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

Commerce Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, addition, or demolition of a building or accessory structure inside Commerce charter township.

  • Permit is required before proceeding with the listed work.

  “The Township requires that a building permit be obtained before proceeding with any construction, alteration, addition or demolition of any building or accessory structure.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted building work inside Commerce charter township.

  • The Township Building Department arranges inspections to ensure conformance with State and Township ordinances and codes.

  “The Building Department issues permits and arranges to inspect work and materials to ensure that all activity conforms to the ordinances and codes of the State and Township.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Commerce charter township.

  • Township Planning administers and maintains Zoning Ordinance 3.000 and the Official Zoning Map.

  “planning is also responsible for administering and maintaining the commerce township zoning ordinance 3.000, the master plan, and the official zoning map as well as producing an annual report”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational-vehicle occupancy in overnight camping facilities inside Commerce charter township.

  • Camping facilities are limited to transient recreational purposes; campsites are limited to 12 per acre, minimum 3,000 square feet, and RVs or tents must be at least 15 feet apart.

  maximum campsites: <= 12 campsites per acre · minimum campsite area: >= 3000 square feet

  “overnight camping facilities shall be permitted limited to transient recreational purposes and shall be subject to the following restrictions”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tent, camper, and travel-trailer camping accessory to a Gun Club or Conservation Club inside Commerce charter township.

  • A camping event may not exceed four consecutive nights; sanitation acceptable to Oakland County Health Division is required; no permanent camper/travel-trailer storage or mobile-home units are allowed.

  maximum camping-event length: <= 4 consecutive nights

  “the maximum length for any one camping event shall not exceed four (4) consecutive nights.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Existing septic systems on residential and commercial properties inside Commerce charter township at property transfer.

  • Applies to parcels with existing septic systems at sale; evaluation must be by Township-registered evaluators and submitted within 15 days; Section 40.335 contains certain exceptions.

  evaluation submission deadline: <= 15 days (Measured from performance of the evaluation.)

  “Commerce Township Code of Ordinances, Section 40 requires any parcel of property which has existing septic systems provide certified evaluations of the system at the time of sale.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Property transfers of residential or commercial properties with existing septic systems inside Commerce charter township.

  • Starting October 1, 2023, a form is required with all Property Transfer Affidavits; certified evaluations are required at sale, subject to Section 40.335 exceptions.

  “Starting October 1, 2023, septic inspection forms will be required to be submitted with all Property Transfer Affidavits for residential and commercial properties which have existing septic systems.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Buildings inside Commerce charter township where the Township Code requires water or sanitary facilities.

  • The cited zoning provision does not provide an availability distance or establish a mandatory public-water/public-sewer connection; facilities are subject to Building Official approval.

  “Where required by the Commerce Charter Township Code, buildings shall be provided with an adequate source of potable water and adequate sewer or septic system facilities, subject to the approval of the Building Official.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivision plats inside Commerce charter township.

  • Land divisions must comply with Michigan's Land Division Act, the Township Code, and the resulting parcels must conform to the zoning ordinance.

  “Land divisions shall comply with the requirements of the Land Division Act (P.A. 288 of 1967, as amended), and the Commerce Charter Township Code. The resulting parcels shall conform to the requirements of this Ordinance.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Dwellings on lots inside Commerce charter township.

  • A dwelling must abut and have direct frontage on an approved road; indirect access through a private access easement is insufficient.

  “No dwelling shall be built on any lot that does not abut and have direct frontage on an approved road. Indirect access via a private access easement shall not be sufficient to satisfy this requirement.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits and inspection scheduling inside Commerce charter township.

  • Users must first create an online portal account; the page says online permit application is coming soon while providing a permit-application link.

  “Residents can now schedule an inspection online, with the ability to apply for permits online coming soon.”

Rules another office applies inside Commerce Township

Commerce 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Commerce charter township.

  • The Township Building Department enforces the State Construction Code Act of 1972; the source says Michigan mandates a nationally recognized code statewide.

  “The Building Department is responsible for enforcement of the State Construction Code Act of 1972. The State of Michigan mandates that a nationally recognized code shall be enforced throughout the State.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Commerce charter township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of construction inside Commerce charter township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Commerce charter township.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Commerce charter township.
• Septic permit — Installation or replacement of onsite septic systems inside Commerce charter 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Commerce Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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