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

Norman Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Norman township limits (Manistee County, Michigan), administered by the township's own zoning ordinance

  • The ordinance title page reads 'effective from june 22, 2010 12:01am to _______ __, 20_' with the end date blank; the text is annotated with amendments effective February 27, 2019.
  • The Manistee County permits page lists the Norman township zoning ordinance as 'april 8th 1983 printed 2010', which conflicts with the township's own title 'April 8, 1993'. Not resolved here.

  “the township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts as shown on the official zoning map”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Norman township limits; district list for the township zoning ordinance

  • Section 1801 lists special area districts (big manistee river corridor, wetland conservation, natural area), rural/agriculture/forestry districts (forest preservation, rural residential), residential districts (residential, developed residential), a commercial district, and industrial districts; a PUD overlay is in Article 70.
  • Section 1072 names 'forest conservation districts' while section 1801 names 'forest preservation district'; not reconciled.
  • The official zoning map is referenced in section 1803 and a 2016 map is posted on the township zoning page; the map was not opened.

  “the township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts as shown on the official zoning map”

• Building heightSpecified

  All parcels in Norman township, as stated for all zoning districts in section 1041

  • Principal buildings and structures: 40 feet. Accessory buildings: 40 feet unless the district sets a different maximum.
  • Ornamental appendages such as church steeples, belfries, cupolas, domes, towers and flag poles are not subject to the height limit so long as they do not exceed 20 percent of the roof area.
  • Other exceptions in section 1041(b) were not fully reviewed.

  maximum height, principal buildings: <= 40 feet · maximum sidewall height, ground to eave: <= 25 feet

  “principle buildings or structures in all zoning districts – forty (40) feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational vehicles, trailers and temporary dwellings on private land inside Norman township (not as a principal or seasonal dwelling)

  • Section 1071(a): no trailer or temporary dwelling may be a principal or seasonal dwelling except as listed; permitted uses include temporary housing during construction with an open building permit (limited to the permit's duration), and use on one's own land under a township temporary trailer permit.
  • Owner's own-land permit: fee set by township board, permit displayed on the trailer, removal date stated, non-commercial/non-rental use, setbacks met, one per parcel, water and septic approved by District Health Department #10, licensed and registered vehicle.
  • Stored or parked trailers must be inside a building or in the rear or side yard of a dwelling, and may not be parked unoccupied on a road side or front yard.
  • Units in place on or before April 8, 1993 with on-site sewage, water well and electricity may continue until replaced by a dwelling meeting section 1080.

  maximum days per year on parcel under township temporary trailer permit: <= 180 days · trailers or temporary dwellings per parcel: <= 1 count

  “that date shall not result in any trailer or temporary dwelling being located on the parcel for more than one-hundred and eighty (180) days a year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping inside Norman township

  • Allowed as part of a licensed campground, and for temporary recreation on public land where allowed by state or federal rules (both per section 1071(a)).
  • Camping on one's own land requires the township temporary trailer permit (180 days per year maximum, one unit per parcel).

  “as part of a campground licensed by the michigan department of environmental quality.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  One accessory dwelling unit on a parcel in the residential, agricultural residential, big manistee and forest conservation districts in Norman township

  • The parcel must have one single-family dwelling as the permitted principal use.
  • The owner must occupy either the ADU or the single-family dwelling, except temporary absences not exceeding six months combined in a calendar year.
  • The ADU must keep the appearance of a single-family residence or detached accessory building; new entrances go on the side or rear.
  • ADU standards subsections (c) through (g) were not captured in review.

  accessory dwelling units per parcel: <= 1 count · owner absence allowed: <= 6 months per calendar year (combined temporary absences)

  “one (1) accessory dwelling unit (adu) per parcel is allowed in the residential, agricultural residential, big manistee, and forest conservation districts, subject to the following standards”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private (off-grid) sanitation for dwellings inside Norman township

  • Private facilities are allowed only in compliance with the Manistee County sanitary code, as amended (section 1010(a)).
  • Temporary trailers may use holding tanks or porta-johns approved by District Health Department #10 (section 1071(a)).

  “or to such private facilities in compliance with the manistee county sanitary code, as amended”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  A new home for human occupancy inside Norman township

  • Connection to public sewer and water is required, or private facilities compliant with the Manistee County sanitary code.
  • The ordinance does not state a distance-to-main or availability rule, so a mandatory-connection distance threshold is not established here.

  “a structure which is for human occupancy shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply or to such private facilities in compliance with the manistee county sanitary code, as amended.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Site condominium projects and platted subdivisions proposed in Norman township

  • Article 70 (planned unit development overlay) states that these projects must comply with the article as it relates to single-use or mixed-use PUDs.
  • PUD overlay requires minimum 10 acres and is available in agricultural or residential districts (section 7002 as captured); the Land Division Act and Condominium Act were not reviewed.

  “all site condominium projects and platted subdivisions proposed in norman township shall comply with this article.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Township temporary trailer or temporary dwelling permit in Norman township

  • The fee is set by the township board; no dollar amount is stated in the ordinance text reviewed.

  “the applicant has paid a trailer or temporary dwelling permit fee as established by the township board.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning-related permits in Norman township

  • The county permits page lists 'zoning applications: (231) 848-4564' under the Norman township entry; the township zoning page lists a zoning administrator and office hours.
  • The township temporary trailer permit is issued by the administrator; the full application process was not published in what was reviewed.

  “zoning applications: (231) 848-4564 land division application: (231) 468-2977”

Rules another office applies inside Norman Township

Norman Township 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 septicMixed (with conditions)

  Septic systems serving structures for human occupancy inside Norman township

  • The township ordinance requires connection to public sewer and water, or private facilities in compliance with the Manistee County sanitary code, as amended.
  • The county permits page lists District 10 Health Department as issuing well and septic health permits for Norman township.
  • The district health department ID is a constructed identifier; no registry ID was checked.

  “a structure which is for human occupancy shall be connected to a public sewer and water supply or to such private facilities in compliance with the manistee county sanitary code, as amended.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems for dwellings in Norman township

  • The county permits page lists the health permit (well & septic) under District 10 Health Department; the page warns that the county cannot guarantee the listed information is current and says to verify with the issuing agency.
  • Temporary trailers using septic must have a system approved by District Health Department #10 (section 1071(a)).

  “health permits (well & septic): district 10 health dept. (231) 723-3595”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells serving dwellings in Norman township

  • Listed on the county permits page under District 10 Health Department for well and septic health permits.
  • Verify with the issuing agency; the county page disclaims currency of the listing.

  “health permits (well & septic): district 10 health dept. (231) 723-3595”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home in Norman township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction in Norman township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction in Norman township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Norman township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Norman 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.