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

Parma Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Improvements inside Parma township, such as new homes, additions, garages, decks, pools, and sheds over the stated size.

  • The township page lists improvements that require a building permit: additions to a home or a garage, central air, enlargement of windows or doors, removal or relocation of a load bearing wall, swimming pools, sheds over 200 square feet, decks, accessory structures, roofing tear-off, and finishing a basement.
  • Sheds: 'shed: any shed 200 feet and under - does not require a building permit, but must have a zoning compliance permit.' The page prints 200 feet; the unit is likely square feet.
  • Landscaping, painting, new flooring, siding, dry wall, and replacement windows and doors are listed as not requiring a building permit.
  • Agricultural buildings need a zoning compliance permit but not a building permit, per the page.

  “what types of improvements require permits? additions to a home or a garage, central air, enlargement of windows or doors, removal or relocation of a load bearing wall or windows and doors, swimming pools, sheds over 200 square feet, deck, accessory structures, roofing–tear off and replacing shingles, finishing basement.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Parma township limits, Jackson County, Michigan. Parma township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The ordinance is adopted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, 110 PA 2006.
  • The ordinance title page states it was revised through amendments of May 20, 2019; amendments after that date were not checked.
  • The PDF copy was found hosted by Region 2 Planning; the township site did not host it in this research pass.
  • Uses are regulated by the district rules in Article IV; the district-specific claims below apply.

  “an ordinance adopted under the authority of, and in accordance with the provisions of the michigan zoning enabling act, 110 pa 2006, as amended, to establish comprehensive zoning regulations for parma township, jackson county, michigan”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units inside Parma township

  • Table as printed: 0-2 bedrooms 800; 3 bedrooms 1,000; 4 bedrooms 1,200; 5 bedrooms 1,400.
  • Only living quarters count; utility rooms, garages, carports, non-walled porches, laundry areas, heater rooms, and basements are excluded.
  • Applies in all districts as written in section 8.12; no district carve-out was seen.

  minimum floor area, 0-2 bedrooms: >= 800 square feet (living quarters only) · minimum floor area, 3 bedrooms: >= 1000 square feet (living quarters only) · minimum floor area, 4 bedrooms: >= 1200 square feet (living quarters only) · minimum floor area, 5 bedrooms: >= 1400 square feet (living quarters only)

  “the floor area per dwelling unit erected on any lot or parcel shall not be less than that established by the following table. in determining floor area, only area used for living quarters shall be counted. utility rooms, garages, carports, non-walled and non-roofed porches, laundry areas, heater-rooms, and basements are to be excluded. number of bedrooms in each dwelling unit minimum floor area per each dwelling unit 0-2 3 4 5 800' 1,000' 1,200' 1,400'”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Motor homes and travel trailers on land inside Parma township

  • No motor home, travel trailer or tent may be used as a permanent dwelling.
  • Not permitted to be occupied in commercial or industrial districts.
  • May not be rented or used as rental property.
  • Occupancy in a residential district is limited to 14 days in a 12-month period.

  temporary occupancy period: 14 days (per 12-month period, residential districts only)

  “c. a motor home, travel trailer or tent may be temporarily occupied in a residential district for a period of fourteen (14) days in a twelve (12) month period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping in tents, motor homes or travel trailers on land inside Parma township

  • Residential districts: temporary occupancy up to 14 days in a 12-month period.
  • Commercial and industrial districts: not permitted.
  • Tents are covered by the same 14-day limit.

  temporary occupancy period: 14 days (per 12-month period, residential districts only)

  “b. motor homes, travel trailers or tents shall not be permitted to be occupied in commercial or industrial districts.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions of parcels inside Parma township

  • Divisions require township board approval and approval of the building sites by the Jackson County Health Department.
  • Divisions creating smaller areas or lesser widths than the zoning ordinance or the Subdivision Control Act (Act 288 of 1967) are allowed only to add to an existing building site, by affidavit.

  “no building permit shall be issued, or any building construction commenced, until the division has been approved by the township board and the land building sites have been approved by the jackson county health department.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for new homes and improvements inside Parma township

  • Steps: parcel number; JCHD well and septic permit; JCHD soil sedimentation permit if needed; Jackson County Department of Transportation driveway permit; township address; then building permit with original documents and zoning compliance site plan.
  • Processing: up to 7 working days after all information is received.
  • Residential structures of 3,500 square feet or larger need sealed architectural drawings.

  building permit processing time: <= 7 working days (after all necessary information is received)

  “once we have all of the necessary information it could take up to 7 working days to have your building permit processed.”

Rules another office applies inside Parma Township

Parma 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)

  Septic systems on land inside Parma township, where the Jackson County Health Department issues the well and septic permit (the township sends applicants there).

  • The county-level health department acts for the township; the JCHD service-area text was not opened.

  “apply at the jchd (jackson county health department) for a well & septic permit.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New structures inside Parma township that need a septic system, per the township's new home steps.

  • The township page lists a 'septic permit or sanitary sewer permit for new structures'. Sewer-connected sites may need a sanitary sewer permit instead.
  • Permit is issued by the Jackson County Health Department.

  “septic permit or sanitary sewer permit for new structures”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells for new homes on land inside Parma township, issued through the Jackson County Health Department.

  • The township page lists 'well permit or water permit' among new-home steps and sends applicants to JCHD for the well and septic permit.
  • Public water connection, if available, was not checked.

  “apply at the jchd (jackson county health department) for a well & septic permit.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New driveway access to a parcel inside Parma township, from the Jackson County Department of Transportation

  • Permit issued by the Jackson County Department of Transportation, as the township page directs.
  • Address assignment from Parma township is needed first.

  “apply at jcdot(jackson county department of transportation) for a driveway permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Parma township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Parma township
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Parma township
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for homes inside Parma township
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation on land inside Parma 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.