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

Sullivan Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Sullivan township limits (Muskegon County, Michigan); the township's own zoning ordinance governs use and dimensional rules there

  • The cover page is dated January 3, 1999 with amendments effective through October 3, 2023; the table of contents header reads adopted 1/3/99 with amendments effective through July 23, 2020. The two stated amendment dates conflict and the current version should be confirmed.
  • Zoning permits are issued by the zoning administrator (section 3.10 and the outdoor pond provision refer to zoning permit issuance).

  “sullivan township zoning ordinance muskegon county, michigan january 3, 1999 (with amendments effective through october 3, 2023)”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Sullivan township (Muskegon County, Michigan)

  • Districts named in the table of contents include R-A, R-R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 (manufactured home park), NC, SC, LI and others; each has its own chapter with a district regulations section.

  “chapter 4 r-a - rural residential/agricultural district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 low density residential district (chapter 6) inside Sullivan township

  • Size is stated as usable floor area (UFA) on the first floor.

  minimum dwelling unit size, first floor UFA: >= 864 square feet

  “maximum building height 3 stories; or 50 feet, [amended 10/3/2023] minimum dwelling unit size 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the R-A rural residential/agricultural district (chapter 4) inside Sullivan township

    “minimum dwelling unit size chapter 4 r-a district 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

  • Specified — Dwellings in the R-R rural residential district (chapter 5) inside Sullivan township

    “maximum building height minimum dwelling unit size 3 stories; or 50 feet [amended 10/3/23] 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

  • Specified — Dwellings in the R-2 medium density residential district (chapter 7) inside Sullivan township

    “maximum building height 3 stories; or 50 feet, [amended 10/3/23] minimum dwelling unit size 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Uses in the R-A rural residential/agricultural district (chapter 4) inside Sullivan township

  • Section 4.04 says these dimensional requirements apply to any use in the district unless provided elsewhere.
  • Planned unit development and residential cluster provisions in chapter 13 set their own lot and yard standards; not reviewed in detail.
  • The table carries the note [amended 10/3/23].

  minimum lot area: >= 10 acres · minimum lot width: >= 330 feet

  “r-a district regulations minimum lot area 10 acres minimum lot width 330 feet”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Uses in the R-R rural residential district (chapter 5) inside Sullivan township

    “r-r district regulations minimum lot area 5 acres minimum lot width 330 feet minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

  • Specified — Uses in the R-1 low density residential district (chapter 6) inside Sullivan township

    “r-1 district regulations minimum lot area 2½ acres minimum lot width 165 feet minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

  • Specified — Uses in the R-2 medium density residential district (chapter 7) inside Sullivan township

    “r-2 district regulations minimum lot area 1.25 acres (54,450 square feet) minimum lot width 165 feet minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Uses in the R-1 low density residential district (chapter 6) inside Sullivan township

  • Front yard setback is measured under section 3.05, which allows an average setback where existing buildings within 200 feet establish a smaller one.
  • Architectural features may project 4 feet into a front or rear setback (section 3.07).

  front yard setback: >= 75 feet · side yard setback: >= 25 feet · rear yard setback: >= 25 feet

  “minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Uses in the R-A rural residential/agricultural district (chapter 4) inside Sullivan township

    “minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

  • Specified — Uses in the R-R rural residential district (chapter 5) inside Sullivan township

    “minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

  • Specified — Uses in the R-2 medium density residential district (chapter 7) inside Sullivan township

    “minimum front yard setback 75 feet minimum side yard setback 25 feet minimum rear yard setback 25 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  NC neighborhood commercial district (chapter 10) only; not residential lots

  • The NC table lists maximum lot coverage 25 percent; the extracted text places the 25 percent figure after the table labels, so the match is inferred from the table layout.
  • The SC district (chapter 11) has the same 25 percent maximum lot coverage in its table.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent (NC district only)

  “25 percent parking lots for uses in the nc district shall be adequately lit”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-A rural residential/agricultural district (chapter 4) inside Sullivan township

  • Height is stated as 3 stories or 50 feet; the ordinance text does not say which limit controls when they differ.
  • Agricultural buildings are exempt from the maximum accessory building height and area limits (section 3.08.h).

  maximum building height: <= 50 feet (alternative limit of 3 stories)

  “maximum building height 3 stories; or 50 feet, [amended 10/3/23]”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-R rural residential district (chapter 5) inside Sullivan township

    “maximum building height minimum dwelling unit size 3 stories; or 50 feet [amended 10/3/23] 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-1 low density residential district (chapter 6) inside Sullivan township

    “maximum building height 3 stories; or 50 feet, [amended 10/3/2023] minimum dwelling unit size 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-2 medium density residential district (chapter 7) inside Sullivan township

    “maximum building height 3 stories; or 50 feet, [amended 10/3/23] minimum dwelling unit size 864 square feet ufa on the first floor”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds as a listed use in the R-1 low density residential district (chapter 6) of Sullivan township; RV living is limited by section 3.19

  • Campgrounds are a permitted use in R-A, R-R and R-1 (sections 4.02, 5.02, 6.02); campground standards were not opened.
  • Living or housekeeping in a parked RV is limited to 14 days in any six-month period (section 3.19).

  “f. campgrounds. g. state licensed residential care family facilities.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes used as a single-family dwelling on an individual lot in Sullivan township (section 3.09)

  • A manufactured home must be new and certified by the manufacturer and/or inspection agency as meeting the federal HUD mobile home construction and safety standards of 1976, or a similar successor standard, or meet the other alternatives in section 3.09.a.
  • Section 3.09 also sets further construction and appearance standards for every single-family dwelling; those were not fully reviewed.
  • Manufactured homes in a park are governed by chapter 9 (R-4), not reviewed in full.

  “if the dwelling unit is a manufactured home, the manufactured home must either be: 1. 2. new and certified by the manufacturer”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Lots in a manufactured home park under chapter 9 in Sullivan township; section 9.07 only. General single-family lots are not covered by this claim.

  • Alternative water and sanitary services may be used if approved by the Muskegon County health department and other applicable agencies.
  • Park owner or operator bears the cost of connection.

  “all lots shall be provided with a public water and sanitary sewer service, or such water and sanitary services that may be approved by the muskegon county health department”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Lots of record created after the ordinance effective date in Sullivan township; this is a street-frontage rule, not a driveway permit rule

  • Frontage must be on a public street or on a private street right-of-way meeting section 3.26.
  • Private streets serving more than 20 lots must be public (section 3.26 text read in part).

  “any lot of record created after the effective date of this ordinance shall front upon a public street or private street right-of-way”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new dwellings in Sullivan township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing or permits in Sullivan township
• Building code adopted — Building code in force for new construction in Sullivan township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new dwellings in Sullivan township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Sullivan 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.