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

Douglass Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Douglass township limits (Montcalm County, MI). The township's zoning administrator administers its own zoning ordinance; this claim does not cover the county's unincorporated area.

  • The ordinance text located is a 2022 copy hosted by energyzoning.org, a third-party host, and was not confirmed against the township's current adopted version.
  • The township home page says a zoning book amendment had a public hearing: 'public hearing wednesday, july 29th, 2026 at 6:00pm'.
  • Zoning permits are issued by the township; building, well/septic and driveway permits are issued by county or health agencies (see other claims).

  “dave kelsey, douglass township zoning administrator 989-289-2268 or email [email protected]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for land inside Douglass township

  • The township home page links to zoning districts and maps; the district maps themselves were not opened.
  • The 2022 ordinance copy's chapters include Ag/RE (5), LDR (6), LR (7), MDR (7a), NB (8), GB (9), LI (10), FR (11), and Special Land Uses (12).

  “zoning information zoning districts, maps, and”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the AG/RE agricultural/rural estate district (Chapter 5) inside Douglass township

  • Source is the 2022 ordinance copy; confirm against the current adopted text.
  • Minimum floor area read from a flattened table in Section 5.04; column alignment is inferred.

  minimum floor area: >= 750 sq ft

  “minimum floor area 1 2 3 1 acre 1 200 feet 60 feet2 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet3 750sq.ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the LDR low density residential district inside Douglass township

    “minimum floor area 12000 sq. ft. 1 80 feet 40 feet 2 10 feet 35 feet 35 feet3 30 percent 840 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the AG/RE agricultural/rural estate district (Chapter 5) inside Douglass township

  • A farm or farm building must have at least ten (10) acres.
  • Lot width is 200 feet in the same table row (read from flattened table).

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (farm or farm building: 10 acres)

  “the minimum lot area for a farm or a farm building is ten (10) acres.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the LDR low density residential district inside Douglass township

    “minimum floor area 12000 sq. ft. 1 80 feet 40 feet 2 10 feet 35 feet 35 feet3 30 percent 840 sq. ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG/RE agricultural/rural estate district (Chapter 5) inside Douglass township

  • Front yard 60 ft; side yard 25 ft; rear yard 50 ft, per the flattened Section 5.04 table.
  • A farm building must have a 100 ft front yard (footnote 2).

  minimum front yard: >= 60 ft (farm building: 100 ft) · minimum side yard: >= 25 ft · minimum rear yard: >= 50 ft

  “the minimum front yard for a farm building is one-hundred (100) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the LDR low density residential district inside Douglass township

    “minimum floor area 12000 sq. ft. 1 80 feet 40 feet 2 10 feet 35 feet 35 feet3 30 percent 840 sq. ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the AG/RE agricultural/rural estate district (Chapter 5) inside Douglass township

  • Source is the 2022 ordinance copy; confirm against the current adopted text.
  • Coverage value is read from a flattened table; column alignment is inferred.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “maximum lot coverage 30percent minimum floor area 1 2 3 1 acre 1 200 feet 60 feet2 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet3 750sq.ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the LDR low density residential district inside Douglass township

    “minimum floor area 12000 sq. ft. 1 80 feet 40 feet 2 10 feet 35 feet 35 feet3 30 percent 840 sq. ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG/RE agricultural/rural estate district (Chapter 5) inside Douglass township

  • Footnote 3 excludes agricultural buildings and structures; Section 2.03(b) exempts chimneys, spires, water tanks, antennas and similar appurtenances.
  • Height value read from a flattened table; column alignment is inferred.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (agricultural buildings and structures; Section 2.03(b) appurtenances)

  “minimum floor area 1 2 3 1 acre 1 200 feet 60 feet2 25 feet 50 feet 35 feet3 750sq.ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the LDR low density residential district inside Douglass township

    “3 excludes agricultural buildings and structures.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Parking or outdoor storage of recreational vehicles on residential land inside Douglass township (not use as a dwelling)

  • Parking or storage of an RV for more than 7 days in any 30-day period is prohibited in residential districts unless the stated enclosure/placement requirements are met and the ordinance otherwise permits it (2022 ordinance copy, Section 2.16).
  • The ordinance's dwelling definition excludes recreational vehicles, so the ordinance does not authorize an RV as a dwelling in this copy (Section 20.67).

  parking or storage limit: <= 7 days per 30-day period (enclosed or behind front face of main building, 5 ft from side/rear lot line; except where otherwise permitted by this ordinance)

  “shall be prohibited for a period greater than seven (7) days within any thirty (30) day period in all residential districts except where otherwise permitted by this ordinance, unless the following requirements are met:”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Two-family and multiple-family dwellings in the MDR medium density residential district inside Douglass township

  • Applies to multiple-family buildings and developments in the MDR district only, per the 2022 ordinance copy.
  • Private systems are allowed only if approved by the county health department or the state, per the same text.

  “public sanitary sewers and water mains are required or private systems that are approved by the montcalm county health department or the michigan department of public health.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit application for construction inside Douglass township

  • The township form lists required attachments; the building, well/septic and driveway steps run through county and health agencies.
  • The township's full permit process and timelines were not published in the pages opened.

  “e. copies of permits: attach copies of all permits received, such as septic, well, driveway, wetland, and soil erosion/grading permits.”

Rules another office applies inside Douglass Township

Douglass 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

  Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits for construction inside Douglass township; issued by the Montcalm County Building Department, not the township

  • The township zoning permit is a separate step; the township application asks for septic, well, driveway and wetland permits already held.
  • Permit amounts and building code editions were not found on the township pages.

  “contact the following county departments for proper permits: building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits: montcalm county building department 989-831-7394”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private septic systems for land inside Douglass township; the Mid Michigan District Health Department handles the permit, per the township's own form

  • The 2022 ordinance copy names the Montcalm County health department for private well and septic approval, an older naming that should be checked against the current agency.

  “well and septic permits: mid michigan health department 989-831-5237 ext. 4”

• Septic permitRequired

  Buildings served by a private well and septic tank and drainfield inside Douglass township

  • The township will not issue a zoning permit for a building served by private septic until a health permit is issued (2022 ordinance copy, Section 2.03(a)).
  • The ordinance copy names the Montcalm County health department; the township form names Mid Michigan District Health Department.

  “no permit shall be issued for the construction of a building or structure which is to be served by a private well and septic tank and drainfield unless the facilities comply with all rules and regulations and a permit has been issued by the montcalm county health department.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells for buildings inside Douglass township

  • The township form directs well permits to the Mid Michigan District Health Department; the 2022 ordinance copy names the Montcalm County health department.

  “well and septic permits: mid michigan health department 989-831-5237 ext. 4”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access onto county roads inside Douglass township; the Montcalm County Road Commission issues driveway permits

  • Permit must be obtained from the county road commission before driveway construction.
  • Driveways onto state highways are handled by MDOT, not the county road commission (not verified on a state page in this research).

  “driveway permits: montcalm county road commission 989-831-5285”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Douglass township
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Douglass township limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Douglass township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home inside Douglass township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Douglass 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.