Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Fruitport, Michigan

Village of Fruitport’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Fruitport village limits; the village administers its own Land Use Zoning Ordinance.

  • Cover-page date reads November 18th, 2019 while the file name says December 2019; the text governs.
  • Latest revision August 2024, with a 2024 amendment table (effective 9-8-24) for sections 3.10, 3.24, 7.03 and 8.03 and 8.08.

  “village of fruitport land use zoning ordinance adopted november 18th, 2019. latest revision august 2024”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Official zoning districts for land inside Fruitport village.

  • Table of contents lists district chapters for residential (chapter 7), business (chapter 8) and planned unit development (chapter 9); the district map PDF itself was not opened.

  “section 7.03 lot, yard and building requirements requirement r-1 r-2”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family or townhouse dwelling units in the residential district table of section 7.03 inside Fruitport village.

  • Efficiency unit minimum is 500 sq ft; duplex is 860 sq ft per dwelling; 1-bedroom apartment 650 sq ft, 2-bedroom 750 sq ft, 3-bedroom 900 sq ft.
  • The table row is not labelled by district; it sits in the residential chapter.

  minimum living space per single-family or townhouse unit: >= 860 sq ft (efficiency 500 sq ft; duplex 860 sq ft per dwelling)

  “minimum dwelling unit living space (per unit) single family or townhouse - 860 sq. ft.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the R-2 residential (multiple-family) district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-2 column).

  • Column order follows the table header 'requirement r-1 r-2'; the excerpt gives both columns in sequence.
  • Same table sets minimum lot width and frontage at 100 ft and maximum density at 11 units per acre for R-2.

  minimum lot size for first dwelling unit: >= 10000 sq ft · additional minimum lot area per dwelling unit after the first: >= 3000 sq ft (applies to each additional dwelling unit)

  “minimum lot size 6,000 sq. ft. 10,000 sq. ft. for the first dwelling unit then 3,000 sq. ft. for each additional dwelling unit thereafter”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the R-1 residential district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-1 column).

    “minimum lot size 6,000 sq. ft. 10,000 sq. ft. for the first dwelling unit then 3,000 sq. ft. for each additional dwelling unit thereafter”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential uses on lots in the R-1 district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-1 column).

  • Front setback is 'shall align or average with neighbors' rather than a fixed distance.
  • Waterfront setback (50 ft) is measured from the ordinary high-water mark on lakefront lots; the zoning board of appeals may approve a lesser average setback.
  • Nonresidential setbacks are a separate row in the same table and are not stated here.
  • Side setback was increased by the 2024 amendment effective 9-8-24.

  side setback: 6 ft · rear setback: 25 ft · waterfront setback: 50 ft (measured from ordinary high-water mark)

  “setbacks (residential uses) front: shall align or average with neighbors waterfront*: 50 ft. side: 6 ft. rear: 25 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential uses on lots in the R-2 district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-2 column).

    “front: shall align or average with neighbors waterfront*: 50 feet side: 10 ft. rear: 20 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings on lots in the R-1 district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-1 column).

  • Table of contents lists section 3.07 height exceptions; that section was not opened.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (section 3.07 height exceptions not reviewed)

  “maximum height 35 feet 35 feet min. open space for developments 15% 15%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings on lots in the R-2 district inside Fruitport village (section 7.03 table, r-2 column).

    “maximum height 35 feet 35 feet min. open space for developments 15% 15%”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles stored outdoors on residential-district lots inside Fruitport village.

  • Stored RVs may be occupied for up to 7 days in any 90-day period.
  • Storage in a residential district must be accessory to the principal use of the parcel or an adjacent parcel under the same owner.
  • Not in the required front yard unless on an improved driveway; at least 5 ft from any dwelling and 3 ft from a side lot line.

  occupancy of stored RV: <= 7 days (in any 90-day period)

  “recreational vehicles may be stored in the rear yard. such equipment may also be occupied for up to seven (7) days in a ninety (90) day period.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Prohibited — Using any temporary dwelling, camper, recreational vehicle or trailer as a principal, seasonal or short-term dwelling on any lot in Fruitport village.

    “f. no person shall use or permit the use of any temporary dwelling, camper, recreational vehicle or trailer as a principal or seasonal or short term dwelling on any site, lot, field, parcel or tract of land, except as part of a campground licensed by the michigan department of public health and/or county department of health.”

• Camping on your landProhibited

  Temporary dwellings, campers and recreational vehicles used as dwellings outside a licensed campground in Fruitport village.

  • Exception: a campground licensed by the Michigan Department of Public Health and/or county department of health.
  • Section 3.18 temporary uses and buildings (page 3-13) was not opened and may add temporary-use rules.

  “f. no person shall use or permit the use of any temporary dwelling, camper, recreational vehicle or trailer as a principal or seasonal or short term dwelling on any site, lot, field, parcel or tract of land, except as part of a campground licensed by the michigan department of public health and/or county department of health.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes on individual lots inside Fruitport village, outside manufactured home parks (section 3.17).

  • Must be placed on and secured to a permanent foundation meeting the state building code.
  • Manufactured homes must meet HUD mobile home construction and safety standards (24 CFR 3280).
  • Manufactured home parks are a separate use under the district regulations and were not reviewed.

  “any one-family dwelling, whether constructed and erected on a lot, or a manufactured home outside a manufactured home park, may be permitted only if it complies with all of the following requirements:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Fruitport or Muskegon County directly.

• Building permit — Building permit for new construction inside Fruitport village.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building a home inside Fruitport village.
• Inspections — Building inspections for new dwellings inside Fruitport village.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Fruitport village.
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage for land inside Fruitport village.

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.