Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Metamora, Michigan

Village of Metamora’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the incorporated limits of Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan. The village adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The posted PDF's adoption certificate is an unsigned, undated template (clerk name, council meeting date and planning commission hearing date are blank), so the adoption date is not confirmed from this copy.
  • The ordinance is the village's own; it does not rely on county or township zoning.

  “an ordinance establishing and governing the incorporated portions of the village of metamora, lapeer county, michigan”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan: R-1 low-density single family, R-2 single-family, M multi-family, MH manufactured home park, CBD central business, O office, I industrial, PI public institutional.

  • The district boundaries are shown on a separate zoning map entitled Zoning Map, Village of Metamora, which is incorporated into the ordinance; the map itself was not opened.
  • Annexed land is automatically classified R-1 until a zoning map for it is adopted (section 2.05).

  “the village of metamora is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: r-1 low-density single family residential”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupying a travel trailer, motor home or similar RV as a dwelling in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

  • RV occupancy as a dwelling is allowed only for up to 30 days, and only inside an approved, licensed campground or overnight camping facility (section 10.26a).
  • Section 10.26b allows one manufactured home for up to six months during construction of the owner's house in an R-1 district with building inspector approval; that is a manufactured home, not an RV.

  occupancy period: <= 30 days (only within an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility)

  “a tent, travel trailer, motor home or similar enclosure may be occupied for periods up to thirty (30) days only within an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

  • Tents and RVs may be occupied up to 30 days only inside an approved, licensed campground (section 10.26a).
  • Campgrounds for tents and RVs are a special land use on a minimum 20-acre site in R-1 and R-2 districts, with no permanent storage of tents, campers or travel trailers and no site occupied more than 30 days (section 11.07a).
  • Special land use approval by the planning commission and village council is required (article 11).

  minimum campground site: >= 20 acres (campgrounds in R-1 and R-2 districts only, as a special land use)

  “a tent, travel trailer, motor home or similar enclosure may be occupied for periods up to thirty (30) days only within an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured (factory-built) homes as dwellings in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

  • Factory-built homes must meet HUD manufactured home construction and safety standards and the state and village standards before entering the village (section 10.24a).
  • Must be firmly attached to a permanent foundation built on site under the village building code (section 10.24c).
  • R-1 owners may place one manufactured home for up to six months during construction of their single-family dwelling with building inspector approval (section 10.26b).
  • Manufactured home parks are a separate MH district (article 6a).

  “all such dwelling units shall be firmly attached to a permanent foundation constructed on the site in accordance with the building code in effect in the village”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartment on a single-family lot in R-1 and R-2 districts, Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

  • One accessory apartment per single-family dwelling in R-1 and R-2 districts, subject to the listed conditions (section 11.03).
  • Either the principal unit or the accessory apartment must be owner-occupied; the ZBA may modify only where single-family character is not affected.
  • Health department must certify the on-site septic system can handle the additional load.
  • Accessory apartments are a special land use (article 11).

  “one (1) accessory apartment per single family dwelling unit may be permitted in r-1 and r-2 districts subject to the following”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New or altered dwellings in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan: sewer connection rule and water supply rule

  • Sewer: dwellings must connect to public sanitary sewer or an approved private system; the ordinance does not require connection to public sewer when one is available. Public sewer availability distance rule not found.
  • Water: every principal building must have a safe and sanitary water supply (section 10.27a); no requirement to connect to a public water system was found.
  • Cluster developments must have sanitary sewers available to all lots (section 11.43e).

  “every dwelling hereafter erected, altered or moved shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer or to a private sewage disposal system approved by the lapeer county health department.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Multi-lot and condominium developments in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

  • Site plan approval by the planning commission is required for new multi-lot or condominium developments not subject to the subdivision control act (section 4.04; see section 10.25).
  • Condominium subdivision approval rules are in section 10.29.

  “a site plan shall be submitted for review and approval by the planning commission for any new multi-lot or condominium development not subject to the subdivision control act”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning-related permit steps in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan (special land use and building permit application)

  • Special land use approval by the planning commission, followed by a building permit issued by the enforcing officer in conformity with the approval.
  • The building permit application must be received within 120 days of special land use approval, extendable up to six months for good cause.
  • Site plans must be completed within one year of building permit issuance (section 10.25i).

  building permit application window after special land use approval: <= 120 days (planning commission may extend for good cause up to six months)

  “application for a building permit in pursuance thereof must be made and received by the village not later than one hundred twenty (120) days thereafter”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Metamora

Village of Metamora 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)

  Onsite sewage (septic) systems serving dwellings inside Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan. The Lapeer County Health Department is the permitting authority. The county page is countywide; the village ordinance is what reaches inside village limits.

  • Village ordinance section 10.27b says dwellings must be connected to a public sanitary sewer or to a private system approved by the Lapeer County Health Department.
  • The county page states it acts as the local permitting agency for residential and small commercial onsite systems countywide.

  “lchd acts as the local permitting agency for all residential and small commercial onsite sewage treatment systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Residential onsite septic systems serving dwellings inside Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan, permitted by the Lapeer County Health Department

  • Private systems must be approved by the Lapeer County Health Department (section 10.27b).
  • The county page says the permitting role covers residential and small commercial systems; the county's own permit forms and fees were not opened.

  “lchd acts as the local permitting agency for all residential and small commercial onsite sewage treatment systems.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Metamora or Lapeer County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy in Metamora village, Lapeer County, Michigan

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.