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

Village of Ontonagon’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Ontonagon village

  • Village zoning ordinance is Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances, with traditional districts including R-1 and R-2.

  “The R-1 Residential district (R-1) provides for single-family residential development”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Ontonagon village (R-1, R-2 read; other districts such as DT-2, DT-3, GC, W-MU, I-1 are referenced in the code but not read here)

  “Use standards for the R-1 district are illustrated in Table 6-1.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-1 Residential District, inside Ontonagon village

  • 900 sq ft per unit for qualifying Open Space Preservation Development.

  minimum floor area, single-lot: >= 1100 sq ft per unit (900 sq ft open space preservation development)

  “Single-lot development—1,100 square feet per single unit”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 Residential District single-family, inside Ontonagon village

    “Single Family residential—Nine-hundred (900) square feet per single unit”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Residential District, inside Ontonagon village

  • Qualifying Open Space Preservation Development: 10,000 sq ft, if appropriate water and wastewater treatment system approved and Sections 5.4.6 and 9.3.6.2.B met.

  minimum lot size, single-lot development: >= 23500 sq ft (10,000 sq ft for qualifying open space preservation development)

  “Minimum lot size in the R-1 district is as follows: [...] Single-lot development—23,500 square feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 Residential District, single-family, inside Ontonagon village

    “Single-Family Residential—Five thousand (5,000) square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Residential District principal structures, inside Ontonagon village

  • Rear yard 25 ft single-lot (20 ft for qualifying conservation development); Zoning Administrator may authorize up to 5 ft administrative departure in rear yard.
  • Qualifying Open Space Preservation Developments have a maximum front setback of 30 ft.
  • Accessory structures: 10 ft front, 8 ft side, 10 ft rear.

  minimum front setback: >= 20 ft · minimum side yard: >= 8 ft · minimum rear yard, single-lot: >= 25 ft (20 ft for qualifying conservation development)

  “Minimum front setback in the R-1 district is twenty (20) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 Residential District single-family and duplexes, inside Ontonagon village

    “Minimum front setback in the R-2 district is twenty (20) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Residential District, inside Ontonagon village

  • 35% for qualifying Open Space Preservation Development.
  • Maximum impervious surface 40% single-lot, 50% open space preservation.

  maximum lot coverage, single-lot: <= 25 percent (35% open space preservation development)

  “Single-lot development—Twenty-five (25) percent”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 Residential District single-family and duplexes, inside Ontonagon village

    “Single-Family Residential and Duplexes—Thirty-five (35) percent”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-2 Residential District single-family and duplexes, inside Ontonagon village

  • All other uses: 2 stories or 35 ft.
  • Accessory structures max 24 ft (35 ft with accessory dwelling unit if setback increased).

  maximum height: <= 35 ft (or 2.5 stories)

  “Single Family residential and duplexes—Two and a half (2.5) stories or thirty-five (35) feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Residential District principal structures, inside Ontonagon village

    “Maximum permitted height in the R-1 district is two and a half (2.5) stories or thirty-five (35) feet.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units (ECHO units) in R-1 and R-2 districts inside Ontonagon village

  • Special land use approval required (R-1: Article 9/10; R-2: Section 9.4.1).

  “Accessory Dwelling Units Special Land Use: See Section 9.4.1”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Ontonagon village
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ontonagon village
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Ontonagon village
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Ontonagon village
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Ontonagon 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.