Bolthole Index

Menominee County, Michigan

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Stephenson, Michigan

The City of Stephenson, Menominee County, Michigan has its own zoning ordinance with R1, R2, R3 and AG districts12. The state lists Stephenson as running its own local building-code program, separate from the county's3. Septic permits come from the Environmental Health Division of Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties4.

At a glance

Zoning
City ordinance with residence districts R1, R2, R3 and AG2
Building permits
Stephenson is listed as a local building-code jurisdiction, not a county one3
Septic
Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties issues permits4
Minimum home size
840 sq ft for a one-story dwelling in R1 and AG56
Minimum lot (R1)
10,000 sq ft and 85 ft wide for new lots7
Owner-builder
Statewide licensing exemption for building your own home; permits still apply8

Who to call

Also useful

City of Stephenson, City Hall

City government front desk; the starting point for city zoning and building-permit questions

(906) 753-6228

W628 Samuel Street, PO Box 467, Stephenson, MI 49887

Septic permits

Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties — Environmental Health Division

Septic (on-site sewage) permits and private well permits for Menominee County

906-863-4451

909 Tenth Avenue, Menominee, MI 49858

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Stephenson means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Stephenson, Michigan have zoning?

Yes. The City of Stephenson has its own zoning ordinance, which covers all land inside city limits1. Residence districts are R1, R2, R3 and AG, business districts are B1, B2 and OC, and industrial districts are ORI and I2. Menominee County's zoning page lists townships and the Village of Powers that zone, so the county's township rules do not govern land inside the city9.

In R1, single-family lots created after the ordinance took effect need at least 10,000 sq ft and 85 ft of width7. Setbacks for a single-family home in R1 are 30 ft front, 10 ft interior side, 30 ft corner side, and a rear yard of 25% of lot depth that need not exceed 30 ft10. Height tops out at 2.5 stories and 35 ft11, and hard surface cannot exceed 30% of the lot12.

The AG district requires 40 acres13. Dwellings in AG use 30/10/30/30 ft setbacks14. Lots of record may be built on regardless of area if they have approved street access7. Farm dwellings in AG are allowed only when occupants farm as their principal livelihood15.

How big does a house have to be in Stephenson?

A one-story dwelling in Stephenson's R1 district must have at least 840 sq ft of floor area, and a multi-level dwelling at least 1,200 sq ft, both excluding basement, attic and garage5. The AG district uses the same 840 and 1,200 sq ft minimums6. These numbers rule out most tiny homes inside city limits. We did not find a tiny-home provision in the ordinance5, so ask City Hall before planning one.

Do you need a building permit in Stephenson, and who issues it?

Michigan requires a building permit before construction of a building or structure, except as the construction code provides16. Michigan's Statewide Jurisdiction List shows the City of Stephenson as LOCAL for building-code jurisdiction, meaning the city has its own program, while Menominee County's township and village entries are listed as COUNTY3. For land outside Stephenson, the Menominee County page has the county's answers.

We could not locate the city's own permit page, fee schedule or application form, so we cannot say which office takes applications or what they cost. Call City Hall at (906) 753-622817 and ask who issues building permits and who administers zoning approval inside the city.

Once a permit is issued, the enforcing agency periodically inspects the work18, and a new building cannot be occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued19.

How do septic permits work in Stephenson?

Building permits and zoning belong to the city, but septic permits for Menominee County come from the Environmental Health Division of Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties420. Call 906-863-445120. The first step for a parcel with no existing septic system is a raw land evaluation, valid for 5 years if the site is not altered, followed by an OSTDS permit valid for 2 years21. The applicant may have to supply a backhoe for test pits21.

The city provides a sanitary sewer system17. Whether your lot must connect to it we could not confirm; Michigan's plumbing code requires connection to a public sewer where available, otherwise an approved private system22. Ask City Hall whether sewer reaches the lot before you order a perk test.

Wells: Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties issues well permits for individual residences23.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Stephenson?

We could not confirm a city rule for living in an RV or tiny home inside Stephenson. The city's zoning ordinance minimums of 840 sq ft for a one-story dwelling5 apply to dwellings, and we did not read a camping or RV occupancy section. Michigan's campground rules cover sites offered to the public, with five or more recreational units, and do not settle whether you can live in one RV on your own lot24. Michigan also says tiny houses are not recreational units and need local zoning, building, electrical and plumbing approvals25. Ask City Hall before parking or placing anything you intend to sleep in.

Building a home in Stephenson: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and setbacks with the city, using the district rules above2.
  2. Ask City Hall at (906) 753-6228 who issues building permits and zoning approval, and whether city sewer is available17.
  3. If the lot is not on city sewer, get a raw land evaluation and OSTDS permit from Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties21, and a well permit if needed23.
  4. Apply for the building permit with a written application and site plan16.
  5. A driveway onto a state trunkline highway needs a state permit in addition to the local building permit26.
  6. Pass inspections and obtain a Certificate of Occupancy before moving in19.

Michigan's owner-builder exception covers residential-builder licensing for your own home, but it does not waive permits, inspections or zoning8.

What stays with Menominee County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits stay with Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties, not the city423. Driveway permits on county roads come through the Menominee County Road Commission's Oxcart system27. Land outside city limits follows the Menominee County page, not the city rules above.

County-level context: Menominee County's effective property tax rate is about 1%28, with a median property tax bill of $1,470 a year29. About 30.5% of county soils rate "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field, so many lots still need a site evaluation or an engineered system30. Wooded land covers 76.2% of the county31.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which office issues building permits inside Stephenson or what they cost; ask City Hall at (906) 753-6228 before you pay for plans17.
  • The Stephenson zoning ordinance we reviewed is a 2023 republication, so ask City Hall whether it has been amended1.
  • The county page lists a separate Stephenson Township zoning ordinance, which is not the City of Stephenson's ordinance, so confirm which one covers your parcel9.
  • Septic approval is separate from building and zoning approval and comes from Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties4.

Sources

  1. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  3. Statewide Jurisdiction List, quoted and re-checked
  4. On-Site Sewage Treatment/Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  8. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (RB), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  15. Zoning Ordinance, City of Stephenson, Michigan (republished 2023) (Stephenson), quoted and re-checked
  16. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. City of Stephenson, City Hall (stephenson-mi.org)
  18. MCL 125.1512, Inspection of construction (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties — Environmental Health Division (phdm.org)
  21. On-Site Sewage Treatment/Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  22. Michigan Part 7 Plumbing Code Rules (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Water Well Program, quoted and re-checked
  24. Legislation governing campgrounds in Michigan (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. michigan.gov (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Road Commission Permits, quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Stephenson

Stephenson’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Stephenson city limits

    • Copy hosted on energyzoning.org (CivicPlus republication, 2023); not the city's own site
    “this chapter shall be known, cited and referred to as the "the city stephenson zoning ordinance".”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Stephenson city zoning districts

    • Zoning district map is incorporated by reference; not reviewed

    residence districts: R1, R2, R3, AG · business districts: B1, B2, OC · industrial districts: ORI, I

    “district, residence: any one of the following zoning districts: r1, r2, r3 and ag.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    AG district dwellings, inside Stephenson city

    • Exclusive of basements, attic and garages
    • Multi-level dwellings: 1,200 sq ft minimum

    one-story dwelling: >= 840 sq ft · multi-level dwelling: >= 1200 sq ft

    “2. minimum floor area for all one-story dwellings shall be eight hundred and forty (840) square feet exclusive of basements,”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG agricultural district, inside Stephenson city

    • Lots of record exempt from minimum area if they have approved street access (Sec. 9-9)

    minimum area: >= 40 acres · minimum lot width: >= 500 ft

    “the minimum area in the ag district shall be forty (40) acres.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R1 district, single-family detached dwellings, inside Stephenson city

    • Detached accessory buildings must be at least 5 ft from rear/interior side lot lines and 10 ft from other structures (Sec. 9-15)
    • 20 ft setback from edge of right-of-way along major arterials (Sec. 9-18)

    front yard: >= 30 ft · interior side yard: >= 10 ft · corner side yard: >= 30 ft · rear yard: 25% of lot depth, need not exceed 30 ft

    “1. single-family detached dwellings: front yard interior side yard corner side yard rear yard 2. 30 feet 10 feet 30 feet 25% of the lot depth which need not exceed 30 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R1 district, inside Stephenson city

    • Sentence continues with inclusions not captured in the excerpt; read Sec. 9-56(5) for what counts as hard surface

    max hard-surface coverage: <= 30 % of gross lot area

    “5. the maximum hard-surface coverage shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of gross lot area;”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R1 district, inside Stephenson city

    • Detached accessory structures limited to 15 ft overall height (Sec. 9-15)
    • Chimneys, steeples etc. exempt (Sec. 9-11)

    max height: <= 35 ft (and 2.5 stories)

    “the maximum height for all buildings in the r1 district shall be two and one half (2 1/2) stories, not to exceed thirty-five feet (35').”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — AG district, inside Stephenson city
      “the maximum height for all buildings and structures in the ag district shall be two and one-half (2 1/2) stories not to exceed thirty-five feet (35') except for barns and silos which may have a maximum height of fifty feet (50').”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    AG district inside Stephenson city (zoning use allowance, not a building-permit exemption)

    • Accessory farm dwellings only if occupants are engaged in agricultural activities as principal livelihood
    • AG minimum area is 40 acres
    “raising of crops shall be permitted in agricultural district. dwelling units which are accessory to the farming uses shall also be permitted; provided, that the occupants of the dwelling units are engaged in agricultural activities on the premises as their principal means of livelihood.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Stephenson or Menominee County directly.

  • Building permit — Stephenson city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Stephenson city
  • Building code adopted — Stephenson city
  • Inspections — Stephenson city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Stephenson city
16 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Stephenson publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Menominee County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Menominee County: county rules, score and offices