Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Spring Arbor Township, Michigan

Spring Arbor Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New homes, garages, pole barns, storage sheds over 200 sq ft, additions, decks and porches in Spring Arbor township

  • Permit applications are returned to the township by hand delivery, mail, fax or email.
  • Some improvements, such as siding, painting, fences and patio pavers, do not require a building permit.

  “what type of improvement requires a building permit? building a new home, garage, pole barn or storage shed (if larger than 200 square feet), an addition to an existing home or garage, building or replacing a porch or deck”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Spring Arbor township limits: the township administers its own zoning ordinance

  • Ordinance text captured is the February 20, 2015 reprint hosted by Region 2 Planning; currency must be confirmed against the township's current adopted ordinance.

  “do i need a permit to install a fence? no – a building permit is not required; however, you must follow the guidelines in the township’s zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Spring Arbor township limits: rural non-farm residential district (RNF-1), per the 2015 ordinance reprint

  • Also in the reprint: suburban residential RS-1 (section 4.2.2), RS-2 (section 4.2.3) and an agricultural district; the agricultural district name was not captured.
  • Currency of the reprint must be confirmed.

  “4.2.1 rural non-farm residential district (rnf-1): this district is established to provide suitable areas for single-family dwellings at low densities”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings under zoning section 6.3 in Spring Arbor township (all districts; not mobile homes in licensed mobile home parks)

  • Section 6.3.10: the dwelling standards do not apply to a mobile home located in a licensed mobile home park except as required by state or federal law or as specifically required in the ordinance.
  • Area under 6.3.6 must also contain storage equal to 15% of the minimum living area.
  • Based on the 2015 reprint; confirm currency.

  minimum living area, one- or two-bedroom dwelling: >= 900 sq ft · additional living area per bedroom beyond two: >= 150 sq ft (per bedroom beyond two) · minimum floor-to-ceiling height: >= 7.5 ft

  “6.3.1 minimum square footage: a minimum living area of nine hundred (900) square feet for a one or two-bedroom dwelling plus one hundred fifty (150) square feet of additional living area for each additional bedroom beyond two”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in mobile home subdivisions in Spring Arbor township only (not the main single-family districts)

  • Minimum width is 100 feet where served by central sanitary sewerage, and 120 feet where not served.
  • Section number of the mobile home subdivision rules was not captured.

  minimum lot area, served by central sanitary sewer: >= 10000 sq ft (lot served by central sanitary sewerage system) · minimum lot area, not served by central sewer: >= 15000 sq ft (lot not served by central sanitary sewerage system)

  “lot areas where a mobile home is to be erected, altered, or used as a single-family dwelling shall contain not less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet of lot area if the lot is served by a central sanitary sewerage system.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in mobile home subdivisions in Spring Arbor township only (not the main single-family districts)

  • Applies only to mobile home subdivision lots.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent (mobile home subdivision lots)

  “the maximum lot coverage shall not exceed thirty (30%) percent”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of a travel trailer, motor home, trailer coach or recreational vehicle as a residence in Spring Arbor township residential areas

  • The ordinance definition excludes these vehicles from the definition of a dwelling in single, multiple or two family residential areas.
  • The full RV section (6-4, mobile homes, recreational vehicles and travel trailers) was not opened, so other limits are unconfirmed.

  “but in no case shall a travel trailer, motor home, trailer coach, automobile chassis, tent or other portable building be considered a dwelling in single, multiple or two family residential areas.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Dwellings in Spring Arbor township that use private sewage and water facilities instead of public connections

  • Private facilities are allowed only if approved by the local health department.
  • Based on the 2015 reprint; currency unconfirmed.

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

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New dwellings in Spring Arbor township

  • Public sewer and water connection is the ordinance default; private facilities are allowed only if approved by the local health department.
  • Based on the 2015 reprint; the availability rule for public sanitary sewer and water (ordinance section listed in the table of contents) was not opened, so the distance or availability trigger is unconfirmed.

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

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Residential building permit fees in Spring Arbor township

  • Residential fee schedule is a linked document; its amounts were not opened or recorded.
  • Commercial permit fees are obtained by calling the township.

  “permit fees – residential click here commercial – call 517-750-2800 ext 230”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications for Spring Arbor township

  • Applications may be delivered in person, mailed, faxed or emailed to the township, per the township page.

  “permit applications can be returned to the township by: personal delivery – to 107 e main, spring arbor, mi 49283 us mail”

Rules another office applies inside Spring Arbor Township

Spring Arbor 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)

  Construction inside Spring Arbor township limits: the township enforces the state building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical codes

  • The codes enforced are Michigan state codes; the township enforces them rather than adopting its own construction code.

  “spring arbor township enforces the state of michigan building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes in Spring Arbor township
• Certificate of occupancy — New dwellings in Spring Arbor township
• Setbacks — Main single-family districts (RNF-1, RS-1, RS-2) in Spring Arbor township
• Building height — Main single-family districts in Spring Arbor township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Spring Arbor 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.