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

Caledonia Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Caledonia Charter Township's unincorporated portions.

  • Compiled ordinance is titled 'with amendments effective as of July 5, 2025' and states it is 'with amendments adopted through june 18, 2025' (lower-cased in extraction).
  • Ordinance is adopted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Public Act 110 of 2006 (history: 1975 zoning ordinance, eff. October 15, 1975).

  “an ordinance to establish zoning districts in the unincorporated portions of the township of caledonia, kent county, michigan”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Districts listed in the table of contents include A agricultural, R-R rural residential, R-1 low density single family, R-2, R-3, R-4, MHC manufactured housing community, F flood plain, C-1, C-2, HC, I-1, I-2, PUD and others.
  • The zoning map itself was not opened in this pass.

  “zoning districts a agricultural district r-r rural residential district r-1 low density single family district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Dwellings in the R-1 low density single family district inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Minimum usable floor area for a two story dwelling: 1,500 square feet, with a minimum of 800 square feet on the first story.
  • Any other type of dwelling: 1,100 square feet of horizontal expanse as viewed from above, with a minimum of 1,500 square feet of usable floor area.

  minimum usable floor area, one story dwelling: >= 1080 square feet · minimum usable floor area, two story dwelling: >= 1500 square feet (minimum 800 square feet on the first story)

  “section 7.6 minimum floor area. each dwelling shall have a minimum usable floor area as follows: (a) one story dwelling. 1,080 square feet. (b) two story dwelling. 1,500 square feet, with a minimum of 800 square feet on the first story.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 low density single family district lots inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Lot area and width depend on whether the lot is served by publicly owned sanitary sewer.
  • Proviso: a lot platted or otherwise of record as of the effective date of that subsection may be used for one single family detached dwelling if it has a minimum area of 15,000 square feet and a minimum width of 100 feet.

  minimum lot area without publicly owned sanitary sewer: >= 2 acres (proviso for platted or recorded lots (15,000 sq ft)) · minimum lot width without publicly owned sanitary sewer: >= 200 feet · minimum lot area with publicly owned sanitary sewer: >= 1 acres · minimum lot width with publicly owned sanitary sewer: >= 150 feet

  “(1) without publicly owned sanitary sewer service, two acres and 200 feet, respectively.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A agricultural district lots inside Caledonia Charter Township.

    “minimum lot area and width. two acres and 200 feet; provided, however:”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 low density single family district buildings inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Exception: permitted communications antennas and towers.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (permitted communications antennas and towers)

  “(4) maximum height. no building or structure shall exceed 35 feet in height, except permitted communications antennas and towers.”

Rules another office applies inside Caledonia Township

Caledonia 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)

  Private on-site septic systems on land inside Caledonia Charter Township (Kent County Health Department handles private septic).

  • Public sewer connections are handled by Caledonia Township, per the same checklist ('or caledonia township if it's public').

  “septic or sewer permit: contact the kent county health department if it’s private or caledonia township if it’s public.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private septic systems for new homes inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Permit issued by Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, 700 Fuller NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, (616) 632-6900.
  • Public sewer connections go through Caledonia Township instead.

  “septic or sewer permit: contact the kent county health department if it’s private or caledonia township if it’s public.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private septic systems inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Inspection administered by Kent County Health Department; contact them directly.

  “*kchd requires a septic final inspection, contact them directly*”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells for new homes inside Caledonia Charter Township.

  • Permit issued by Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health Division; public water connections go through Caledonia Township.
  • The checklist notes KCHD requires a well final inspection and advises contacting them early to avoid a certificate-of-occupancy delay.

  “well or water permit: contact the kent county health department if it’s private or caledonia township if it’s public.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit for new homes inside Caledonia Charter Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Caledonia Charter Township.
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for new construction inside Caledonia Charter Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Caledonia Charter Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Caledonia 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.