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

Odessa Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Odessa township's limits (Ionia County, Michigan): the township has no zoning ordinance

  • The township's homepage states the township is not zoned; no township zoning ordinance was located.
  • The township document library lists a 'Land Use Ordinance' (#008) that was not opened; the township's own statement is relied on here, and the #008 text should be checked before relying on this claim.
  • No Ionia County zoning ordinance applying to unzoned townships was located; zoning-only topics below are therefore answered as absent/unrestricted, with septic, well, floodplain, building-code and land-division rules still applying.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Land inside Odessa township's limits: no zoning districts exist because the township is not zoned

  • Based on the township's statement that it is not zoned.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Single-family dwellings inside Odessa township (no zoning district; the township has no zoning)

  • No township minimum dwelling size exists because the township is not zoned; the Michigan residential code and septic/well approvals still apply.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Parcels inside Odessa township (no zoning district; the township has no zoning)

  • No township minimum lot size exists because the township is not zoned; septic and well approvals and any land-division rules still apply.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• SetbacksNone

  Structures on parcels inside Odessa township (no zoning district; the township has no zoning)

  • No township zoning setbacks exist because the township is not zoned; septic and well siting rules administered by the county health department still apply.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Parcels inside Odessa township (no zoning district; the township has no zoning)

  • No township lot coverage limit exists because the township is not zoned.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

• Building heightNone

  Structures inside Odessa township (no zoning district; the township has no zoning)

  • No township height limit exists because the township is not zoned; the Michigan building code still applies to construction.

  “please note that odessa township is not zoned.”

Rules another office applies inside Odessa Township

Odessa 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

  Residential and commercial construction inside Odessa township, which Ionia County's building department enforces (Odessa township is not named on the page; the county statement covers it because it is not one of the listed exceptions)

  • The page names the City of Portland as independently enforcing these codes; it is not inside Odessa township.
  • The page states that effective January 11, 2010 the City of Ionia transferred code administration to Ionia County; the city is not inside Odessa township.
  • The county page lists the 2021 Michigan Building Code (commercial), 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code, 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code, 2023 National Electrical Code (Part 8 state amendments) and 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
  • Enforcement is by the county building department under the Michigan construction codes; this is not a township-adopted code.

  “ionia county enforces the following state of michigan construction codes: 2021 michigan building code (commercial) 2021 michigan plumbing code 2021 michigan mechanical code 2023 national electrical code (part 8 state amendments) 2015 michigan residential code”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal systems on land inside Odessa township, administered by the Ionia County Health Department Environmental Health division

  • Health department location: 175 E. Adams Street, Ionia, MI 48846; phone (616) 527-5341, per the county water and sewage page.
  • The county page does not list townships individually; applicability inside Odessa township rests on the county-wide service and Odessa is not an excepted municipality.
  • Township and state rules were not located for septic.

  “on-site sewage disposal permits are issued for all on-site sewage systems including repairs. after application and fee payment, soil and site evaluations are conducted prior to issuance of permits.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New and repaired on-site sewage systems on land inside Odessa township

  • Permit issues only after application and fee payment and after soil and site evaluations.
  • The fee amount was not stated on the page and was not verified.

  “on-site sewage disposal permits are issued for all on-site sewage systems including repairs. after application and fee payment, soil and site evaluations are conducted prior to issuance of permits.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Inspection of existing on-site water and sewage systems on property inside Odessa township

  • The county inspects existing systems only for real estate transactions or refinancing of private residences, after a request form and fees are submitted.
  • The page does not describe a general inspection requirement for new systems beyond the permit process.

  “inspections of existing water supply and sewage disposal systems are conducted for real estate transactions or refinancing of private residences only.”

• Well permitRequired

  New and replacement water wells on land inside Odessa township

  • Application and fee are required before the county's site visit.
  • Permit is issued by the county health department Environmental Health division.

  “on-site water supply permits are issued for new and replacement water wells. application and fee are required prior to a site visit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for construction inside Odessa township, handled by Ionia County's building department

  • Forms are published on the county page: residential building permit application, building permit application, permit application checklist (return with application and permit details), and trade permit applications.
  • The page lists an inspection request line and business hours of 8:00am to 4:00pm, with a drop box for after-hours submissions.
  • The county's building inspector contracts through Associated Government Services, Inc. for plan review and inspections, per the page.

  “residential building permit applications building permit application permit application checklist (return with application and permit details)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permitting for a homeowner building on their own land inside Odessa township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Odessa township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Odessa township
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid or non-connected sanitation for a home inside Odessa township
• Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home inside Odessa township must connect to public water or sewer

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.