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

Richmond Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land in Richmond Township, Osceola County, Michigan, excluding land inside separately incorporated Reed City and the Village of Hersey.

  • The cited adopted master plan refers to the Township's zoning ordinance; the operative ordinance text and district map were not located in the available official material.

  “The Richmond Township Zoning Ordinance is effective on July 2, 2013.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Richmond Township's adopted master-plan zoning framework; this is not a substitute for the operative zoning map or district ordinance.

  • The master-plan table identifies compatible zoning districts but does not provide an operative district map, full district regulations, or dimensional schedule.
  • The Residential Medium Density/Multi Family category is to be considered only where municipal water and sewer exist.

  “The Residential Medium Density/Multi Family should be considered when municipal water and sewer exist only”

Rules another office applies inside Richmond Township

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

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage systems inside Richmond Township, which is in Osceola County.

  • Central Michigan District Health Department states that it serves Osceola County.
  • This claim concerns on-site sewage systems, not municipal sewer service.

  “Proudly serving Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Osceola, and Roscommon Counties”

• Septic permitRequired

  New-build sites using an on-site septic system inside Richmond Township, Osceola County.

  • A vacant property must be marked or flagged before the site visit.
  • Construction before permit issuance violates the sanitary code.
  • A reserve area for future drainfield replacement is required.
  • No variations or deviations are allowed.
  • Applicable local codes, including subdivision rules, must also be followed.

  “A septic permit is required from the health department prior to obtaining a building permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Alternative on-site sewage systems on parcels inside Richmond Township, Osceola County.

  • The alternative system is subject to CMDHD's Alternative Policy.
  • An Alternative Request Form must be filled out, signed, dated, and returned to the appropriate health-department office.
  • The identified systems are for parcels otherwise unsuitable for an on-site sewage system under the Sanitary Code.

  “The Central Michigan District Health Department allows some of these newer "engineered" systems to be installed [...]”

• Well permitRequired

  Private wells inside Richmond Township, Osceola County.

  • For new-build sites, the well permit must be obtained before the building permit.
  • Construction before permit issuance violates the Sanitary Code.
  • The vacant property and proposed well location must be marked or flagged before the site visit.
  • No variations or deviations are allowed.
  • Applicable local codes, including subdivision rules, must also be followed.
  • Irrigation wells with capacity of 75 gallons per minute or greater also require registration through EGLE's Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool.

  irrigation-well capacity requiring EGLE registration: >= 75 gallons/minute (In addition to obtaining a CMDHD permit)

  “The State of Michigan and CMDHD Sanitary Code require private wells to be permitted.”

• Permit processPartial

  Health-department septic and private-well permitting inside Richmond Township, Osceola County.

  • The available published process is limited to CMDHD septic and well work and does not establish the Township's general building-permit process.
  • For septic applications, CMDHD describes application, health-department contact, site preparation, site evaluation, and permit issuance.

  “Steps to construct a well: 1. Application: Apply for a permit. [...] 4. Permit approval: The Sanitarian will issue your permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Richmond Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Richmond Township.
• Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Richmond Township.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Richmond Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered residences inside Richmond 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.