Building permits, zoning and land rules in Ogemaw County, Michigan

Yes. Ogemaw County requires a permit before excavation for a building or structure begins and before a building is erected, added to, altered or moved; regulated land use also requires a permit¹. The county lists building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and soil-erosion permit categories². Ogemaw County lists the 2021 Michigan Building Code for commercial work and the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for residential all-trades work⁵.

Permit needs vary by project, and nearly all applications require a floor plan, cross-section and a site plan showing the construction and dimensions to lot lines⁶. A project beside a county road may also need approval for a new or existing driveway⁶. Permitted construction is subject to periodic inspection, and an Ogemaw County residential building permit includes three inspections, with more possible^7,8.

The Ogemaw County Building Department handles building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and soil-erosion permits². Zoning approval is separate and comes from the government that zones the parcel; District Health Department No. 2 separately handles septic construction permits and final septic inspections throughout Ogemaw County^1,3. The Building Department is at 205 S. 8th St. West Branch, MI 48661, and its phone number is 989-345-3370². Applications may be emailed to permits@ocmi.us or left with check payment in the Annex drop box^2,6.

Call before submitting because the building-permit fee depends on the project⁶. Ask which trade permits, drawings, site information, health-department approvals and driveway documents the project requires⁶. Michigan's owner-builder licensing exemption can cover a person building on their own property for their own use and occupancy, but it does not remove applicable building-permit, inspection, code, zoning or utility requirements⁴.

Zoning authority varies across Ogemaw County. The county ordinance generally covers land outside incorporated cities and villages and Edwards Township; West Branch Township administers its own zoning, while Ogemaw County administers zoning for the Village of Prescott¹. Cities, villages and excluded townships may administer their own zoning, but septic construction permits and final septic inspections remain with District Health Department No. 2 throughout Ogemaw County^1,3. The county publishes conservancy, agricultural/rural-preservation, waterfront, residential, business and industrial districts for its jurisdiction¹. The county zoning office is at 205 S. 8th St. West Branch, MI 48661, phone 989-345-3375⁹.

Minimum lot size, front, rear and side setbacks, lot coverage and building height all vary by district in the county-zoned area¹. County rules require at least 720 square feet of finished living area for covered single-family homes outside manufactured-home parks and at least 400 square feet for efficiency dwelling units¹.

District Health Department No. 2 requires a septic construction permit before an onsite sewage system is installed or repaired in Ogemaw County and requires a final inspection before the system is covered or backfilled³. The Ogemaw County Environmental Health contact is at 630 Progress Street West Branch, MI 48661, phone (989) 345-5020 ext.1842¹⁰.

In the county-zoned area, a building with drinking water or sanitary facilities cannot receive a permit on a lot without public water and sewer unless District Health Department No. 2 approves the private water supply or onsite sewage system¹. Outdoor restrooms, outhouses and similar off-grid sanitation are prohibited for residential use in the county-zoned area¹. Only 2.5% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so complete the site evaluation before committing to a house site¹¹.

In residential districts governed by Ogemaw County zoning, recreational vehicles may be used for no more than 14 days in any 30-day period and must be removed for the rest of that period¹. One RV may remain from April 1 through November 30 when connected to a well and septic system approved by District Health Department No. 2¹. During construction of a permanent home, temporary occupancy may be approved after the home building permit is issued; the approval lasts up to 365 days and may be renewed with full payment¹.

Zoning authority varies in cities, villages and excluded townships, so ask the parcel's zoning office about RV or tiny-home occupancy; septic construction permits still go through District Health Department No. 2^1,3. Tiny-home classification is not expressly confirmed. In the county-zoned area, covered single-family homes outside manufactured-home parks require at least 720 square feet of finished living area¹.

1. Identify the governing zoning office and district, then confirm the use, minimum lot size, dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage, height and any temporary RV occupancy¹.

1. Obtain the septic construction permit and private-water approval from District Health Department No. 2; ask whether the proposed well requires a permit or notification^1,3,12.

1. Confirm driveway approval if the property borders a county road⁶.

1. Ask the Building Department for the building-permit fee and application package; nearly all building permits need a floor plan, cross-section and dimensioned site plan⁶.

1. Obtain the building permit and applicable electrical, mechanical, plumbing and soil-erosion permits, then arrange required inspections^2,7.

1. Obtain the required certificate of occupancy before covered occupancy or a change of use¹.

Start with jurisdiction, zoning district, water, septic feasibility and legal access. Confirm the parcel's district-specific minimum lot size and setbacks, obtain District Health Department No. 2 requirements for the septic construction permit and private water supply, and verify driveway approval where land borders a county road^1,3,6. Only 2.5% of county soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so do not assume a standard system will fit the site¹¹.

The landscape is 70.1% wooded, and 94.6% of county land has a slope of 15% or less¹¹. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 114 miles from the county center, so account for long supply and service trips¹¹. The median property-tax bill is $1,417 per year, but obtain the parcel's current assessment and taxable-value history before estimating carrying costs¹¹.