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

Spencer Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Spencer township's limits (Kent County, Michigan) is governed by the township's own zoning ordinance

  • Use of land is governed by the township zoning districts, subject to the ordinance's general provisions and district regulations.

  “township of spencer kent county, michigan zoning ordinance adopted by the township board on february 15, 2000 (including amendments adopted through june 2023)”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Spencer township's limits

  • Zoning map is kept in township offices and incorporated by reference through section 3.02; the map itself was not opened.

  “for purposes of this zoning ordinance, the township of spencer is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: ag agricultural district r-r rural residential district r-1 single family residential district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the AG agricultural district of Spencer township

  • Measured as usable floor area.

  minimum usable floor area per dwelling: >= 960 square feet

  “section 5.05 minimum floor area. each dwelling shall have a minimum of 960 square feet of usable floor area.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the R-R rural residential district of Spencer township

    “section 6.05 minimum floor area. each dwelling shall have a minimum of 960 square feet of usable floor area.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Land in the AG agricultural district of Spencer township

  • Farm lots must be at least ten acres.
  • Lot width minimum is 200 feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (ten acres for a farm) · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet

  “one acre with 200 feet of lot width, except that the minimum lot area for a farm shall be ten acres.”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Land in the R-R rural residential district of Spencer township

    “one acre with 150 feet of lot width, except that the minimum lot area for a farm shall be ten acres.”

  • Specified — Land in the R-1 single family residential district of Spencer township where no public or community sewer is provided

    “where no public or community sewer system is provided, there shall be a minimum lot area of 35,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of 150 feet.”

  • Specified — Land in the R-1 single family residential district of Spencer township where a public or community sewer system is provided

    “where a public or community sewer system is provided, there shall be a minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of 120 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the AG agricultural district of Spencer township

  • Side yards: two required, each at least 20 feet.

  front yard setback: 50 feet · side yard setback: >= 20 feet (two side yards required) · rear yard setback: 30 feet

  “(1) front yard. fifty feet. (2) side yard. there shall be two side yards; no side yard shall be less than 20 feet. (3) rear yard. thirty feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-R rural residential district of Spencer township

    “(1) front yard. fifty feet. (2) side yard. there shall be two side yards. no side yard shall be less than 20 feet. (3) rear yard. thirty feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in the AG agricultural district of Spencer township

  • Does not apply to agricultural buildings or agriculturally-related structures.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (agricultural buildings or agriculturally related structures)

  “no building or structure shall exceed a height of 35 feet, except this requirement shall not apply to agricultural buildings or agriculturallyrelated structures.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings and structures in the R-R rural residential district of Spencer township

    “maximum building and structure height. thirty five feet, except this requirement shall not apply to agricultural buildings or agriculturally-related structures.”

Rules another office applies inside Spencer Township

Spencer 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)

  On-site sewage disposal (septic) systems on land inside Spencer township, administered by the Kent County Health Department Environmental Health division

  • Kent County Health Department page lists septic and well permits; it does not name Spencer township specifically.

  “on-site sewage disposal required permit for installation of on-site sewage disposal (septic) systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an on-site septic system on land inside Spencer township

  • A detailed site plan and floor plans are required for new construction with the application.
  • Permit is issued by Kent County Health Department before installation.

  “the application must include a detailed site plan and floorplans if new construction.”

• Well permitRequired

  Installation of an on-site water supply (well) system on land inside Spencer township

  • Kent County Water Supply Regulations apply (document not opened).

  “water supply permit required permit for installation of on-site water supply (well) systems.”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Land divisions, subdivisions and site condominiums in Spencer township that are to be served by on-site septic or wells

  • Review is by the local health department (Kent County) under the Michigan Land Division Act; the township's own subdivision ordinance was not located.
  • Applies to divisions under one acre, subdivisions and site condominiums.

  “the michigan land division act (public act 288 of 1967) requires that all divisions of land under one acre, subdivisions, and site condominiums be reviewed by the local health department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction inside Spencer township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing/permit requirements inside Spencer township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for construction inside Spencer township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Spencer township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Spencer 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.