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

Sandstone Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New single-family construction (stick built or modular) inside Sandstone Charter Township.

  • Health department well and septic permits are listed as needed items for the building permit.
  • Complete plans for residential projects up to 3,500 sq. ft. or larger require site plan review and approval before the building permit is issued.
  • Contractors must provide a photocopy of builder's license; required for commercial over 120 sq ft and additions per the page.

  “complete set of plans (including foundation plans) for residential projects up to 3,500 sq. ft. or larger requires site plan review and approval before building permit issued.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Stick-built and modular single-family homes built in Sandstone Charter Township.

  • Inspection stages are listed per project type on the township forms page; the list is not a complete code of inspections.

  “stick built (permit: zoning / inspections: footing, radon, back fill. framing and final)”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Sandstone Charter Township limits (Jackson County, MI). The township administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The official township zoning ordinance PDF is posted on sandstonetownship.org; its posted date and the effective date of its current text were not confirmed by this research.
  • The township held a planning commission public hearing on zoning text amendments (Article 5 landscaping and new Section 5.20 for C-1 and C-2 commercial design) on January 7, 2025; outcome not confirmed.

  “section 4.9 schedule of regulations sandstone charter township, jackson county”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Sandstone Charter Township, including AG-1, RNF-1, RS-1, RM-1, MHP, C-1, C-2 and LI

  • Zoning Map is listed on the township site as a separate document; its content was not opened.

  “the rs-1 district is intended to permit single-family residential uses at higher densities than the ag-1 and rnf-1 districts.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural residential district AG-1 in Sandstone Charter Township

  • Single-family detached dwellings and all other uses have separate minimums in the row.
  • Schedule footnotes 1, 4 and 5 were not read.

  minimum lot area, single-family detached dwellings: >= 2.5 acres · minimum lot area, all other uses: >= 10 acres (all other uses) · minimum lot width, single-family detached dwellings: >= 200 feet · minimum lot width, all other uses: >= 330 feet (all other uses)

  “agricultural, ag-1 single-family detached dwellings all other uses 2.5 10.0 200 330 2.5 2.5 35 35 60 60 30 30 50 50 20% 20% 1, 4, 5”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Suburban residential district RS-1 (main single-family residential district) in Sandstone Charter Township

    “suburban residential, rs-1 1.0 100 2.5 35 35 15 25 20% 1, 4, 5”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Rural non-farm residential district RNF-1 in Sandstone Charter Township

    “rural non-farm residential, rnf-1 single-family detached dwelling all other uses 1.5 2.5 150 200 2.5 2.5 35 35 35 35 20 20 35 35 20% 20% 1, 4, 5”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural residential district AG-1 in Sandstone Charter Township (single-family detached dwellings)

  • Row also lists identical values for all other uses.
  • Footnotes 1, 4 and 5 not read.

  front yard setback: >= 60 feet · side yard setback: >= 30 feet · rear yard setback: >= 50 feet

  “agricultural, ag-1 single-family detached dwellings all other uses 2.5 10.0 200 330 2.5 2.5 35 35 60 60 30 30 50 50 20% 20% 1, 4, 5”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Suburban residential district RS-1 in Sandstone Charter Township

    “suburban residential, rs-1 1.0 100 2.5 35 35 15 25 20% 1, 4, 5”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Rural non-farm residential district RNF-1 in Sandstone Charter Township (single-family detached dwelling)

    “rural non-farm residential, rnf-1 single-family detached dwelling all other uses 1.5 2.5 150 200 2.5 2.5 35 35 35 35 20 20 35 35 20% 20% 1, 4, 5”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum lot coverage for all buildings in RS-1, AG-1 and RNF-1 districts in Sandstone Charter Township

  • The schedule lists 20% maximum for all buildings in each of RS-1, AG-1 and RNF-1; footnotes 1, 4 and 5 not read.

  maximum percent of lot covered by all buildings: <= 20 percent

  “agricultural, ag-1 single-family detached dwellings all other uses 2.5 10.0 200 330 2.5 2.5 35 35 60 60 30 30 50 50 20% 20% 1, 4, 5”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum building height for single-family dwellings in RS-1, AG-1 and RNF-1 districts in Sandstone Charter Township

  • Schedule lists 2.5 stories and 35 feet for each of these districts; footnotes 1, 4 and 5 not read.
  • Accessory buildings may not exceed the height of the district in which located (Section 5.5).

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “suburban residential, rs-1 1.0 100 2.5 35 35 15 25 20% 1, 4, 5”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying a recreational vehicle on private land in Sandstone Charter Township residential and agricultural residential districts

  • Temporary lodging only, for a period not to exceed 30 days.
  • A mobile home or recreational vehicle may be used as a temporary dwelling only under a zoning administrator temporary dwelling permit (Section 5.8), issued after footings are installed and limited to the construction period of a permanent dwelling (12 months per the text).
  • Parking of a recreational vehicle confined to a side or rear yard or behind the front setback, at least 10 feet from a property boundary.

  temporary lodging period: <= 30 days

  “a recreational vehicle may be used for the purpose of temporary lodging within the residential and agricultural residential districts for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds in Sandstone Charter Township (camping on private land beyond temporary lodging)

  • Campgrounds require a 20-acre minimum lot area and a 100-foot perimeter buffer from residential property.
  • Mobile homes are not permitted in a campground except one caretaker's quarters.
  • Campground use must follow Michigan state law.

  minimum campground lot area: >= 20 acres

  “7.11.5. campgrounds. a. the minimum lot area shall be twenty (20) acres.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes, modular and prefabricated housing outside a mobile home park or mobile home subdivision in Sandstone Charter Township

  • Such units must conform to the standards in Section 5.7 (square footage, foundation and related standards), not all of which were read.
  • Mobile homes inside a licensed mobile home park are exempt from Section 5.7 except as otherwise required.

  “5.7.5. exceptions. the above standards shall not apply to a mobile home located in a licensed mobile home park, except to the extent required otherwise by this ordinance or by state or federal law.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions, lot combinations and lot line adjustments in Sandstone Charter Township

  • The township accepts land division, lot combination and lot line adjustment applications; the approval criteria and the Michigan Land Division Act overlay were not read.

  “lot combination app (opens in new tab) land division application (opens in new tab) lot line adjustment (opens in new tab)”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process in Sandstone Charter Township

  • Applicants must assemble the items listed on the building forms page, including record deed and well and septic permits.
  • Zoning administrator and building inspector contact is (517) 937-8205 per the forms page.
  • Commercial over 120 sq ft and additions over 1,000 sq ft or 10% need site plan review.

  “information needed to complete building permit record deed (proof of recorded ownership)”

Rules another office applies inside Sandstone Township

Sandstone 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)

  Building permits and construction inside Sandstone Charter Township, Michigan, are governed by the Michigan State Construction Code as the township's zoning ordinance states.

  • The township zoning ordinance states construction requires a building permit under the applicable Michigan State Construction Code provisions; the township's own adoption ordinance (State Construction Code Ordinance draft seen in search results) was not opened.

  “5.7.4. building permit. all construction required herein shall commence only after a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the applicable michigan state construction code provisions and requirements.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic systems for homes inside Sandstone Charter Township, Jackson County, MI.

  • The Jackson County Health Department issues the well and septic permit listed for township building permits.

  “health department permit (well & septic) jackson county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic system permit for a home in Sandstone Charter Township, issued by the Jackson County Health Department

  • Listed as required for the building permit application, so construction may proceed only after the health department permit.

  “health department permit (well & septic) jackson county health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water well for a home in Sandstone Charter Township, permitted through the Jackson County Health Department

  • Listed with the septic permit as a health department permit needed for the building permit.

  “health department permit (well & septic) jackson county health department.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveway access to a home in Sandstone Charter Township from a county road

  • Driveway permit is needed only if required, issued by the Jackson County Road Commission.
  • Zoning ordinance Section 10.5.3 requires driveways to conform to Jackson County Road Commission standards.

  “driveway permit (only if needed) - jackson county road commission.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit eligibility in Sandstone Charter Township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Sandstone Charter Township
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings in Sandstone Charter Township
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units in Sandstone Charter Township
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for a home in Sandstone Charter 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.