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

Wheatfield Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Wheatfield township limits: the township has adopted and administers its own zoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 001-2018).

  • Zoning ordinance was adopted January 9, 2018 and amended through January 9, 2024 (Ord. 2024-1); the PDF reviewed is the 2024 amended compilation.
  • The township's Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals administer the ordinance; zoning review is required before construction, alteration, excavation or grading (see building page).

  “wheatfield township zoning ordinance ordinance no. 001-2018 adopted january 9, 2018 as amended through january 9, 2024 / ord. no. 2024-1”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and district map for all land inside Wheatfield township.

  • Districts are listed in Article 3 with a zoning district map; the map is a separate 2018 document on the township site (not opened).
  • Districts include A-1 Agricultural, R-1, R-2, R-3, and others in Table 3-2 and 3-4.

  “the township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts, which shall be known by the following respective symbols and names, and shall have boundaries as delineated on the official zoning map.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings (including manufactured housing) on any lot inside Wheatfield township, all districts.

  • Applies township-wide to single-family dwellings; not varied by district in the section read.
  • Two-story exception: at least 750 sq ft on the lower story and 250 sq ft on the story above.

  minimum floor area: >= 1000 sq ft (single-family dwelling with more than one story: at least 750 sq ft on the lower story and at least 250 sq ft on the story above)

  “the dwelling shall have a minimum floor area of one thousand (1,000) square feet except that a single-family dwelling with more than one (1) story shall have at least seven hundred fifty (750) square feet on the lower story and at least two hundred fifty (250) square feet on the story above.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A-1 Agricultural district in Wheatfield township (main agricultural district).

  • Table 3-4 lists 40 acres for A-1; footnote 2 points to alternative lot-area provisions in section 3.7(a) for A-1 that were not opened.
  • Table row also shows a 5.0-acre tier with a 165 ft width; confirm in section 3.7(a) before relying on the 5-acre figure.
  • Health department may require larger lots where public sewer is not available (footnote 2c).

  minimum lot area: 40 acres (alternative lot area provisions in section 3.7(a) for A-1 (not read))

  “a-1 agricultural 40 acres 2 see section 3.7(a)”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 Low Density Residential district in Wheatfield township (main rural-residential district).

    “r-1 low density residential 1 acre r-2 medium density residential 25,000 2 sq. ft. 80 ft.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-2 Medium Density Residential district in Wheatfield township.

    “r-1 low density residential 1 acre r-2 medium density residential 25,000 2 sq. ft. 80 ft.”

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-3 High Density Residential district in Wheatfield township.

    “r-3 high density residential 12,000 2 sq. ft. 65 ft.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupancy of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling on private land inside Wheatfield township.

  • Temporary dwellings are prohibited except as approved by the zoning administrator, for emergency housing or a new home under construction with zoning and building permits.
  • Section 20.13 governs parking and storing of recreational vehicles; its limits were not read in the budget available.

  “temporary dwellings are prohibited except as approved by the zoning administrator according to this section.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Dwellings below 1,000 square feet (tiny homes) used as a single-family residence inside Wheatfield township.

  • Inference from the minimum floor area rule in section 20.6(2); the ordinance does not name tiny homes.
  • A dwelling with more than one story may have 750 sq ft on the lower story and 250 sq ft above.

  minimum floor area: >= 1000 sq ft (single-family dwelling with more than one story: at least 750 sq ft on the lower story and at least 250 sq ft on the story above)

  “the dwelling shall have a minimum floor area of one thousand (1,000) square feet except that a single-family dwelling with more than one (1) story shall have at least seven hundred fifty (750) square feet on the lower story and at least two hundred fifty (250) square feet on the story above.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes used as single-family dwellings on private lots inside Wheatfield township.

  • Must meet all section 20.6 single-family standards (minimum floor area, township and Michigan construction codes, public or Health Department-approved water and sewer, exterior siding).
  • Standards do not apply to mobile homes in a licensed manufactured housing community, except as state and federal law requires.

  “all single family dwellings and modifications thereto, including manufactured housing, shall comply with the requirements of this ordinance and the following standards”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Single-family dwellings inside Wheatfield township that are not on public sewer and water.

  • Only private facilities approved by the Ingham County Health Department satisfy section 20.6(8); no other off-grid sanitation option is stated in the sections read.

  “the 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

  New single-family dwellings (including manufactured housing) inside Wheatfield township.

  • Dwelling must be connected to public sewer and public water, or to private facilities approved by the Ingham County Health Department.
  • The ordinance states no distance-from-main threshold in the text read; a distance or availability rule was not found.
  • Section 2.c of the table 3-4 footnotes says the health department may require larger lot areas where public sewer is not available.

  “the 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)

  Creation of new lots by division inside Wheatfield township.

  • Divisions are governed by the Wheatfield Township land division ordinance, which was referenced but not opened; section 109 of the Michigan Land Division Act also applies.
  • Lot depth may not exceed four times lot width, except as the land division ordinance or section 109 permits.

  “except as otherwise permitted by the wheatfield township land division ordinance or section 109 of the land division act, mcl 560. 109(1)(b), the depth of a lot shall not exceed four (4) times its width.”

• Permit processPartial

  Projects inside Wheatfield township that need township zoning review.

  • Process is described only as a contact-first step; the full application steps, forms, and timelines were not published on the pages read.
  • Building permit application steps are on the state-linked building permit information page, not opened.

  “please contact the township during general or supervisor office hours before beginning a project.”

Rules another office applies inside Wheatfield Township

Wheatfield 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New dwellings and modifications inside Wheatfield township: the Michigan Construction Code applies together with township building codes.

  • Where federal or state standards differ from the codes named, the federal or state standard applies (section 20.6(1)).
  • The ordinance refers to 'building codes of the township'; no separate township building code adoption was located in the pages read.

  “the dwelling and all modifications thereto shall comply in all respects with the michigan construction code and building codes of the township including minimum heights for habitable rooms.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building inspections for construction inside Wheatfield township.

  • Inspections are conducted by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulations, Bureau of Construction Codes, not by the township, per the township building page.
  • Inspection scheduling and inspector assignments were not verified beyond the township's pointer page.

  “building inspections are conducted by the michigan department of licensing and regulations, bureau of construction codes located 1st floor ottawa bldg., 611 w. ottawa st., lansing mi 48933.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private (non-public-sewer) sewage facilities for single-family dwellings inside Wheatfield township are approved by the Ingham County Health Department.

  • Applies only where the dwelling is not connected to public sewer; the township ordinance itself does not write septic rules.
  • Ingham County Health Department service is countywide; the scope is recorded as countywide because county scope cannot be township-specific in the contract.

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

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for owner-occupied homes inside Wheatfield township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Wheatfield township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks by district in Wheatfield township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage by district in Wheatfield township
• Building height — Maximum building height by district in Wheatfield 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.