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

Homer Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Homer township limits (Midland County, Michigan); Homer township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.

  • Ordinance text states it was adopted by the township board of trustees under PA 110 of 2006.
  • Zoning permits are issued by the township zoning administrator (section 2.03); building permits are handled through the Township Code Authority (see building claims).

  “this ordinance has been adopted by the homer township board of trustees under the authority of the michigan zoning enabling act (public act 110 of 2006, as amended)”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Homer township: RA single-family residential, RR rural residential, AR agricultural, RMH manufactured housing park, NSC neighborhood service commercial, CSC community service commercial, HSC heavy service commercial, PSP public/semi-public services.

  • Official zoning map is referenced in article 4.0 of the ordinance; the map itself was not opened.
  • District list is taken from the ordinance district table.

  “homer township, midland county, michigan, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts as shown on the official zoning map”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family and two-family (duplex) dwellings on individual lots in Homer township residential districts; not dwellings inside a licensed manufactured housing park.

  • Section 7.10 does not apply to dwellings located within a licensed and approved manufactured housing park.
  • Applies to single-family and two-family dwellings on individual lots under section 7.10.

  minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1000 square feet (not including any basement or attached garage)

  “each dwelling unit shall have a minimum floor area, not including any basement or attached garage, of 1,000 square feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupancy of recreational vehicles on a zoning lot in Homer township residential districts or on lots occupied by residential uses.

  • No permit is required for the first 30 calendar days, if occupancy follows the section's requirements.
  • Occupancy beyond 30 calendar days per year requires a temporary zoning permit, applied for within seven days of occupancy.
  • No fee may be charged to the occupant.
  • Owner or lessee must furnish written agreement for sanitary facilities satisfactory to the zoning administrator.
  • Only one recreational vehicle at a time in any one location; temporary permit effective for a maximum of 30 calendar days, with extensions only at zoning administrator discretion.
  • No extensions may allow a total permitted time exceeding 120 days per year, including the initial 30 days.
  • Water and sanitary facilities must be adequate for extensions.

  temporary RV occupancy without permit: <= 30 calendar days (per occupancy, per the section's requirements) · maximum total RV occupancy: <= 120 days per year (includes the initial 30 calendar day period)

  “no extensions of the temporary zoning permit may be granted which provide for a total permitted time to exceed 120 days per year, including the initial 30 calendar day period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks in Homer township, and temporary RV occupancy on residential lots.

  • Campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks are special uses in the township's use tables.
  • Temporary RV occupancy on a residential lot follows section 3.08 (30 days without permit; 120-day annual cap).
  • Campgrounds must comply with applicable county and state regulations and provide potable water and sanitary sewer or septic hookups, or access to approved toilet and shower facilities.

  “campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks s section 9.05”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured housing parks in Homer township's RMH manufactured housing park district. Individual manufactured dwellings on lots are governed by section 7.10 and the state construction code.

  • Manufactured housing parks are permitted in the RMH district under section 7.09 and must comply with the Mobile Home Commission Act and Manufactured Housing Commission general rules.
  • Preliminary plan review by the planning commission under section 7.09.
  • Minimum manufactured housing site size of 5,500 square feet (4,400 square feet with equal open space dedicated).

  minimum manufactured housing site size: >= 5500 square feet (sites may be reduced to 4,400 square feet with equal open space dedicated)

  “manufactured housing park p section 7.09 manufactured housing sales lot s section 8.14”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in Homer township rural districts (AR, RR) and residential districts (RA); the use table lists them as special uses.

  • Special use approval required (use table lists accessory dwelling units as special uses in the rural and residential districts).
  • Maximum of one accessory dwelling unit per principal detached single-family dwelling.
  • Accessory dwelling must be located entirely within the principal building and must not occupy more than 25% of the principal building's total gross floor area.
  • Principal dwelling must be the owner's primary and permanent legal residence and occupy at least 750 square feet of gross floor area.
  • Construction or expansion requires site plan approval under article 14.0.
  • For dwellings served by a private well or septic, proof of adequate system capacity must be provided to the township.
  • Must conform to the state construction code and county environmental health division requirements.

  minimum principal dwelling gross floor area: >= 750 square feet · maximum share of principal building gross floor area: <= 25 percent

  “the accessory dwelling unit shall not occupy more than twenty five percent (25%) of the principal building’s total gross floor area, and shall conform to all applicable state construction code and county environmental health division requirements.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions created after January 1, 2018 in Homer township.

  • Must comply with the Michigan Land Division Act.
  • Must conform to the dimensional standards of article 5.0.
  • Township subdivision regulations are referenced in section 5.03 but were not opened.

  “all land divisions created after the effective date of this ordinance shall comply with all requirements of the land division act, and shall conform with the requirements of article 5.0 (dimensional standards) for the zoning district where such land is located.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Township zoning-related fees for Homer township applications.

  • These are township zoning fees only; Township Code Authority building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees are set by the TCA and are not on this page.
  • Fee schedule date not stated on the page.

  site plan review fee: 200 USD · special use fee: 200 USD · zoning change fee: 300 USD

  “site plan: $200.00 • special use: $200.00 • zoning change: $300.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit process for construction on property inside Homer township.

  • Zoning permit (zoning administrator) is filed first, then the building permit through the Township Code Authority.
  • Zoning variance, land use application, land division and zoning permit forms are available on the township page.
  • The Township Code Authority's own application and fee schedule is not on the township page.

  “prior to obtaining a building permit for construction on your property, you must fill out and submit a zoning permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Homer Township

Homer Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, additions, demolition, electrical, plumbing, septic repair and wood-stove work on property inside Homer township, permitted through the Township Code Authority of Midland County.

  • A zoning permit must be obtained before the building permit.
  • Permit is secured by contacting the Township Code Authority at 837-6521 before work begins or an inspector is contacted.
  • Permit fees and forms are set by the Township Code Authority, not the township.

  “prior to beginning any work or contacting a specific inspector, a permit must be secured by contacting the township code authority at 837-6521.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Plumbing, mechanical, electrical and building inspections in Homer township.

  • Inspections are assigned by the Township Code Authority; inspector contacts are listed on the township contact list.
  • Permit must be secured before inspections are scheduled.

  “the tca provides plumbing, mechanical, electrical and building inspections to midland county municipalities.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Septic and other on-site wastewater systems for buildings on lots inside Homer township; applies inside Homer township because the township ordinance defers wastewater approval to the county.

  • Zoning permits are withheld until county environmental health approvals are provided for buildings or uses needing water or wastewater systems.
  • Adequate system capacity must be shown for private septic serving an accessory dwelling.

  “zoning permits shall not be issued under this ordinance for the construction or establishment of buildings or uses requiring water or wastewater systems until an applicant provides copies of all applicable permits and approvals issued by the midland county environmental health division.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permitting for owner-occupied homes in Homer township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Homer township.
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area for the RA single-family residential district and the AR agricultural / RR rural residential districts in Homer township.
• Setbacks — Front, side and rear yard setbacks for the RA, RR and AR districts in Homer township.
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage by district in Homer 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.