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

Filer Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Filer charter township limits: a township land use permit is needed before a construction permit application

  • Who issues the construction permit itself (township, county or state) was not confirmed; the ordinance refers to a construction permit application.
  • Land use permit is issued under the zoning chapter.

  “further, a copy of the land use permit, issued under this chapter, shall be attached to the construction permit application.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  All construction inside Filer charter township limits

  • The township ordinance requires compliance with the Michigan State Construction Code Act; the state code itself is not reproduced here.
  • Mobile homes must carry a HUD seal.

  “all construction in filer township shall be in compliance with michigan act 230 of 1972, being the michigan state construction code act of 1972, as amended, and as same may be amended from time to time”

• InspectionsLimited

  Commercial or industrial land use permits inside Filer charter township limits

  • The quoted sentence covers only commercial and industrial permits; no residential inspection requirement was found in the text opened.

  “if the land use permit is issued for commercial/industrial purposes, a plumbing inspection by a state plumbing inspector is also required.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a dwelling, commercial or industrial structure while under construction inside Filer charter township limits

  • Zoning permit for temporary occupancy is issued only with or after construction permits.
  • Before temporary occupancy the water well or connection to a public water supply, and sanitary sewer connection or septic tank sewage disposal system, must be completed and operating.
  • Temporary occupancy is allowed in the dwelling basement or in a HUD-sealed mobile home, among other listed places; the full list was not captured.
  • Permanent certificate of occupancy requirements were not located.

  “the zoning permit for temporary occupancy is issued only in conjunction with, or after, permits necessary for the construction of the dwelling, commercial or industrial structure have been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Filer charter township limits (Charter Township of Filer), which adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 31 of its code

  • Source is a compiled copy of the ordinance amended through September 6, 2022, hosted on the Manistee County website; the township's current adopted text and later amendments (for example a proposed lakefront overlay Article 78 and 2024 fence-setback changes mentioned in planning commission minutes) were not confirmed.

  “the township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts as shown on the official zoning map which, together with all explanatory matter shown thereon, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Filer charter township limits; districts are shown on the official zoning map incorporated by reference

  • Official zoning map is incorporated by reference (31.18.1802) and was not opened; district boundaries are not confirmed here.
  • Districts listed in the ordinance: R-1 high density residential, R-2 medium density residential, AR agricultural-residential, FR forest recreational residential, C commercial, LI limited industrial, LKI lakefront industrial, plus WC wetland conservation and WPOD wellhead protection overlay.

  “residential districts. 1. r1 – high density residential district 2. r2 – medium density residential district 3. ar – agricultural-residential district 4. fr – forest recreational residential district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the AR agricultural-residential district (Article 37) inside Filer charter township limits

  • Applies to first floor level floor space only; a minimum exterior width of 20 feet also applies.

  minimum first floor floor area: >= 720 square feet

  “no dwelling shall be hereinafter erected, or altered in this district which shall have less than 720 square feet of floor space in the first floor level, with a minimum exterior width of 20 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the R-2 medium density residential district (Article 40) inside Filer charter township limits

    “no dwelling shall be hereinafter erected, or altered in this district which shall have less than 720 square feet of floor space in the first floor level, with a minimum exterior width of 20 feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single dwelling lots in the R-2 medium density residential district (Article 40) inside Filer charter township limits

  • Lot area may be reduced to 15,000 square feet if a central or public water supply is made available before construction begins.
  • Minimum lot width is 100 feet.
  • Lots in recorded subdivisions before the ordinance's effective date may be smaller under the ordinance's exception.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet (15,000 square feet if a central or public water supply system is made available before any construction is begun) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

  “each dwelling hereinafter erected or altered shall be located on a lot not less than 20,000 square feet in area, provided however, that if a central or public water supply system is made available before any construction is begun, the lot area may be reduced to a minimum of 15,000 square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the AR agricultural-residential district (Article 37) inside Filer charter township limits

    “no building or structure shall be established on any lot less than five acres in area. b. lot width. the minimum lot width shall be 208 feet provided it fronts on a public street or highway.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in the AR agricultural-residential district (Article 37) inside Filer charter township limits

  • Corner lot side yard on the road or street side must be at least 50 feet.

  front yard setback: >= 50 feet (measured from front property line) · side yard setback: >= 20 feet (corner lot road-side yard 50 feet) · rear yard setback: >= 50 feet

  “1. front yard. the minimum setback shall not be less than 50 feet from front property line. 2. side yards. the minimum width of either yard shall not be less than 20 feet; except in the case of a corner lot where the side yard on the road or street side shall not be less than 50 feet. 3. rear yard. the minimum setback shall not be less than 50 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single dwelling lots in the R-2 medium density residential district (Article 40) inside Filer charter township limits

    “1. front yard. the minimum setback shall not be less than 35 feet. 2. side yards. the minimum width of either yard shall not be less than ten feet; except in the case of a corner lot where the side yard on the road or street side shall not be less than 35 feet. 3. rear yard. the minimum setback shall not be less than 35 feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile home occupancy inside Filer charter township limits, limited to temporary occupancy during construction

  • Only temporary occupancy during construction was found; permanent mobile home occupancy rules (including 31.10.1091 mobile home parks) were not opened.
  • Mobile home must carry a HUD seal.

  “a mobile home which carries a seal from the united states department of housing and urban development (hud)”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal for buildings inside Filer charter township limits without a public sewer

  • Allowed only as an approved septic tank; the approving authority was not named in the text opened.
  • Every dwelling, recreational, business, commercial or industrial building must have a safe and sanitary water supply.

  “(b) collection and disposal of human excreta and domestic, commercial and industrial waste, by means of public sewage disposal system or approved septic tank.”

• Permit processPartial

  Land use and construction permits inside Filer charter township limits

  • Process is described in the zoning ordinance only; no township permit application, fee schedule or step-by-step process page was opened.
  • Septic/well approval is a precondition referenced in the zoning administrator paragraph.

  “further, a copy of the land use permit, issued under this chapter, shall be attached to the construction permit application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Filer charter township limits
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits inside Filer charter township limits
• Building height — Building height limits inside Filer charter township limits
• Living in an RV — Recreational vehicle occupancy on private land inside Filer charter township limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Filer charter township limits

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 Filer 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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