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

Ely Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering or improving any structure, or placing a trailer, inside Ely township (township building permit under Ordinance 1974-3)

  • Application to the township clerk; $1.00 fee stated in 1974 ordinance (current fees may differ).
  • No permit issued until a Marquette County Road Commission driveway approach permit (if ingress/egress from a county road) and a Marquette County health department water/sewer or sewage disposal permit have been secured.
  • Issued only if the improvement does not violate state law or county or township ordinance.
  • Ordinance dated July 19, 1974; current enforcement practice not verified; township zoning page now emphasizes zoning compliance permits.

  application fee (1974): 1 USD

  “hereafter it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, alter or otherwise improve any structure, or place any trailer upon property located within this township without first having obtained a building permit as hereinafter provided.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Ely township, Marquette County, Michigan

  • Administered by a township zoning administrator; planning commission and zoning board of appeals handle conditional uses and variances.

  “a zoning compliance permit is necessary for any new structure on your property.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Ely township; zoning ordinance and four zoning maps linked on township zoning page

  • Districts in schedule: R, R-2, R-5, R-10, TD, LS&R, RS, RS-10, RP, TP, I, MUW, PL.

  “zoning compliance permit 2025 ely township zoning fees 2025 zoning ordinance zoning map 1 of 4 zoning map 2 of 4 zoning map 3 of 4 zoning map 4 of 4”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Permitted uses in Ely township residential districts R, R-2, R-5, R-10 (Schedule of Regulations, Section 4.01); the table text extracts in garbled form

  • Footnotes b/c apply to R (lot depth ratio 4:1 with public sewer or municipal water; two-family dwellings).
  • Conditional-use lot sizes and other districts (TD, LS&R, RS, RS-10, RP, TP, I, MUW) exist in the schedule.

  R minimum lot size: 1 acre · R-2 minimum lot size: 2 acre · R-5 minimum lot size: 5 acre · R-10 minimum lot size: 10 a

  “r 1 acre 40,000 b/c 120 100 a 120 100 a 140 b/c 30 15 25 30 30 6 10 14 r-2 2 acre --- 165”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential (R) district, main structure, Ely township; other districts differ

  • Waterside setback 50 feet for main structures and 30 feet for accessory unless noted.
  • Septic systems and sauna drains at least 75 feet from water's edge.

  R main structure front/side/rear: 30/15/25 feet (read from garbled table; verify against ordinance)

  “waterside minimum setback shall be 50 feet for main structures unless otherwise noted and 30 feet minimum for accessory buildings/structures unless otherwise noted.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Ely township residential districts; accessory buildings in TD limited to 14 feet

  • Height shall not exceed the horizontal distance to any lot line (footnote).

  maximum height, accessory building in Town Development district: <= 14 feet (unless authorized under a conditional use permit)

  “maximum height of an accessory building/structure in the (d) town development district is 14 feet unless authorized under a conditional use permit.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in flood hazard areas inside Ely township (Ordinance 1981-2)

  • Must meet ordinance standards and have all state/federal permits, including Michigan DNR floodplain permit, approval or letter of no authority.

  “development, including the erection of structures and placement of mobile homes, within a flood hazard area shall not occur except upon issuance of a zoning compliance permit”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning compliance permit fees inside Ely township (fee schedule updated January 1, 2025)

  • Permits obtained after construction cost three times the regular rate.
  • Non-residential site plan review minimum $100.00 for 1500 sq ft or less, plus $25.00 meeting charge and outside review costs.

  residential main structure zoning compliance fee: 52 USD · accessory structure zoning compliance fee: 52 USD

  “residential site plan & zoning compliance fee: main structure …………………… …… $52.00 accessory structure ………………… … $52.00”

• Permit processPublished

  Zoning actions inside Ely township

  • Approval authority varies: zoning administrator, zoning board of appeals, planning commission or township board.
  • Permit valid one year.

  “this permit is valid for one year from the following date:”

Rules another office applies inside Ely Township

Ely 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 septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal facilities inside Ely township; the township building permit ordinance sends applicants to the Marquette County department of public health

  • Source is a 1974 township ordinance; current county health department structure (e.g., district department) not verified.

  “(b) secured a permit from the marquette count department of public health for water and sewer or sewage disposal facilities”

• Septic permitRequired

  Water and sewer or sewage disposal facilities for a structure needing a township building permit inside Ely township

  • Township will not issue a building permit until the county health department permit is produced.
  • Also referenced on the 2025 zoning permit form as 'state and county environmental permits checklist'.

  “(b) secured a permit from the marquette count department of public health for water and sewer or sewage disposal facilities”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway approaches from county roads inside Ely township, permitted by Marquette County Road Commission

  • Required before township issues a building permit when access is from a county road.

  “additional permits (if applicable) before zoning compliance can be issued _____ driveway permit from the marquette county road commission”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ely township
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Ely township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Ely township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Ely township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Ely 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.