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

Rules another office applies inside Bearinger Township

Bearinger 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 permitRequired

  New residential construction, including manufactured structures brought to the site, in Bearinger township

  • Permits are required before work begins on all new construction, commercial and residential.
  • Zoning approval must come before the building permit is issued.
  • Permits are generally good for one year and expire if no work occurs for six months or longer.

  “permits are required before work begins on all new construction, commercial and residential, including manufactured structures (brought to the site)”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction within Bearinger township, under the State of Michigan construction codes as administered by the Presque Isle County building and zoning department

  • Plumbing and mechanical permits are issued by the State of Michigan for all townships, villages and cities, per the county handout.
  • Enforcement for building, electrical and soil-erosion permits is by the county building and zoning department.

  “all plumbing and mechanical permits are issued by the state of michigan for all townships, villages, and cities.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in Bearinger township

  • Permit holders must call for a footing inspection before pouring concrete, and for foundation, framing and rough electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspections before covering or backfilling.
  • A final inspection is required before occupying or using a new or remodeled building.

  “a final inspection is required before occupying or using a new or remodeled building”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New dwellings with a well in Bearinger township

  • Well final inspection is required before a certificate of occupancy can be issued.
  • A final inspection is required before occupying a new building.

  “well finals are required before a certificate of occupancy can be issued”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Bearinger township, where zoning permits are issued under the Presque Isle County zoning ordinance (the county ordinance, not a Bearinger township ordinance)

  • Zoning approval is required for new construction, residential and commercial, and before a building permit is issued (new homes, additions, garages or sheds, decks).
  • The county building and zoning office lists Bearinger among the townships whose zoning permits are issued under the PIC zoning ordinance.

  “zoning permits for townships under the pic zoning ordinance include: bearinger, belknap, bismarck, case, metz, moltke, north allis, ocqueoc, posen, pulawski and rogers.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts that apply in unincorporated Bearinger township under the Presque Isle County zoning ordinance

  • The schedule lists the R-1, R-2, R-3, FR, AR, B-1, B-2, M-1 and I-1 districts; which district each Bearinger parcel is in is not shown.
  • A county zoning map update was reported as in progress; the map was not opened.

  “article xiv schedule of regulations* district low density residential (r-1)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the low density residential (R-1) district, unincorporated Bearinger township under the Presque Isle County zoning ordinance

  • Minimum ground floor area is 600 square feet for the R-1 row.
  • Ground floor area excludes basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches and attached garages (footnote a).
  • Footnote (c) gives separate minimums for accessory dwelling units, which are not counted here.

  minimum ground floor area per dwelling: >= 600 square feet (excludes basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches, attached garages)

  “minimum ground floor area per dwelling (square feet)**(a) 0.5 a 100 3 45 30 (b) 15 600 low density residential (r-2)”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the agricultural resource (AR) district, unincorporated Bearinger township

    “agricultural resource a/r farm 10 a resid. 0.5a 600 100 3 45 40 (b) 15 600”

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the forest/recreation (FR) district, unincorporated Bearinger township

    “forest/ recreation (fr) 0.5 100 3 45 40 (b) 15 450”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential lots in the agricultural resource (AR) district, unincorporated Bearinger township; the farm lot minimum is 10 acres

  • Residential lot minimum is 0.5 acre; the farm figure is 10 acres in the same row.
  • Lots created after the effective date must meet the district minimum lot area and width (footnote f(2)).

  minimum residential lot area: >= 0.5 acre (farm lots 10 acres) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

  “agricultural resource a/r farm 10 a resid. 0.5a 600 100 3 45 40 (b) 15 600”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the low density residential (R-1) district, unincorporated Bearinger township under the Presque Isle County zoning ordinance

    “(2) in all districts, lots or parcels created after the effective date of this ordinance shall meet the minimum lot area and lot width requirements for the district where located.”

  • Specified — Lots in the forest/recreation (FR) district, unincorporated Bearinger township

    “forest/ recreation (fr) 0.5 100 3 45 40 (b) 15 450”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures on R-1 lots in unincorporated Bearinger township

  • Front setback 30 feet; lakefront and stream lots are measured from the ordinary high water mark (footnote d).
  • Side setback 10 feet on lots that meet the district width; footnote (b) also sets a 10% of lot width, 5-foot minimum for narrower lots.
  • Rear setback 15 feet, read from the R-1 row.

  front yard setback: >= 30 feet (lakefront and stream lots measured from ordinary high water mark) · side yard setback: >= 10 feet (narrower lots: 10% of lot width, minimum 5 feet) · rear yard setback: >= 15 feet

  “the minimum side yard setback for all structures shall be (10) feet in the r-1, r-2,r-3 and b-1 districts, and fifteen (15) feet in the fr and ar districts.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Structures on agricultural resource (AR) lots in unincorporated Bearinger township

    “the minimum side yard setback for all structures shall be (10) feet in the r-1, r-2,r-3 and b-1 districts, and fifteen (15) feet in the fr and ar districts.”

  • Specified — Structures on forest/recreation (FR) lots in unincorporated Bearinger township

    “forest/ recreation (fr) 0.5 100 3 45 40 (b) 15 450”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings in the agricultural resource (AR) district, unincorporated Bearinger township; agricultural buildings are separately exempt from height limits

  • Maximum 3 stories and 45 feet for dwellings in the AR row.
  • There are no height limitations on agricultural buildings and structures (footnote g).

  maximum building height: <= 45 feet (agricultural buildings and structures have no height limit) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (agricultural buildings and structures have no height limit)

  “(g) there are no height limitations on agricultural buildings and structures.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Structures in the low density residential (R-1) district, unincorporated Bearinger township

    “0.5 a 100 3 45 30 (b) 15 600 low density residential (r-2)”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Land inside Bearinger township that is not served by municipal water and/or sewer

  • Septic and well permits for new and replacement homes, bedroom additions and mobile homes are handled by District Health Department No. 4, not by the township or the county building office.
  • The county building office confirms that septic approval must come before a building permit is issued.

  “septic system/well permits for new and/or replacement homes, bedroom additions, and mobile homes, in areas not serviced by municipal water a and/or sewers, are secured through the district #4 health department”

• Septic permitRequired

  New and replacement homes and mobile homes on Bearinger township land not served by municipal water and/or sewer

  • Septic system approval is needed before a building permit can be issued.

  “septic system approvals are needed before a building permit can be issued”

• Well permitRequired

  New and replacement homes on Bearinger township land not served by municipal water

  • Well permit is obtained through District Health Department No. 4 alongside the septic permit.
  • A well final is required before a certificate of occupancy.

  “well finals are required before a certificate of occupancy can be issued”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots and parcels created by division in unincorporated Bearinger township

  • Lots or parcels created after the ordinance's effective date must meet district minimum lot area and width.
  • Parcel width must be at least 25 percent of parcel depth (footnote f(3)).
  • State land division rules were not examined.

  “(2) in all districts, lots or parcels created after the effective date of this ordinance shall meet the minimum lot area and lot width requirements for the district where located.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Installing a new driveway or upgrading an existing driveway serving Bearinger township land

  • Driveway permits come from the Presque Isle County Road Commission (989-734-2216), not the township or county building office.

  “driveway permits: are required when installing a new driveway or upgrading an existing driveway.”

• Permit processPartial

  Obtaining building, zoning and inspection permits for construction in Bearinger township

  • Permits are obtained at the county building and zoning office; a sealed or drawn plan is needed for plan review.
  • Permits are generally good for one year and may be renewed.
  • Permit holders must call for inspections as listed.
  • Zoning approval comes before the building permit; septic approval comes before the building permit.
  • Septic and well permits go through District Health Department No. 4, not the county building office.

  “permits are obtained at the building and zoning office, presque isle county courthouse.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder rules for a home on Bearinger township land
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage on land in unincorporated Bearinger township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in unincorporated Bearinger township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in unincorporated Bearinger township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy on private land in unincorporated Bearinger 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.