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

Sumner Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent (with conditions)

  Sumner township's own zoning ordinance: the county list does not show Sumner as self-zoned; county zoning applies instead

  • Relies on the county planning page listing Sumner among townships whose zoning the county administers; no Sumner township zoning ordinance was located.
  • Not confirmed on a Sumner township page; the township's own site was not reachable in this research run.

  “gratiot county administers planning and zoning for 6 townships in the county, including: elba hamilton lafayette newark north star sumner all other townships and cities are self-zoned.”

Rules another office applies inside Sumner Township

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

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Homeowner doing their own construction on a building permit application in Sumner township

  • Homeowner may be the applicant when the homeowner does the construction; the permit form requires the homeowner's notation in the contractor section.
  • Owner-builder rules under state law were not separately verified.

  “note section 4, if the homeowner is doing the construction, enter “homeowner” in the contractor information space.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building work in Sumner township permitted by the Gratiot County Permits Office

  • Foundation (footing and backfill), rough and final inspections are listed; final inspection is made before occupancy.

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

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New or altered buildings in Sumner township

  • Certificate cannot be issued until all fees are paid, permits are finaled, and work is complete per the permit, code and other laws.

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

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts that apply in Sumner township under county zoning

  • Districts named in the ordinance copy include AG (agricultural), RP (rural preservation), RR (rural residential); R-1, R-2 and MHP districts are referenced but their application in Sumner was not verified.
  • Ordinance copy is not the county's own posted version.

  “gratiot county zoning ordinance chapter 4 ag – agricultural district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Principal uses in the AG agricultural district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

  • Splits may create lots of at least one (1) acre with 200 feet of public road frontage, per section 4.5(a)(2).
  • Lot width minimum is 660 feet (section 4.5(b)).

  minimum lot area: >= 40 acres (parcels divided under section 4.5(a)(1)-(2))

  “a. lot area: the minimum lot size in this district shall be forty (40) acres, except as noted in subsection 4.5, a, 1 & 2 below.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal uses in the RR rural residential district inside Sumner township (county zoning); the main residential district found in the ordinance

    “a. lot area: the minimum lot size in this district shall be two (2) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG agricultural district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

  • Accessory building and projection rules in chapter 2 also apply and were not reviewed.

  front yard setback: >= 50 feet · rear yard setback: >= 50 feet · side yard setback: >= 20 feet

  “c. front yard: the minimum front yard setback in this district shall be fifty (50) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the RR rural residential district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

    “c. front yard: the minimum front yard setback in this district shall be sixty (60) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings on a parcel in the AG agricultural district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent of parcel

  “g. lot coverage: the total area of all buildings on the parcel shall not exceed a maximum of twenty (20) percent of the parcel size.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings on a parcel in the RR rural residential district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

    “g. lot coverage: the total area of all buildings on the parcel shall not exceed a maximum of thirty (30) percent of the parcel size.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG agricultural district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (or two and one-half (2 1/2) stories, whichever is less)

  “f. building height: no principal building in this district shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet, or two and one-half (2 ½) stories, whichever is less.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the RR rural residential district inside Sumner township (county zoning)

    “f. building height: no principal building in this district shall exceed a height of thirty (30) feet, or two (2) stories, whichever is less.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site septic systems serving land inside Sumner township

  • Health department named on county document as Mid-Michigan health department; its service area was not verified on its own site.
  • State EGLE role not reviewed.

  “septic and well permit (when applicable) ▪ contact the mid-michigan health department at (989) 875-3681 or visit their office located at 151 commerce dr., ithaca, mi 48847.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems for new construction in Sumner township, when applicable

  • Existing systems may be used; a copy of the well or septic evaluation is required if the system is older than 10 years and has not been in use.

  “a copy of the well and septic permit is required.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells for new construction in Sumner township, when applicable

  • Existing wells may be used if the well evaluation requirement is met.

  “a copy of the well and septic permit is required. existing well and septic systems may be used, however, a copy of the well or septic evaluation must be submitted if the system is older than 10 years and has not been in use.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Site condominium developments inside Sumner township

  • Applies to site condominium projects only; general single-home connection rules were not found.
  • Individual on-site systems allowed only if health department approves when public service is not available.

  public water and sewer distance: <= 300 feet (from the property boundary of the overall development)

  “b. all sites shall be required to use public water and sanitary sewer service if located and available within three hundred (300) feet of the property boundary of the overall development.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of parcels into two or more lots inside Sumner township

  • Division must comply with the county ordinance and the Michigan Land Division Act (Act 288 of 1967), per section 2.2(c) of the ordinance copy.
  • Site condominium projects are governed by section 2.31 (public water and sewer within 300 feet, see utility_connection claim).

  “c. division of lots - the division of a parcel of land into two (2) or more lots or parcels shall require the approval of the individual or body designated within the township in which the parcel is located.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway or curb cut connecting to a county road in Sumner township

  • Driveway permit applies only when applicable; private driveways serving two residential lots must meet county road commission specifications (ordinance section 2.28).

  “driveway permit ▪ only when applicable ▪ contact gratiot county road commission at (989) 875-3811 for information on these permits, curb cuts, or any activity affecting county roads.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Human-occupancy buildings in designated flood plain areas inside Sumner township

  • Flood plain areas are those determined by FEMA, the county engineer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or other official public agency.
  • Applies under county zoning per section 2.30 of the ordinance copy.

  “no building for human occupancy shall be erected or hereafter occupied, if vacant, in such designated flood plain areas.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for Sumner township, administered by the Gratiot County Permits Office

  • Requires a township zoning permit, septic and well permits when applicable, and sealed plans for some structures; a certificate of occupancy is requested after completion.

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

Still unanswered

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

• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling in Sumner township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Sumner township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Sumner township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy in Sumner township
• Manufactured homes — Occupancy of a manufactured home on private land in Sumner 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.