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

Keene Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in the unincorporated portions of Keene Township, Ionia County, Michigan.

  “Receives and processes zoning application”

• Camping on your landAllowed (with conditions)

  Organized camping and campgrounds in the RD District of Keene Township.

  • The organized camping or campground area must contain at least 20 contiguous acres.
  • The ordinance classifies this as a permitted special use.

  minimum contiguous land area: >= 20 acres (Organized camping and campgrounds.)

  “Public and private areas for nature study, forest preserves, hunting and fishing reservations, game refuges, fishing, boating, and other water related activity sites, non-intensive recreation facilities related to the natural environment, organized camping and campgrounds which are located on an area of at least twenty (20) contiguous acres of land.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes within a manufactured home development in Keene Township.

  • The use is subject to the manufactured-home-development section and applicable state Act 96 requirements.

  “Within a manufactured home development, the following uses shall be permitted, subject to the terms of this Section: 1. Manufactured homes 2. Recreational facilities and open space land for the residents of a manufactured home development”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Accessory structures or buildings on a parcel with a principal structure in Keene Township.

  • The structure must be less than 200 square feet.
  • It may not be used for human habitation.
  • It must meet the ordinance's location and setback provisions.

  floor area threshold: < 200 square feet (Structure may not be used for human habitation.)

  “All accessory structures or buildings located on a lot or parcel, which has a principal structure or building located upon it, which are less than 200 square feet of floor area, and which are not to be used for human habitation, shall not be required to apply for or obtain a zoning permit under the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance, but must be located upon the lot or parcel in accordance with the provisions and setbacks of this Zoning Ordinance.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots, outlots, and other parcels in Keene Township recorded plats.

  • Further partition or division must conform to the Township zoning ordinance and the Subdivision Control Act of 1967, as amended.

  “No lot, outlot or other parcel of land in a recorded plat shall be further partitioned or divided unless in conformity with the Zoning Ordinance of the Township and the Subdivision Control Act of 1967 as amended.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Township zoning-permit applications in Keene Township.

  • The Zoning Administrator approves issuance only if the use and ordinance requirements are met.

  “Receive and review all applications for Zoning Permits and approve or disapprove such applications based on compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance and shall approve issuance of the permit, if the use and the requirements of this Ordinance are met.”

Rules another office applies inside Keene Township

Keene 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

  Accessory dwelling units authorized inside Keene Township.

  • The ADU must receive a special exception use permit and satisfy the ADU provisions.
  • All codes must be met before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

  “A building permit must be approved by Ionia County Building Dept. and all codes met before a certificate of occupancy is issued.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Accessory dwelling units authorized inside Keene Township.

  • A building permit must be approved by Ionia County Building Department.
  • All codes must be met before the certificate is issued.

  “A building permit must be approved by Ionia County Building Dept. and all codes met before a certificate of occupancy is issued.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  One- and two-story dwellings in Keene Township's AG Agricultural District.

  • The one-story requirement is minimum first-floor area.
  • For two-story dwellings, both the first-floor and total-area requirements apply.

  one-story minimum first-floor area: >= 950 square feet (AG District.) · two-story minimum first-floor area: >= 760 square feet (AG District.) · two-story minimum total area: >= 1100 square feet (AG District.)

  “First Floor Area: The minimum first floor area of a one (1) story dwelling 950 square feet, and for a two (2) story dwelling 760 square feet on the first floor, and a minimum total of 1100 square feet for both stories.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Permitted parcels in Keene Township's AG Agricultural District.

  • The ordinance allows exceptions otherwise provided in the ordinance.

  minimum lot area: >= 2.5 acres (Except as otherwise provided in the ordinance.)

  “Lot Area: A permitted parcel shall have a minimum of two and one half (2 1/2) acres in area, except as otherwise may be provided in this Ordinance.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Development in Keene Township's AG Agricultural District.

  • Front-yard and road-abutting side-yard setbacks use the greater of the listed distance or the Master Plan for Roads and Highways requirement.

  front yard minimum: >= 50 feet (From road right-of-way line, or greater Master Plan distance.) · side yard minimum: >= 15 feet (Each side; a side yard abutting a road has a 50-foot or greater Master Plan requirement.) · rear yard minimum: >= 50 feet

  “Front Yard: Minimum of fifty (50) feet from the road right-of-way line, or as specified in the Master Plan for Roads and Highways, whichever is the greater.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Permitted parcels in Keene Township's AG Agricultural District.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “Lot Coverage: Maximum of twenty (20) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings, dwelling accessory buildings, and agricultural buildings in Keene Township's AG Agricultural District.

  • Grain elevators, silos, and windmills have a separate 120-foot maximum.

  dwelling maximum height: <= 35 feet · dwelling accessory building maximum height: <= 25 feet · agricultural building maximum height: <= 45 feet (Grain elevators, silos, and windmills may not exceed 120 feet.)

  “Height Limitations: Maximum of thirty-five (35) feet for all dwellings and a maximum of twenty-five (25) feet for all buildings accessory to dwellings; maximum of forty-five (45) feet for all agricultural buildings, except for grain elevators, silos, and windmills which shall not exceed 120 feet in height.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Water and septic/sewer approvals for accessory dwelling units inside Keene Township.

  • The rule applies to ADUs allowed by special exception use permit.

  “Regulations and permits for water and septic/sewer must be approved by the Ionia County Health Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Accessory dwelling units with septic/sewer service inside Keene Township.

  • The ADU must be allowed by special exception use permit.
  • The Ionia County Health Department must approve the septic/sewer permit.

  “Permits are issued for all on-site sewage systems including repairs.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Keene Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Keene Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Keene Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Keene Township.
• Septic inspection — Septic-system inspections inside Keene 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.