Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of South Range, Michigan

Village of South Range’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction, alteration and remodeling of structures inside South Range village

  • The adopted code is the 1978 seventh edition and its supplements as promulgated at adoption; the ordinance says copies are kept at the village clerk's office.
  • Section 5 was amended by the 2017 civil infraction ordinance (penalties).
  • Ordinance 1984-22 does not say which body enforces the code; see the Houghton County building permit claims.

  “the basic building code, 7th edition, 1978 and all existing and future supplements thereto as promulgated by the building officials conference of america, inc. of 110 east 42nd street, new york, new york, are hereby adopted in their entirety and made applicable to the village of south range”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Building, substantial alteration, or change of use of any building or premises in South Range village (village certificate of compliance, not a county certificate of occupancy)

  • Issued by village council under Ordinance 73 chapter VIII (sections 901-905); the council must decide within forty days of a complete application.
  • Certificate of compliance is a zoning-based village approval; whether the village still issues it today is not verified.

  council decision period after application: 40 days

  “until a certificate of compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, as provided below, shall have been issued by the village council”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside South Range village limits, under the village's own Zoning Ordinance No. 73 (1972) as amended

  • Only the compiled Ordinance 73 text with an amendment list (through Ordinance 2002-2) was located on the village site; no consolidated current zoning ordinance was found, so whether each amendment remains in force is not verified.
  • Ordinance 73 is administered by the village council, enforced through the chief of police (chapter XII).

  “for the purposes of this ordinance the village is hereby divided into the following districts”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside South Range village limits

  • Three districts are named in Ordinance 73 (residential, residential-commercial, commercial). The text does not define boundaries; the amendments list refers to an updated village zoning map (Ordinance 1995-1), which was not located.
  • No agricultural or rural-residential district appears in the ordinance text captured.

  “for the purposes of this ordinance the village is hereby divided into the following districts: (a) residential (b) residential-commercial (c) commercial”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in South Range village's residential, residential-commercial and commercial districts

  • Minimum reduced from 1,800 to 1,300 square feet by Ordinance 1997-1, per the amendment list on the Ordinance 73 compilation; the 1997-1 text itself was not opened.
  • Effective date not stated in the compilation.

  minimum residential floor area: >= 1300 square feet (residential, residential-commercial and commercial districts, per Ordinance 1997-1)

  “ordinance 1997-1: amended minimum residential floor area requirements in residential, residential-commercial, and commercial districts by reducing the required minimum size from 1,800 square feet to 1,300 square feet.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in South Range village residential districts (Ordinance 1985-1 adds section V.a.2 to Ordinance 73)

  • Setback is measured from the edge of the outermost eave of every structure to the nearest lot line.
  • Front-yard exception: 'unless all existing structures on the same block are set back in excess of 15' in which case any new or extended structure shall be not closer to the front lot line than any existing structure on the same side of the street'.
  • Residential-commercial and commercial district setbacks are not stated in these texts; Ordinance 73 Chapter V section (a) item 10 sets a street plumb-line rule for accessory structures.

  side lot line setback: >= 6 feet · rear alley setback: >= 10 feet · front lot line setback: >= 15 feet (unless all existing structures on the same block are set back in excess of 15 feet)

  “not less than: 6 feet from each side lot line; 10 feet from each rear alley; 15 feet from each front lot line unless all existing structures on the same block are set back in excess of 15' in which case any new or extended structure shall be not closer to the front lot line than any existing structure on the same side of the street.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in South Range village residential districts

  • Height is measured from the immediately adjoining street level to the uppermost peak or ridge of the roof.
  • No height limit for residential-commercial or commercial districts was found in the opened texts.

  maximum structure height: <= 30 feet (measured from adjoining street level to uppermost peak or ridge of roof)

  “no structure shall exceed 30' in height as measured from the immediately adjoining street level to the uppermost peak or ridge of the roof.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of a trailer as a dwelling, whether in parks, courts or on private property, in South Range village's residential, residential-commercial and commercial districts

  • The ordinance says 'trailer'; it does not separately define recreational vehicles, so whether RV use as a dwelling is covered is an interpretation to confirm with the village.
  • Prohibited uses are listed in Ordinance 73 Chapter V section (b).

  “trailer or trailers used as a dwelling whether in parks, courts or on private property”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New homes on premises not previously supplied with village water inside South Range village

  • Village water and sewer service exist; village water is purchased from Adams Township (utilities page).
  • A new connection requires application at the village clerk, a tapping fee, and a meter approved by the Water Committee (Ordinance 1984-31 sections 1-3).
  • Ordinance 86 regulates the installing and connecting of building sewers, but its captured text was truncated and no mandatory-connection rule was found; whether a new home must connect to sewer when available is not established.
  • No distance-based availability rule was found in the opened texts.

  water tapping fee, connecting to same side of street: 100 USD (Ordinance 1984-31 section 2; applies to connections through the village supply) · water tapping fee, connecting to opposite side of street: 150 USD (Ordinance 1984-31 section 2)

  “application must be made as above by all persons desiring to connect with service pipes already laid to supply premises not previously supplied with water”

Rules another office applies inside Village of South Range

Village of South Range 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 construction and alterations of buildings, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work inside South Range village; the Houghton County Building Department issues these permits for the entire county, including the village

  • Permit application must be filed and permit issued before work begins; if work starts first, the project is subject to a 50% fee.
  • The county page states 'notice no county-wide zoning. please contact the municipality.'

  “the houghton county building department issues all building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits for the entire county.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits in South Range village, issued by the Houghton County Building Department

  • The county page links a fee schedule; the schedule itself was not opened, so amounts are not recorded.
  • Village Ordinance 1984-22 adopts the building code's suggested fees, but the village fee amounts were not captured.

  “fee schedule garage specifications/cross view mechanical permit plumbing permit”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process for work inside South Range village (Houghton County Building Department)

  • Office at the Houghton County courthouse, 401 East Houghton Avenue, Houghton; phone 906-482-2260; weekday hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • The page lists permit application, requirements and fee forms, but the requirements text was not opened; the process is partially documented.

  “a permit application must be filed and permit issued prior to any work being done.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of South Range or Houghton County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside South Range village
• Inspections — Inspections for construction inside South Range village
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside South Range village
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside South Range village
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land inside South Range village

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.