Bolthole Index

Oakland County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Rose Township, Michigan

Rose Township, Michigan requires a building permit for home construction, with applications handled by the township’s Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department.12 Rose Township sets local zoning; Oakland County Health Division handles septic permits inside the township.34 Lot size and home size depend on the zoning district, so a small rural parcel is not automatically a buildable homesite.567

At a glance

Building permit
Required for home construction; contact the township department12
Zoning
Rose Township has its own zoning ordinance3
Septic permits
Oakland County Health Division48
Minimum lot size
AG/RP: 10 acres; R-1A without water or sewer: 1.5 acres56
Minimum home size
R-1A: 1,300 square feet per dwelling unit7
Owner-builder
Own-use licensing exemption; building permits still apply9

Who to call

Building permits

Rose Township Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department

Township building applications and local zoning questions

248.634.0290

[email protected]

9080 Mason St., Holly, MI 48442

Online permits →

Septic permits

Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services

Septic permits, site evaluations and before-covering inspections

248-858-1312

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Rose Township, MI?

Rose Township home construction requires a written building-permit application before construction, subject to construction-code exceptions.1 The township’s Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department is the local contact for building applications and zoning questions.2 Michigan’s residential-builder licensing exemption covers a person erecting a residential structure for their own use and occupancy on their own property; the exemption does not remove building-permit, inspection or zoning requirements.9 Permitted construction is subject to inspections, and a new or altered building subject to the code cannot be occupied until the code official issues a certificate of occupancy.1011

Who handles building applications in Rose Township?

Contact the Rose Township Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department at 248.634.0290 or [email protected]; the township lists 9080 Mason St., Holly, MI 48442.2 Rose Township offers a GovWell system where applicants can submit requests, track status and access information online.2 Ask the department which building application documents and zoning approvals your proposed home needs before submitting plans.2 Keep the septic application separate: Oakland County Health Division issues septic permits and conducts construction and final inspections for onsite sewage systems.12

Does Rose Township have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Rose Township has local zoning, including agricultural and residential districts with different dimensional standards.313 In AG/RP, the minimum lot area is 10 acres and minimum width is 330 feet.5 In R-1A, the minimum lot area is 1.5 acres without water or sewer, 1 acre with public sewer, or 0.5 acre with both public water and public sewer; corresponding widths are 165, 110 and 100 feet.6 R-1A requires at least 1,300 square feet of floor area per dwelling unit.7 R-1A setbacks are 50 feet front and rear, with a least side yard of 10 feet and total side yards of 20 feet.14 Ask the township department to identify the parcel’s district and confirm the building envelope before choosing a house plan.2

How do septic permits work inside Rose Township?

Oakland County Health Division handles onsite sewage disposal in Rose Township, including permits for new systems and replacement, alteration or repair of existing systems.48 A new residential septic permit for vacant land costs $325; a residential repair permit costs $221.15 Applicants can use the county’s Citizen Access Portal after registering an account, or submit an application at a county office.16 Required inspections appear on the septic permit; when no special inspections are listed, a final before-covering inspection is required.17 Oakland County’s soil rating shows only 9.8% of soils as not limited for conventional drain fields; that countywide screening figure calls for a parcel-specific site evaluation, not a conclusion that septic is impossible.18

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Rose Township?

We could not confirm permission for long-term RV occupancy on private land in Rose Township; ask the township’s Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department about the intended duration and use before relying on an RV as housing.2 We also could not confirm a separate tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the same department whether the proposed structure qualifies as a dwelling in the parcel’s district.2 In R-1A, a dwelling unit must meet the 1,300-square-foot minimum, so a small-house proposal needs district-specific review.7 Rose Township’s prohibition on camping in township parks concerns park land and does not establish the private-land RV answer.19

Building a home in Rose Township: what steps come first?

  1. Ask the township building and zoning department to identify the zoning district, permitted home proposal and applicable lot dimensions before preparing construction plans.213
  2. Arrange the septic application and site review with Oakland County Health Division if the home will use an onsite sewage system.812
  3. Before drilling a well, ask Oakland County Health Division which local well-permit or notification requirement applies; Michigan’s requirements depend on the county ordinance.20
  4. Submit the written building-permit application before construction, then arrange the enforcing agency’s required construction inspections.110
  5. Obtain the code official’s certificate of occupancy before using a new or altered building subject to the code.11

What stays with Oakland County, and what should Rose Township buyers check?

Rose Township decides local zoning, while Oakland County Health Division handles septic approvals and inspections inside the township.312 For land outside Rose Township, consult the Oakland County guide and identify the local planning authority: Oakland County itself does not control city, village or township zoning.21 Michigan’s EGLE floodplain requirements can also affect a homesite: new residential construction is prohibited in the floodway, and qualifying river, stream or drain floodplain work requires state review.22 We could not confirm a Rose Township rule allowing alternative off-grid sanitation; ask Oakland County Health Division to review the proposed sewage system before buying equipment.23

Watch-outs

  • Oakland County’s lack of county-controlled zoning does not remove Rose Township’s zoning ordinance.213
  • Do not cover a permitted septic installation before the required final inspection.17
  • An owner-builder licensing exemption does not waive building permits or zoning requirements.9

Sources

  1. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  2. Rose Township Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement Department (rosetownship.com)
  3. Zoning (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Proposed Use of Septic (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. library.municode.com (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 38-180. Area and bulk requirements (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Sec. 38-180. Area and bulk requirements (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Proposed Use of Septic (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. MCL 125.1512, Inspection of construction (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 38-180. Area and bulk requirements (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) — applications and fees, quoted and re-checked
  16. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) — applications and fees, quoted and re-checked
  17. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Sec. 24-21. Camping (Rose Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Before you start a well drilling business (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Local Community Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  22. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services (oaklandcountymi.gov)

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Rose Township

Rose Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Rose township.

    • Rose Township publishes and links its zoning ordinance and zoning map.
    “Zoning Ordinance Zoning Board of Appeals Members”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Rose township.

    • The official code publishes district regulations and use schedules, including AG/RP, R-1A, R-1B, R-1E, R1R, RM, MH, and overlay districts.
    “Schedule of Regulations (A, B, C, D) Use District Lot Area in Acres”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwelling units in the R-1A Single-Family Residential district.

    • The table states a minimum floor area per unit of 1,300 square feet for R-1A.

    minimum floor area per unit: >= 1300 square feet

    “R-1A single-family residential No water or sewer 1.5 165' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50' 1,300 30%”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the R-1A Single-Family Residential district.

    • R-1A minimum lot area and width vary by available utilities.

    minimum lot area without water or sewer: >= 1.5 acres · minimum lot area with public sewer: >= 1 acre · minimum lot area with public water and public sewer: >= 0.5 acre · minimum lot width without water or sewer: >= 165 feet · minimum lot width with public sewer: >= 110 feet · minimum lot width with public water and public sewer: >= 100 feet

    “R-1A single-family residential No water or sewer 1.5 165' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50' 1,300 30% Public sewer 1.0 110' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50' 1,300 30% Public water and public sewer 0.5 100' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50' 1,300 30%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Lots in the AG/RP Agricultural and Rural Preserve district.
      “AG/RP agricultural and rural preserve 10 330'”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings and structures in the R-1A Single-Family Residential district.

    • R-1A setbacks are the same in the no-water-or-sewer, public-sewer, and public-water-and-public-sewer rows.

    front setback: 50 feet · least side setback: 10 feet · total side setbacks: 20 feet · rear setback: 50 feet

    “R-1A single-family residential No water or sewer 1.5 165' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50'”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Buildings and structures in the AG/RP Agricultural and Rural Preserve district.
      “AG/RP agricultural and rural preserve 10 330' 2½ 30' (F) 50' 20' 50' 50'”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    All buildings in the R-1A Single-Family Residential district.

    • The R-1A table specifies 30 percent maximum lot coverage for each utility condition.

    maximum lot coverage: 30 percent

    “R-1A single-family residential No water or sewer 1.5 165' 2½ 30' 50' 10' 20' 50' 1,300 30%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the R-1A Single-Family Residential district.

    maximum height: 30 feet · maximum stories: 2.5 stories

    “R-1A single-family residential No water or sewer 1.5 165' 2½ 30'”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Camping in Rose Township parks.

    “It shall be unlawful for any person to camp.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Onsite sewage disposal inside Rose township; Oakland County Health Division administers the county sanitary-code program.

    • Oakland County requirements apply inside Rose township.
    “Effective May 6, 2012 the Oakland County Sanitary Code, Article XI, requires anyone who installs onsite sewage disposal systems in Oakland County to be licensed by the Oakland County Health Division.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New, replacement, alteration, or repair onsite sewage systems serving property inside Rose township.

    • A new permit is required for vacant, burned-down, demolished, or extensively remodeled residential property.
    • A repair permit is required for replacement, alteration, or repair where the existing structure remains intact or remodeling does not increase bedrooms or sewage flows.
    • Commercial or non-residential systems with flows greater than 10,000 gallons per day are excluded from the cited commercial application rule.

    commercial flow threshold: > 10000 gallons per day (The cited commercial application rule does not apply above this flow.)

    “A Repair Onsite Sewage Disposal System Permit Application is required for any replacement, alteration or repair of an existing onsite sewage disposal system.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Rose Township building permits.

    • Fees are due when the permit is ready for pickup, not with the application.
    • The schedule lists additional inspection and reinspection fees, plan-review fees, and project-specific charges.

    residential base permit fee: 75 USD (Plus applicable listed fees.) · residential reinspection fee: 65 USD · residential plan review: per 65 USD (Per hour and fraction thereof) · temporary certificate of occupancy: 75 USD (90-day limit)

    “Base Permit Fee plus any of the following required below: $75 Additional Inspections & Re-inspections $65”

Rules another office applies inside Rose Township

Rose 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

    Construction inside Rose township subject to the Michigan Building Code or Michigan Residential Code.

    • The state page states that one- and two-family dwelling provisions are in the Michigan Residential Code.
    “The Michigan Building Code controls all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy, and maintenance of all buildings and structures and their service equipment.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder licensing or permit exemptions inside Rose township.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Rose township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Rose township.
  • Septic inspection — Onsite sewage inspection requirements inside Rose township.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation systems serving ordinary residential land inside Rose township.
3 more unanswered
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Rose Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Oakland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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