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

Ensley Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Ensley township, Newaygo County, Michigan

  • Zoning administered by the township zoning administrator and township board; ordinance amended by Ordinance 2022-5 (adopted July 5, 2022).

  “an amendment to the ensley township zoning ordinance regarding the storage and use of recreational equipment and vehicles in section 3.29 of the zoning ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Ensley township

  • Districts: A-R rural residential, R-L lake resort residential, R-S suburban residential, R-A apartment, C commercial, I industrial, R-MH manufactured home park; PUD in chapter 15.

  “ensley township is hereby divided into the following districts: abbreviation district name ordinance chapter a-r agricultural residential chapter 5 r-l lake resort residential chapter 6 r-s suburban residential chapter 7 r-a apartment chapter 8 c commercial chapter 9 i industrial chapter 10 r-mh mobile home park chapter 11 pud planned unit development chapter 15”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  A-R rural residential district inside Ensley township

  • Section 3.25 also requires dwellings outside manufactured home parks to have elevations at least 24 feet wide

  minimum floor area, one story: >= 720 sq ft · ground floor area above one story: >= 600 sq ft

  “minimum dwelling unit floor area a) one story - 720 square feet b) above one story - ground floor area no less than 600 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-S suburban residential district inside Ensley township, single-family dwellings

  • Non-residential uses need 2 acres

  minimum lot area with public sewer: >= 18000 sq ft · minimum lot area without public sewer: >= 25000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 110 feet

  “minimum lot area single family dwellings 18,000 square feet with public sanitary sewer service 25,000 square feet without public sanitary sewer service non-residential uses - 2 acres minimum lot width 110 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-R rural residential district inside Ensley township

    “minimum lot area 1 acre minimum lot width 109 feet [at front setback line]”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-R rural residential district inside Ensley township

  • Non-residential side yard 50 feet each side

  front yard: >= 30 feet · side yard, residential use: >= 30 feet (each side) · rear yard: >= 30 feet

  “front yard 30 feet residential use - 30 feet [each side] side yard non-residential use - 50 feet [each side] rear yard 30 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-S suburban residential district inside Ensley township

    “front yard 30 feet side yard 15 feet minimum/35 feet total 2 sides rear yard 25 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  A-R rural residential district inside Ensley township

  lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “building height 35 feet or 2½ stories [least one] lot coverage 25% minimum lot area 1 acre”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-S suburban residential district inside Ensley township

    “front yard 30 feet side yard 15 feet minimum/35 feet total 2 sides rear yard 25 feet building height 35 feet or 2½ stories [least one] lot coverage 25%”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-R rural residential district inside Ensley township

  • Section 3.00 exempts chimneys, silos, grain elevators, and similar structures in the A-R districts

  building height: <= 35 feet or 2.5 stories (least one)

  “building height 35 feet or 2½ stories [least one] lot coverage 25% minimum lot area 1 acre”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-S suburban residential district inside Ensley township

    “front yard 30 feet side yard 15 feet minimum/35 feet total 2 sides rear yard 25 feet building height 35 feet or 2½ stories [least one] lot coverage 25%”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs on lots in residential zoning districts inside Ensley township (Zoning Ordinance Section 3.29)

  • No RV on a vacant lot except when actively used for camping
  • No hookup to public or private sewer or water system
  • No more than three RVs stored outdoors per lot
  • Zoning administrator may permit habitation beyond 14 days, up to 30 days per calendar year

  max RVs stored outdoors per lot: <= 3 RVs

  “recreational vehicles shall not be used as dwellings or houses or for permanent or long-term habitation. recreation vehicles shall be used for short-term camping only.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  RV camping on a lot in a residential district inside Ensley township

  • Zoning administrator may issue a permit for more than 14 days, but no longer than 30 days per calendar year, with reasonable conditions

  RV camping without permit: <= 14 days per calendar year (up to 30 days with zoning administrator permit)

  “a recreational vehicle may be used on a lot for camping, living or housekeeping purposes for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days during any calendar year.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Ensley township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ensley township
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Ensley township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Ensley township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Ensley 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.