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

Ida Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Plumbing work inside Ida township, permitted through the Ida Township building department

  • Requirement is stated for plumbing work on the township plumbing permit form; the research did not establish a general building permit requirement for dwellings.
  • Work may proceed after the permit application is filed.

  “plumbing work shall not be started until the application for permit has been filed with the ida township building department.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Plumbing installations inside Ida township under the township plumbing permit

  • The township permit form refers to the Michigan plumbing code; no township-adopted building code text was located within the research budget.
  • The statement covers plumbing installations only and does not establish adoption of a full building code.

  “all installations shall be in conformance with the michigan plumbing code.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Plumbing work inside Ida township under the township plumbing permit

  • Concealed work must be inspected before it is covered.
  • Inspection is requested by the applicant when ready, with advance notice.

  “no work shall be concealed until it has been inspected.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Ida township

  • Districts listed in the schedule include AG-1, AG-2, RA-1, RA-2, RB, RM, C-1, LI and MH; the zoning map is a separate document (2015 map seen in search results, not opened).

  “ag-1, agricultural (k) 250 2.5 35 30 50 25 50 50 1,100 ag-2, agricultural 2 acres 150(i) 2.5 35 30 50 25 50 50 1,100 ra-1,single-family residential (b) 1 acre 150 2.5 35 30 50 10 25 35 1,100”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the AG-1 and RA-1 districts inside Ida township (1,100 sq ft listed for the RA-1 row; AG-1 and AG-2 rows also list 1,100)

  • Minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit is listed in the Section 4.14 schedule, last column.
  • Exceptions for established farm homes and other footnotes may apply; not reviewed in full.

  minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1100 sq ft (RB district uses 1,000 sq ft (see separate claim))

  “ra-1,single-family residential (b) 1 acre 150 2.5 35 30 50 10 25 35 1,100”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings in the RB district inside Ida township

    “rb, single-family residential (b) without sewer with sewer 24,000 s.f. 9,600 s.f. 120 80 2.5 35 30 35 35 10 10 25 25 35 35 1,000 1,000”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 agricultural district inside Ida township

  • Larger area may be required to meet Monroe County health department standards for well and septic systems.
  • Open-space preservation option allows reductions, but not below 15,000 sq ft (section 5.11), with conditions.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (larger area if needed for county health standards) · minimum lot width: >= 250 ft

  “subject to the requirements which follow the minimum lot area and lot width in the ag1 district shall be one (1) acre in area and 250 feet in lot width unless a larger area is necessary to meet monroe county health department standards for well and septic systems usage, and provided that all other requirements of this ordinance are met.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RA-1 single-family residential district inside Ida township

    “ra-1,single-family residential (b) 1 acre 150 2.5 35 30 50 10 25 35 1,100”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 agricultural district inside Ida township

  • Accessory buildings and structures in AG-1 and AG-2 may be built to 35 feet; silos may reach 100 feet (section 4.15 footnote 3).
  • Public and semi-public buildings in residential districts have separate height rules; not reviewed.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (accessory buildings and silos per section 4.15) · maximum building height: <= 2.5 stories

  “ag-1, agricultural (k) 250 2.5 35 30 50 25 50 50 1,100”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RA-1 single-family residential district inside Ida township

    “ra-1,single-family residential (b) 1 acre 150 2.5 35 30 50 10 25 35 1,100”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupancy of recreational vehicles on land inside Ida township

  • Dwelling use of a motor home or travel trailer is restricted to temporary-dwelling situations under section 5.15 and requires a temporary use permit.
  • Stored or parked recreational vehicles in storage facilities may not be used for living or housekeeping (section 6.14 h, storage facilities only).
  • Occupancy of a motor home or travel trailer under the temporary use permit is limited to three months per year.

  maximum on-site occupancy: <= 3 months per year (temporary use permit under section 5.15)

  “the vehicle may be occupied on-site for no more than three (3) months out of any given year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping or occupancy of motor homes and travel trailers on land inside Ida township

  • Camping is restricted: no temporary dwelling may be used for dwelling purposes except listed situations under section 5.15.
  • Temporary occupancy of a motor home or travel trailer requires a temporary use permit and is limited to three months per year on-site.
  • Open parking or storage of a travel trailer or boat not owned by a township resident beyond 72 hours is prohibited unless section 5.15 applies.

  maximum on-site occupancy: <= 3 months per year (temporary use permit under section 5.15)

  “the vehicle may be occupied on-site for no more than three (3) months out of any given year.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Single-family dwellings inside Ida township where public sewer is not available

  • On-site sanitation is allowed only where public sewer is not available and the system is approved.
  • Approval comes from the county health standards referenced in the ordinance; the approving office was not confirmed.

  “all single family dwellings shall be served by public sewer and water service, where available, or approved on-site systems in the case where public sewer and water service are not available.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings inside Ida township

  • Connection to public sewer and water is required where available.
  • Where public sewer and water are not available, approved on-site systems are used instead.
  • The ordinance does not state a distance-to-main threshold in the text reviewed.

  “all single family dwellings shall be served by public sewer and water service, where available, or approved on-site systems in the case where public sewer and water service are not available.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation of new lots inside Ida township

  • New lots must comply with Ida Township Ordinance No. 76 (Division of Land ordinance).
  • Lot depth-to-width ratio may not exceed 4 to 1.
  • Lot splits are limited by the parent-parcel rules in the schedule footnotes.

  maximum depth-to-width ratio: <= 4 to 1

  “any lots to be created shall comply with ordinance no. 76, ida township division of land ordinance, and have a depth to width ratio not to exceed 4 to 1.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Plumbing permit fees for work inside Ida township

  • Fees are on the plumbing permit form; checks are payable to Ida Township.
  • Other permit types (building, zoning, septic) fee schedules were not located.

  additional inspection fee: 50 USD (plumbing permit form) · final inspection fee: 50 USD (plumbing permit form)

  “26. additional inspection $50 27. final inspection $50”

• Permit processPartial

  Plumbing permit process inside Ida township

  • Process is documented for plumbing permits only; zoning, septic and building permit steps were not located.
  • Permits remain valid while work progresses; a permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within six months of issuance.

  “when ready for an inspection, call the inspection, call the inspector providing as much advance notice as possible.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Ida township
• Certificate of occupancy — New dwelling occupancy inside Ida township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for districts inside Ida township
• Lot coverage — Maximum building coverage for districts inside Ida township
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Ida 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.