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

Onekama Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of dwellings in Onekama township under Section 1017 of the Zoning Ordinance

  • Construction may begin only after a building permit is obtained under the applicable construction code provisions.
  • The excerpt does not name the building code or the office that issues the permit; see followups.

  “all construction required by this section shall be commenced only after a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the applicable construction code provisions and requirements.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Onekama township limits, administered under the Onekama Township Zoning Ordinance (the Village of Onekama has its own separate ordinance and is not covered)

  • The ordinance is titled the Onekama Township Zoning Ordinance and was adopted under the Township Rural Zoning Act.
  • Use of land is conditioned on the zoning administrator's land use permit process and the district rules in the ordinance.
  • The ordinance was printed October 2024 by Manistee County; amendment dates are annotated in the text and were not fully reviewed.

  “this ordinance shall be effective on september 21, 1991 at 12:01 am.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Every dwelling in Onekama township; the minimum square footage depends on the land use district where the dwelling is located

  • Numeric minimum square footage per district was not captured from the district schedule; see followups.
  • Dwellings must also comply with the dwelling standards of the ordinance or the state or HUD standards, whichever applies.
  • Mobile homes in a licensed mobile home park are excluded from these standards except as state or federal law requires.

  “it shall comply with the minimum square footage requirements of this ordinance for the land use district in which it is located.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary recreational camping with a tent or trailer on private land in Onekama township

  • Non-commercial, no-rental camping on one's own land is allowed only in the agricultural (ag-1) or agricultural (ag-2) land use district.
  • A camping permit from the zoning administrator is required.
  • Campgrounds licensed by the Michigan Department of Public Health are a separate allowed use.
  • Temporary construction quarters may be used for 12 months; the captured text indicates a further extension of up to one year on zoning administrator approval for good cause, with the exact wording cut off in extraction.
  • Vacant parcels in residential districts not adjacent to an owner-occupied dwelling may not be used for temporary dwelling occupancy.

  camping on own land, total period per calendar year: <= 3 weeks (ag-1 or ag-2 district only, with a camping permit from the zoning administrator) · temporary construction dwelling use period: <= 12 months (extension on zoning administrator approval for good cause)

  “so the temporary dwelling does not remain on the site for a total period of more than 3 weeks in a calendar year beginning with the issuance of a camping permit by the zoning administrator.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured or mobile homes used as dwellings in Onekama township outside a licensed mobile home park

  • Must comply with the ordinance dwelling standards or with state and HUD standards, whichever applies.
  • Dwelling standards, including the minimum square footage for the district, apply outside licensed mobile home parks.
  • Mobile homes in a licensed mobile home park are excluded from these standards except as state or federal law requires or as the ordinance specifically requires for such parks.

  “the foregoing standards shall not apply to a mobile home located in a licensed mobile home park except to the extent required by state or federal law or otherwise specifically required in this ordinance pertaining to such parks.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  A second dwelling or guest house on a parcel where a dwelling or other principal use already exists, in Onekama township

  • Dwellings must be a permitted use in the land use district.
  • A medium site plan must accompany the land use permit application.
  • A guest house is defined as temporary overflow housing that is not a rental unit.
  • The general prohibition on a second dwelling or second principal use on a parcel has exceptions; the exception text was cut off in extraction.
  • Where the primary dwelling foundation footprint is 2,400 square feet or fewer, the guest dwelling footprint may not exceed 1,200 square feet; a separate limit applies above 2,400 square feet and was not fully captured.

  minimum guest dwelling foundation footprint: >= 800 square feet · minimum guest dwelling finished living space: >= 800 square feet · maximum guest dwelling foundation footprint: <= 1200 square feet (primary dwelling foundation footprint 2,400 square feet or fewer)

  “the second or guest dwelling has a minimum building foundation footprint of 800 square feet and a minimum of 800 sq. ft. of conditioned, finished living space”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Each new exit or entrance (driveway) serving a parcel in Onekama township, approved before zoning approval

  • State trunk-line highways require approval from the state highway department.
  • Other roads require approval from the county road commission.
  • The approval must cover design, construction, and drainage.

  “approval for location of all exits and entrances shall be obtained, prior to zoning approval, from the state highway department for all state trunk line highways and from the county road commission for all other roads in the township.”

• Permit processPartial

  Land use permits for dwellings and accessory dwellings in Onekama township

  • Only the zoning land use permit application content for a second dwelling and the building-permit gate for dwellings were captured.
  • Fees, review steps, and the zoning administrator's timeline were not located in the captured text.

  “the application for a land use permit shall include a medium site plan pursuant to section 9405 et seq.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensed contractor requirements in Onekama township
• Building code adopted — Construction code used for buildings in Onekama township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in Onekama township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new dwellings in Onekama township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for a dwelling in the main residential district of Onekama 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.