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

Alaiedon Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New homes, additions, accessory buildings and residential decks in Alaiedon Township (non-farm structures).

  • Accessory buildings under 200 sq ft need a zoning permit (separate permit form on the township page).
  • Farm buildings directly associated with a farm operation use the agricultural zoning permit instead.

  “building & zoning permit application - required for all non-farm structures including commercial, new homes, additions, accessory buildings and residential decks”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New and altered single family dwellings in Alaiedon Township.

  • The ordinance requires compliance with the Alaiedon township building code, the Michigan Construction Code, and other county and state rules.
  • The ordinance defines the building inspector as an individual hired by the township to administer the Michigan Construction Code.
  • The township's own building code text was not located in the reading done.

  “building inspector: an individual hired by the township to administer the michigan construction code.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Alaiedon Township limits, Ingham County, Michigan, under the township's own zoning ordinance #103.

  • The township zoning ordinance regulates use and development of land and establishes districts with restrictions and requirements for structures, yards and densities.
  • Official zoning map certifies the ordinance as adopted 26 January 2009; the ordinance copy read is the township-site PDF and its amendment status was not verified against the current consolidated text.

  “zoning ordinance alaiedon township ordinance #103 is enacted under public act 110 of 2006.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for land inside Alaiedon Township.

  • Districts named on the official map legend include A-1 General Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, R-2 Medium Density Residential, R-MF Multiple Family, R-MHC Manufactured Housing Community, and B-1 General Business; the rest of the legend (other business and industrial districts) was not read.
  • Table 3-5 of the ordinance sets site development standards by district; see the dimensional claims for each district.

  “r-mf multiple family residential see article 10 r-mhc manufactured housing comm. see section 3.7(a) b-1 general business”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Alaiedon Township, all districts, other than mobile homes located in a licensed manufactured housing community.

  • The standard applies to all single family dwellings, but the lead-in to section 20.10 states that the following standards shall not apply to mobile homes located in a licensed manufactured housing community except to the extent required by state or federal law.
  • Under the same section, a single family dwelling must have a permanent foundation constructed on the site in accordance with the building code.

  minimum floor area, single family dwelling: >= 1000 sq ft (two-story dwelling must have at least 850 sq ft of living area on the first floor and at least 350 sq ft on the second floor)

  “a single family dwelling shall have a minimum floor area of 1,000 square feet, provided that a two-story dwelling must have a minimum of 850 square feet of living area on the first floor and a minimum of 350 square feet of living area on the second floor.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling lots in the R-2 medium density residential district of Alaiedon Township.

  • Table 3-5 footnote 8: the minimum lot area for two-family dwellings in the r-2 district shall be 40,000 square feet with sewer, otherwise 2.5 acres.
  • Table 3-5 footnote 7: the depth of a lot shall not exceed four (4) times its width.
  • Table 3-5 footnote 7 also allows lesser frontage and width where the front lot line abuts a curvilinear road segment, capped at 40 percent reduction.
  • 'With sewer' versus 'otherwise' tiers are as written in Table 3-5; the township's definition of sewer availability was not read.

  minimum lot area, single family, with sewer: >= 28750 sq ft (applies with sewer) · minimum lot area, single family, without sewer: >= 2 acres (applies otherwise (no sewer)) · minimum lot width, with sewer: >= 132 ft (applies with sewer) · minimum lot width, without sewer: >= 220 ft (applies otherwise (no sewer))

  “r-2 medium density residential sfd 28,750 sf with sewer, otherwise 2.0 acres8 132 ft. with sewer, otherwise 220 ft.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling lots in the R-1 rural residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “r-1 rural residential sfd: 2 acres tfd: 2.5 acres sfd: 200 ft. tfd: 220 ft.”

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling lots in the A-1 general agricultural district of Alaiedon Township.

    “a-1 agricultural sfd: 2 acres tfd: 2.5 acres sfd: 200 ft. tfd: 220 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the A-1 general agricultural district of Alaiedon Township.

  • Table 3-5 footnotes 2 and 3 attach to the setback entries; their text was not read.
  • Section 20.7 allows architectural features to project 2.5 feet into a required setback, and balconies, fire escapes and outside stairways of open construction up to 5 feet.

  minimum front yard setback: >= 60 ft · minimum side yard setback: >= 30 ft · minimum rear yard setback: >= 40 ft

  “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-2 medium density residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “r-2 medium density residential sfd 28,750 sf with sewer, otherwise 2.0 acres8 132 ft. with sewer, otherwise 220 ft. 2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft. 20% 60 ft.2 12 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-1 rural residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lot coverage for principal buildings in the A-1 general agricultural district of Alaiedon Township.

  • Table 3-5 footnote 9 is attached to the lot coverage column; the footnote text was only partly read.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lot coverage for principal buildings in the R-2 medium density residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft. 20% 60 ft.2 12 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  • Specified — Lot coverage for principal buildings in the R-1 rural residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the A-1 general agricultural district of Alaiedon Township.

  • Building height is measured as defined in article 21 (footnote 9); the full definition was not read in this run.
  • Table 3-5 footnote 6 is attached to the height entry; its text was not read.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (also limited to 2.5 stories) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-2 medium density residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft. 20% 60 ft.2 12 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-1 rural residential district of Alaiedon Township.

    “2.5 stories, not to exceed 35 ft.6 20% 60 ft.2 30 ft.2,3 40 ft.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds and temporary dwellings for temporary living in Alaiedon Township.

  • Campgrounds must be licensed by the State of Michigan; section 10.3 requires campsites, common use areas, restrooms and buildings to be set back 200 feet from all lot lines.
  • Temporary dwellings under section 20.12 require a permit from the zoning administrator; the permit may not exceed 18 months in total, and a temporary dwelling occupied more than 30 days must connect to a county-approved onsite septic system or public sewer.
  • Which districts permit campgrounds was not read.

  campsite setback from lot lines: >= 200 ft (campgrounds, section 10.3) · temporary dwelling total permit period: <= 18 months (section 20.12)

  “in no case shall the total permit period for a temporary dwelling exceed eighteen (18) months.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Tiny homes (dwellings under 1,000 sq ft) used as a single family dwelling in Alaiedon Township.

  • The ordinance does not define tiny homes or create a tiny-home provision in the text read.
  • The single family dwelling minimum floor area of 1,000 sq ft and the one-dwelling-per-lot rule therefore restrict a small home used as a permanent single family dwelling.

  “a single family dwelling shall have a minimum floor area of 1,000 square feet, provided that a two-story dwelling must have a minimum of 850 square feet of living area on the first floor and a minimum of 350 square feet of living area on the second floor.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Second dwelling units on a lot in Alaiedon Township.

  • Section 20.3 limits each lot to one permanent single family dwelling unit unless the ordinance specifically provides for more elsewhere.
  • No accessory dwelling unit provision was located by text search of the ordinance; the temporary dwelling rule in section 20.12 is separate and time-limited.

  “no more than one (1) single family dwelling unit shall be permanently established on a lot or parcel, unless specifically provided for elsewhere in this ordinance.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private on-site sewage and water for single family dwellings not connected to public systems in Alaiedon Township.

  • Private on-site facilities are allowed only if approved by the Ingham County Health Department.
  • Temporary dwellings occupied more than 30 days must connect to a county-approved onsite septic system or public sewer (section 20.12).

  “a single family dwelling shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply or to such private facilities approved by the ingham county health department.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Single family dwellings in Alaiedon Township that are new or relocated.

  • A single family dwelling must connect to public sewer and water, or to private facilities approved by the Ingham County Health Department.
  • No distance-to-main or availability rule for mandatory public water or sewer connection was located in the text read; the R-2 lot-size tiers differ with and without sewer.

  “a single family dwelling shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply or to such private facilities approved by the ingham county health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land splits in Alaiedon Township.

  • The permits page states that land division approval is required for all land splits less than 40 acres in size.
  • The township's conventional and site condominium subdivision provisions in the ordinance were not read.

  land split size threshold: < 40 acres (approval required for splits below this size)

  “land division application - approval is required for all land splits less than 40 acres in size”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Access for new lots created in Alaiedon Township.

  • Lots created after the ordinance must front on a public road and take access from that frontage.
  • Driveway permits from the county road commission or township were not located in the township text read.

  “a. frontage/access: all lots hereinafter created in the township shall have frontage on a public road and take their access from such frontage so as to provide safe, convenient vehicular access to all buildings on such lot,”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land inside the 1% annual chance floodplain associated with Sycamore Creek and its tributaries in Alaiedon Township.

  • Within a flood plain, only uses permitted by right (agriculture where authorized, parks and recreation without altering the land, required yards) are allowed without special land use approval.
  • Other uses require special land use approval under article 15.
  • Dumping or filling in a flood plain is prohibited except where the township board authorizes it with compensating excavation.
  • First floor elevations must be at least one foot above the established flood plain elevation.
  • Zoning permits can be withheld until flood plain permits and other county, state and federal permits are obtained (section 2.04(c)(1)).

  first floor elevation above flood plain elevation: >= 1 ft (special land use in floodplain)

  “shall provide for first floor elevations of all building to be a minimum of one (1) foot above the established flood plain elevation.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township building and zoning permit fees in Alaiedon Township.

  • The permits page links a fee schedule covering the township's permits and activities; the fee schedule document itself was not opened, so individual amounts are not recorded here.
  • Investigation fee for construction started without a permit was not confirmed from the township page.

  “fee schedule - fees for various township permits, activities, etc”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning and building permit process in Alaiedon Township.

  • The zoning administrator must decide a complete plot plan application within 15 days of receipt, including copies of all required county, state and federal applications and permits.
  • A zoning permit expires one year after issuance unless the authorized work has passed its first building inspection.
  • Permit forms are listed on the township permits and documents page: building and zoning permit application, zoning permit for accessory buildings under 200 sq ft, agricultural zoning permit, land division application, and others.

  zoning administrator decision period: <= 15 days (from receipt of complete plot plan application)

  “building & zoning permit application - required for all non-farm structures including commercial, new homes, additions, accessory buildings and residential decks”

Rules another office applies inside Alaiedon Township

Alaiedon 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 (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal facilities for buildings inside Alaiedon Township (district-specific service area of the Ingham County Health Department), administered by the county.

  • The township ordinance requires sewage disposal facilities to meet Ingham County Health Department requirements and standards, as well as other applicable local, county, state or federal agencies.
  • The ICHD's own permit and inspection pages were not opened in this run.

  “all sewage disposal and potable water facilities shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements and standards of the ingham county health department”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders doing their own residential construction in Alaiedon Township.
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspections in Alaiedon Township.
• Agricultural exemption — Farm buildings in Alaiedon Township.
• Short-term rentals — Short-term rental of dwellings in Alaiedon 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.