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

Harrison Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, structural changes, repairs, or moving an existing building or structure inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • A zoning compliance permit and building permit must first be obtained from the Building Official.
  • Application must show compliance with the zoning ordinance and Building Code.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to commence excavation for, or construction of, any building or structure, structural changes, repairs in any existing building or structure, or moving of an existing building without first obtaining a zoning compliance permit and a building permit from the Building Official.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work authorized by a building permit inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • The permit recipient must notify the Building Official immediately upon completing authorized work for final inspection.

  “The recipient of any building permit for the construction, erection, alteration, repair or moving of any building, structure, or part thereof, shall notify the Building Official immediately upon the completion of the work authorized by such permit for a final inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings, and structures for which a building permit is required inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Certificate requires compliance with the ordinance.
  • Temporary occupancy certificates are subject to the ordinance's time and completion conditions.

  “It shall be unlawful to use or permit the use of any land, building or structure for which a building permit is required, and to use or permit to be used any building or structure hereafter altered, extended, erected, repaired or moved until the Building Official shall have issued a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance stating that the provisions of this Ordinance have been complied with.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Harrison Charter Township, Macomb County, Michigan.

  • Uses and structures must conform to the Township zoning ordinance.

  “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the Charter Township of Harrison Zoning Ordinance and shall be referred to herein as "this Ordinance."”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Travel trailers and motor homes parked or stored on land not approved for that use inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • The restriction is limited to land not approved for that use under the ordinance.

  “all travel trailers, motor homes and mobile homes parked or stored on lands not approved for such use as herein set forth shall not be connected to sanitary facilities and shall not be occupied.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile-home dwellings inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Mobile homes may be used as dwellings only when located in and as part of a mobile-home park or in zoning districts set forth in the ordinance.

  “mobile homes shall not be used as dwellings, excepting when located in and as part of a mobile home park or when located in zoning districts set forth in this ordinance.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways providing vehicular access in Township site-plan review.

  • Driveway location and design must promote vehicle/pedestrian safety and circulation.
  • The Planning Commission may require a reduction in driveway number where excessive curb cuts diminish road capacity or create conflict points.

  “the location and design of driveways providing vehicular access to the site shall be arranged to promote the safety and convenience of vehicles and pedestrians and to provide access in a manner that promotes proper internal and external circulation, taking into consideration such issues as proper driveway alignment, driveway spacing and internal connectivity between sites.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning permits, certificates, appeals, reviews, and rezonings inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Fees are established by Township Board resolution; inspection/certification fees are collected in advance of issuance.
  • The Township Board may waive a fee when an appeal, variance, or rezoning need results from a Township Board error or omission.

  “The Township Board shall establish, by resolution, fees for each of the following: A. Inspection and Certification. Fees for inspections and the issuance of permits or certificates, or copies thereof, required or issued under the provisions of this Ordinance shall be collected by the Township Treasurer in advance of the issuance of such permits or certificates.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning compliance permit applications inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Application must include a written statement and triplicate scale plans/plats with the information required by Section 19.02.
  • For on-site sewage or well systems, County Health Department site approval is required before Township permit issuance.

  “The Building Official shall require that every application for a zoning compliance permit for excavation, construction, moving, alteration, or change in type of use or the type of occupancy be accompanied by a written statement and plans or plats drawn to scale, in triplicate, and showing the following in sufficient detail to enable the Building Official to ascertain whether the proposed work or use is in conformance with this Ordinance:”

Rules another office applies inside Harrison Township

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1 Single Family Residential District inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Corner lots require 130 feet of width.

  minimum lot area: 16000 square feet · minimum lot width: 120 feet (130 feet for a corner lot)

  “lot area 16,000 square feet lot width 120’ (130’ for corner lot)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1 Single Family Residential District inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Front/street-side setbacks are measured from the road-right-of-way centerline; the schedule varies by road type.

  side setback: 6/14 feet (least side/total of two) · rear setback: 30 feet

  “side setback (least side/total of two) 6’/14’ rear setback 30’”

• Building heightSpecified

  R1 Single Family Residential District inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • Accessory height may not exceed the principal structure height.

  primary structure height: 3 stories/30 feet · accessory structure height: 16 feet (May not exceed height of principal structure)

  “structure heights primary 3 stories/30’ accessory 16’, but in no circumstance shall it exceed the height of the principal structure”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal systems proposed inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • The Township Building Official may not issue the permit unless the Macomb County Health Department approves the site.

  “Whenever an application for a building permit and/or zoning compliance permit indicates the necessity for construction of an on-site sewage disposal system and/or water well system on the premises, the Building Official shall not issue such permit unless the Macomb County Health Department shall have approved the site for the construction of such facilities.”

• Well permitLimited

  Water wells proposed with a Township building or zoning compliance permit inside Harrison Charter Township.

  • The Township Building Official will not issue the Township permit unless the Macomb County Health Department approves the site for the water-well system.

  “Whenever an application for a building permit and/or zoning compliance permit indicates the necessity for construction of an on-site sewage disposal system and/or water well system on the premises, the Building Official shall not issue such permit unless the Macomb County Health Department shall have approved the site for the construction of such facilities.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner construction inside Harrison Charter Township.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Harrison Charter Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Harrison Charter Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Harrison Charter Township.
• Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Harrison 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Harrison 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.

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