Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Hesperia, Michigan

Village of Hesperia’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Hesperia village limits: the village administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 153 (Zoning), of its code of ordinances.

  • Source is the village-hosted code PDF whose cover lists the 2014 S-1 supplement; later amendments (for example the 2025-01 Chapter 153 marihuana amendment and 2020-03 campground amendment named in village minutes seen in search results, not opened) were not checked against this text.
  • Zoning enforcement is by the village zoning department (code section 10.12).

  “residence district 1a shall comprise those residential areas of the village as shown on the zoning map.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Residence, business, and industrial districts of Hesperia village zoning (Chapter 153)

  • Districts are established by section 153.015 and boundaries are shown on the zoning map (section 153.016, Appendix A); the map was not opened, so parcel-level district assignment is not confirmed.
  • Table of contents lists Residence 1a, 1b, 1c, Business 2a/2b, Industrial 3a and further districts; only 1a text was read.

  “residence district 1a shall comprise those residential areas of the village as shown on the zoning map.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in Residence District 1a inside Hesperia village limits

  • Applies only to the 1a permitted-use list; other districts have their own rules not yet verified.

  minimum floor space, one-family dwelling: >= 1200 square feet (none stated in the quoted permitted-use clause)

  “(a) one-family dwellings containing not less than 1,200 square feet of floor space;”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Residence District 1a inside Hesperia village limits

  • Does not apply to lots already platted and recorded at the effective date of the chapter.
  • Lot area is per family dwelling.

  minimum lot area per family dwelling: >= 6000 square feet (lots already platted and recorded at the effective date of this chapter)

  “(a) lot area per family. every family dwelling hereafter erected or altered shall provide a lot area of not less than 6,000 square feet. this regulation shall not apply to lots already platted and recorded at the effective date of this chapter.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in Residence District 1b inside Hesperia village limits

    “(a) lot area per family. every family dwelling hereafter erected or altered in the residence district shall provide a lot area of not less than 5,500 square feet. this regulation shall not apply to lots already platted and recorded at the effective date of this chapter.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in Residence District 1a inside Hesperia village limits (front setback line)

  • Setback is adjusted to match the majority of existing buildings on the same side of the street between two intersecting streets, per section 153.033(b).
  • No building is required to set back more than 40 feet in any case.
  • Corner-lot buildable-width proviso applies (section 153.033(b) continues beyond the quoted text).

  minimum building setback line: >= 20 feet (street-alignment adjustment; maximum required setback 40 feet)

  “(b) setback. there shall be a building setback line of not less than 20 feet; provided, however, that when the majority of buildings capable of being built on one side of a street between two intersecting streets at the time of the adoption of this chapter have been built,”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in Residence District 1b inside Hesperia village limits (front setback line)

    “(b) setback. there shall be a building setback line of not less than 16 feet; provided, however, that when the majority of buildings built on one side of a street between two intersecting streets at the time of the adoption of this chapter have been built,”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in Residence District 1a inside Hesperia village limits

  • Permitted nonresidential structures may exceed the limit by one foot for each foot in excess of 12 feet that the building sets back from all property lines.
  • Height limits for districts 1b and 1c and business/industrial districts not verified in this run.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (nonresidential structures may exceed by one foot per foot of setback beyond 12 feet) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (same as feet limit)

  “no building or structure or part thereof shall be erected or altered to a height exceeding two and one-half stories or 35 feet, except that permitted nonresidential structures may exceed this limit by one foot for each foot in excess of 12 feet that the building sets back from all property lines.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks and cesspools inside Hesperia village limits

  • General prohibition is subject to exceptions in the village private-sewage-disposal sections (sections 50.135 onward, not read in this run).
  • Once public sewer is available within 200 feet, section 50.123 applies.

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings for human occupancy inside Hesperia village abutting a street, alley or right-of-way where a village public sewer is or may later be located

  • Connection is required only when the owner receives official notice from the village.
  • Connection need not be made less than six months after the sewer is made available.
  • Applies within 200 feet at the nearest point from the structure in which sewage originates.

  distance to public sewer triggering connection: <= 200 feet (measured at nearest point from the structure) · minimum time after sewer availability before connection required: >= 6 months (none stated)

  “within 200 feet at the nearest point from the structure in which sewage originates, is hereby required, at his or her expense, to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect the facilities directly with the proper public sewer, in accordance with the provision of this chapter, when given official notice to do so, provided that the connection shall not be required to be made less than six months after the sewer is made available for connection thereto.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Hesperia or Oceana County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Hesperia village
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits inside Hesperia village
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Hesperia village
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Hesperia village
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Hesperia village

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.