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

Elmwood Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Charter Township of Elmwood.

  • Uses not specifically included as permitted or special land uses are not permitted unless found substantially similar under Zoning Ordinance §3.3.

  “the township of elmwood is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts in Elmwood Charter Township.

  • The official zoning map is the final authority on district and overlay-boundary locations.

  zoning districts: A-R; R-1; R-2; R-3; MHP; MC; NC; GC; LI; SC; RR

  “the township of elmwood is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Partitioning or division of parcels or tracts inside Elmwood Charter Township.

  • Compliance is required with the Elmwood Township Land Division Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance, Private Road Ordinance, and Michigan Land Division Act, as applicable.

  “the partitioning or division of parcels or tracts of land shall comply with the provisions and standards of the ordinances of elmwood township, including but not limited to the elmwood township land division ordinance, the elmwood township zoning ordinance, elmwood township private road ordinance and the provisions of the state land division act, act 288 of 1967, as amended”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside Elmwood Charter Township.

  • A short-term-rental license is required under the Short Term Rental Licensing Ordinance.
  • A land-use permit is not required for a short-term rental.

  “short term rentals shall maintain a license as required by the short term rental licensing ordinance”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Elmwood Charter Township land-use permits.

  • The Township Board establishes the fee.
  • An escrow fund may be required.
  • All applicable fees, charges, and expenses must be paid before a land-use permit issues.

  “a fee established by the township board to defray the costs of administration and inspections shall accompany any plans or application of a land use permit. in some instances, an escrow fund may be required.”

Rules another office applies inside Elmwood Township

Elmwood Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes within Elmwood Charter Township's regulatory floodway.

  • The stated exception is manufactured-home parks or subdivisions existing before adoption of the ordinance.
  • All manufactured homes must have the lowest floor elevated one foot above base flood elevation.

  lowest-floor elevation above base flood elevation: 1 foot (All manufactured homes)

  “all manufactured homes are prohibited within the regulatory floodway”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Encroachments in the regulatory floodway inside Elmwood Charter Township.

  • The restriction applies where fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development would increase flood levels during the base-flood discharge.
  • Variance requests are decided by the Zoning Board of Appeals subject to National Flood Insurance Program standards and procedures.

  “encroachments prohibited. all encroachments within the regulatory floodway including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development which would result in any increase in flood levels within the township during the occurrence of the base flood discharge are prohibited.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders seeking construction permits inside Elmwood Charter Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Elmwood Charter Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Elmwood Charter Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Elmwood Charter Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Elmwood Charter Township residential districts.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Elmwood Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.