Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Portage, Michigan

Portage’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residential construction on a lot inside Portage city limits (one-family districts)

  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued; permit is issued through the City of Portage Department of Community Development, 7900 South Westnedge Avenue.
  • Stated in a city summary handout (dated 11/20); the underlying building code section was not opened.

  “1. all new construction requires a building permit.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — Sewer service line and plumbing connection work on a building inside Portage city

    “3. ensure the necessary plumbing permit is obtained.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Portage city limits (City of Portage, Kalamazoo County, MI)

  • The city's official code of ordinances lists Chapter 42 as the zoning chapter (marijuana zoning is named there); the city's planning handout and zoning board of appeals meeting listing show a city zoning administration.
  • Zoning-only topics for Portage city are answered from the city's Chapter 42 text, which was not opened within the research budget.

  “marijuana chapter 14 (marijuana businesses) marijuana chapter 42 (marijuana zoning)”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Single-family residential districts R-1A through R-1E inside Portage city

  • The city handout covers only the one-family districts R-1A to R-1E; other districts (multi-family, commercial, industrial, agricultural or rural) were not located in official sources reviewed.

  “one-family residential zoning district regulations”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Main single-family district R-1A inside Portage city

  • Minimums depend on utility service: the handout gives separate figures with sewer and water, with sewer or water, and without sewer and water.
  • Handout is a city summary dated 11/20; not verified against the adopted ordinance text.

  minimum lot area, with sewer and water: >= 7800 square feet · minimum lot width, with sewer and water: >= 65 feet · minimum lot area, with sewer or water: >= 12000 square feet · minimum lot width, with sewer or water: >= 80 feet · minimum lot area, without sewer and water: >= 15000 square feet · minimum lot width, without sewer and water: >= 100 feet

  “r-1a 7,800 / 65 12,000 / 80 15,000 / 100”

  4 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family district R-1B inside Portage city

    “r-1b 9,600 / 80 12,000 / 80 15,000 / 100”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family district R-1C inside Portage city

    “r-1c 12,000 / 100 12,000 / 100 15,000 / 100”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family district R-1D inside Portage city

    “r-1d 12,000 / 100 12,000 / 100 28,000 / 120”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family district R-1E inside Portage city

    “r-1e 43,560 / 150 43,560 / 150 43,560 / 150”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal dwelling yard setbacks in main single-family district R-1A inside Portage city

  • Setbacks measured from property lines; a survey may be required.
  • Reduced setbacks may apply to substandard lots; handout is a summary dated 11/20.

  front yard setback: >= 27 feet · side yard setback each side: >= 8 feet · rear yard setback: >= 40 feet

  “zoning district front each side rear r-1a 27 8 40”

  4 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal dwelling yard setbacks in single-family district R-1B inside Portage city

    “zoning district front each side rear r-1a 27 8 40 r-1b 30 10 40 r-1c 30 12 40 r-1d 30 12 40 r-1e 40 20 40”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal dwelling yard setbacks in single-family district R-1C inside Portage city

    “zoning district front each side rear r-1a 27 8 40 r-1b 30 10 40 r-1c 30 12 40 r-1d 30 12 40 r-1e 40 20 40”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal dwelling yard setbacks in single-family district R-1D inside Portage city

    “zoning district front each side rear r-1a 27 8 40 r-1b 30 10 40 r-1c 30 12 40 r-1d 30 12 40 r-1e 40 20 40”

  • District specific (with conditions) — Principal dwelling yard setbacks in single-family district R-1E inside Portage city

    “zoning district front each side rear r-1a 27 8 40 r-1b 30 10 40 r-1c 30 12 40 r-1d 30 12 40 r-1e 40 20 40”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  All residential zoning lots inside Portage city, regardless of district classification

  • Buildings include anything with a roof, including covered porches and decks.
  • Stated in a city summary handout dated 11/20; not verified against the adopted ordinance text.

  maximum lot coverage by buildings: <= 30 percent of lot area

  “all residential zoning lots, regardless of classification, have the same lot coverage standards. up to 30% of the lot area may be covered with buildings.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Portage or Kalamazoo County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Portage city
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Portage city
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Portage city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home inside Portage city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in R-1A to R-1E districts inside Portage city

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.