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

Marquette Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration or installation of buildings on land inside Marquette township; a zoning permit must come first

  • A building permit cannot issue until a zoning permit is obtained and all other applicable permits are obtained.
  • A zoning permit is issued before a building permit under section 8.02; the zoning administrator's signature must verify zoning compliance on the building permit.
  • Whether a county or state agency issues the building permit itself is not established by this ordinance (see followups).

  “no building permit shall be issued without first having obtained a zoning permit and all other applicable permits.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Marquette township limits (Mackinac County), administered under the township's own zoning ordinance

  • The source gives the adoption month (November 2023) but not an exact day, so effective_at is left null.
  • Pickford is named in the township address; the ordinance itself is the township's own adopted code, not a county ordinance.

  “marquette township zoning ordinance marquette township, mackinac county, mi marquette township 7177 e. james street pickford, mi 49774 adopted november 2023”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  All land inside Marquette township limits; the district list in Article 4 of the township ordinance

  • Seven districts are listed in the ordinance; the zoning map is referenced in section 2.07 and was not opened.
  • This claim records only that the district list is published in the ordinance.

  “for the purpose of this ordinance, marquette township is hereby divided into the following seven (7) districts. r-1 – general residential r-2 - rural resident”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1 general residential district in Marquette township

  • Multi-family minimum is 1000 square feet in the same clause.

  minimum floor area, single-family: >= 500 square feet (multi-family dwellings require 1000 square feet)

  “b. minimum floor area – 500 square feet for single family, 1000 square feet for multi-family”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township

    “b. minimum floor area – 500 square feet for single family, 1000 square feet for multi-family”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 general residential district in Marquette township

  • Dimensional requirements listed in section 4.02 (R-1), subsection 203, paragraph 3000.
  • Section 7.12 requires manufactured homes newly sited on individual lots to meet the district minimum lot size.

  minimum lot area: >= 7500 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

  “a. minimum lot area – 7,500 square feet b. minimum lot width – 50 feet c. max % lot coverage – 35% (25% for residential uses, 10% for nonresidential uses)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township

    “a. minimum lot area – 40,000 square feet b. minimum lot width – 200 feet c. max % lot coverage – 20%”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 general residential district in Marquette township

  • Water setback of 50 feet from the water as listed in the district table.
  • Section 7.09 (setback encroachments) and section 7.15 (waterfront setback) were not opened and may modify these setbacks.

  front setback: >= 40 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 10 feet · water setback: >= 50 feet

  “2. setbacks a. front – 40 feet b. side – 10 feet c. rear – 10 feet d. water – 50 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township

    “a. front – 50 feet b. side – 50 feet c. rear – 50 feet d. water – 50 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 general residential district in Marquette township

  • The table gives 35% general maximum lot coverage, with 25% for residential uses and 10% for nonresidential uses.

  maximum lot coverage, residential uses: <= 25 percent (residential uses) · maximum lot coverage, general: <= 35 percent (nonresidential uses carry a 10% limit per the same clause)

  “c. max % lot coverage – 35% (25% for residential uses, 10% for nonresidential uses)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township

    “a. minimum lot area – 40,000 square feet b. minimum lot width – 200 feet c. max % lot coverage – 20%”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 general residential district in Marquette township, principal and accessory buildings

  • Accessory buildings are limited separately to 25 feet in the same district table.

  maximum principal building height: <= 35 feet (also limited to 3 stories) · maximum accessory building height: <= 25 feet

  “a. maximum principal building height – 35 feet/3 stories b. minimum floor area – 500 square feet for single family, 1000 square feet for multi-family c. maximum accessory building height – 25 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township, principal and accessory buildings

    “a. maximum principal building height – 35 feet/3 stories b. minimum floor area – 500 square feet for single family, 1000 square feet for multi-family c. maximum accessory building height – 25 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers and recreational vehicles on a lot that contains a dwelling unit in Marquette township, in all districts

  • Must carry current state license plates.
  • May be stored in a rear or side yard of a lot with a permanent dwelling if yard setbacks are met.
  • May not be connected to public water and sewer services.
  • May not be used for permanent or continuous dwelling purposes.

  “d. the unit shall not be used for permanent/continuous dwelling purposes.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Use of tents, campers, travel trailers, recreational vehicles or other temporary structures as dwellings in Marquette township

  • Such use is barred except under the conditions of section 7.14 (temporary dwelling occupancy during construction of a dwelling); only subsection a was read.
  • Section 7.14 conditions b onward and any time limit were not read; not a general camping permission.

  “no basement-dwelling, cellar-dwelling, garage-house, tent, camper, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, and manufactured home not installed according the requirements of this ordinance, or other temporary structure shall hereafter be erected or moved upon any premises and used for dwelling purposes except under the following applicable conditions”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes newly sited on an individual lot in Marquette township

  • Must meet the district's minimum lot size, yard setbacks and minimum floor area.
  • Must attach to an approved permanent foundation or basement, anchored to Michigan Manufactured Housing Commission requirements.
  • Wheels, axles and towing assembly must be removed; no exposed undercarriage or chassis.
  • Site preparation (electric, water, sewage disposal, foundation) must be complete before placement, meeting HUD rules and county health department regulations.
  • Manufactured homes may not be used as accessory buildings; unoccupied manufactured homes may not be stored on any lot.

  “a manufactured home newly sited on an individual lot shall meet the standards for minimum lot size, yard set-backs, and minimum floor area for the district in which it is located and shall meet the following additional standards:”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in the R-1 general residential district in Marquette township

  • Listed as a special land use (s) in the R-1 use table, which requires special land use approval.
  • Special land use standards and any site plan requirement were not read.

  “planned unit development* s accessory dwelling units s”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Accessory dwelling units in the R-2 rural residential district in Marquette township

    “planned unit development* s accessory dwelling units s”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits for land and structures in Marquette township

  • Zoning permit is a condition precedent to commencing a use or erecting, altering or installing a structure.
  • Zoning administrator performs inspections before issuing a zoning permit and at other times to check conformance.
  • Plot plans are required for zoning permits that do not need site plan review (section 6.02). Application contents (section 8.03) were not read in full.

  “the zoning administrator shall perform inspections prior to issuance of a zoning permit, and at such other times as is necessary to ensure conformance with this ordinance and the conditions of any permit or approval.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for owner-occupied construction in Marquette township
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to new construction in Marquette township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in Marquette township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Marquette township
• Tiny homes — Occupancy of tiny homes in Marquette 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.