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

Lyon Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Development subject to Township site-plan review inside Lyon Charter Township; the Township also publishes a residential building-permit application.

  • Construction may not begin until all required permits are obtained from the Township Building Department.
  • The cited site-plan process does not apply to single-family residential uses.

  “Construction shall not begin until all required permits are obtained from the Building Department.”

• Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  A homeowner obtaining a residential permit for the homeowner's own Lyon Charter Township home.

  • The homeowner certifies that the work will be installed by the homeowner or chosen licensed contractors in a home the homeowner is living in or about to occupy.
  • Work must comply with state and Township codes and ordinances.

  “HOMEOWNER PERMIT - I hereby certify that the proposed work shall be installed by myself (or licensed contractors of my choice) in my own home which I am living or about to occupy.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work authorized by a Lyon Township residential building permit.

  • The permit remains valid only while work progresses and inspections are requested and conducted.
  • The permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within six months after issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 180 days.

  “A permit remains valid as long as work is progressing and inspections are requested and conducted.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lyon Charter Township, Michigan.

  • The cited notice concerns Ordinance No. 12-20 zoning-text amendments adopted January 4, 2021.
  • Its stated effective date is the eighth day after publication of notice, unless a timely referendum petition or notice of intent is filed under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.

  “On January 4, 2021, the Charter Township of Lyon Board of Trustees adopted Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments, Ordinance No. 12-20, to make the following text amendments to the indicated sections of the Zoning Ordinance:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts in Lyon Charter Township.

  • The official notice identifies R-1.0 Residential-Agricultural, R-0.5 Single Family Residential, RM-1 Suburban Townhouse, RM-2 Multi-Family Residential, New Hudson, and Wellhead Protection Overlay zoning provisions among amended ordinance sections.

  “Article 23.00, R-1.0 Residential-Agricultural District, Section 23.02, Permitted Uses and Structures, to amend the reference to state licensed residential facilities to comply with state statute.”

Rules another office applies inside Lyon Township

Lyon Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Septic permitRequired

  New residential on-site sewage disposal systems inside Lyon Charter Township, under Oakland County Health Division administration.

  • Applies where residential property is vacant, burned down, demolished, or extensively remodeled.
  • For repairs, the County says a repair permit is required where the existing structure remains intact or remodeling does not increase bedrooms or sewage flows.

  “A New Onsite Sewage Disposal Permit Application is required for construction or installation of a new onsite sewage disposal system.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Lyon Charter Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Lyon Charter Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Lyon Charter Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside Lyon Charter Township.
• Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside Lyon 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 Lyon 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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