, with all applicable permits obtained.
  • Water supply must be safe, sanitary, and potable, with a safe and effective means of collection, treatment, and disposal of waste.
  • No ordinance rule was located for composting or other off-grid toilets; the answer is limited to permitted private systems.

  “all such installations and facilities shall conform to the requirements of the gratiot county health department and applicable state agencies, and all applicable permits authorizing said facilities shall be obtained.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New dwellings and other land uses inside Bethany township.

  • No mandatory connect-when-available rule for public water or sewer was located in the portions of the ordinance read.
  • Any land use permit applicant must show the availability of potable water and public sewer connections, or adequate space for septic fields with reserve areas and setbacks; a septic field may not be closer than ten feet to a lot line.
  • Lots served by public sewer and water have a 12,000 sq ft minimum under the cluster or open-space option.

  septic field minimum distance to lot line: >= 10 feet

  “the owner or applicant for any land use permit shall demonstrate the availability of potable water and public sewer connections or adequate space for septic fields with appropriate reserve areas and setbacks specific to site conditions, but in no case should a septic field be closer than ten (10) feet to a lot line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats and land divisions in Bethany township.

  • Plats and land divisions submitted to the township board are reviewed by the township assessor and zoning administrator for consistency with the zoning ordinance.
  • PUD and cluster-type residential developments are separately regulated in the ordinance.

  “all plats or proposed land divisions newly submitted to the township board pursuant to the land division act, pa 591 of 1996”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway or road access for a structure or use in Bethany township.

  • Access must be approved before a land use permit or special use permit is issued.
  • All driveways must adhere to the access requirements and standards of the Gratiot County Road Commission.
  • Driveway and easement widths must be at least 33 feet; no lot may be created that prevents prescribed access separations.

  driveway or easement minimum width: >= 33 feet

  “accesses shall be approved for a structure or use requiring a driveway, street or service drive before a land use permit and/or special use permit is issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Bethany Township

Bethany 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

  New residential construction and alterations inside Bethany township; the county permits office is the contact named on the county page.

  • A township zoning permit, or a letter of township approval, must be obtained before a building permit can be issued.
  • Residential structures under 3,500 sq ft of calculated floor area use a building permit application (BCC-324), an energy compliance statement and at least two sets of plans.
  • The county page does not name a township building department for Bethany; whether the county issues Bethany permits was inferred from the county page's general contact and not verified against a county-township agreement.

  “township zoning permit (a copy of zoning permit or letter of township approval is required before a building permit can be issued.)”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building work under a building permit inside Bethany township.

  • Foundation, rough and final inspections are listed on the county page.
  • The permit holder is responsible for all necessary inspections.

  “made upon completion of the building/structure, and before occupancy occurs.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New or altered buildings inside Bethany township.

  • Certificate cannot be issued until all fees are paid, permits finaled, and the work is completed in accordance with the permit, the code and other applicable laws and ordinances.
  • The permit holder must request the certificate on completion; a written request is recommended.

  “a new building or altered building shall not be used/occupied until a certificate of occupancy is issued by the code official.”

Still unanswered

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

• Tiny homes — Tiny homes as a dwelling in Bethany township.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units on a parcel in Bethany township.
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for a dwelling in Bethany township.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural exemption from township zoning or county building rules for farm buildings in Bethany township.
• Building in a floodplain — Development in mapped floodplains in Bethany 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.