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

Frankenmuth Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction inside Frankenmuth township under the township zoning ordinance

  • Zoning permit required for any new structure, change to a building footprint, pool or fence.
  • Siding, same-size door exchange, roof and window replacement do not need a zoning permit (township FAQ).
  • Building permit issuing body not confirmed from the township ordinance text; see building-inspection notes.

  “all construction required herein shall be commenced only after a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the applicable building code provisions and requirements.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Frankenmuth township limits (Saginaw County, MI). The township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, the Frankenmuth Township Rural Zoning Ordinance, through its zoning administrator.

  • The ordinance is a township ordinance; Frankenmuth city is a separate government and is not covered by this claim.
  • Zoning administrator contact per township page: Gretchen Nielsen, (989) 573-0196.

  “frankenmuth township rural zoning ordinance part i general provisions chapter 1 miscellaneous provisions”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Frankenmuth township limits: the zoning ordinance publishes a district list including CG-1 conservation greenbelt, A-1 rural agricultural, A-2 agricultural, and PUD districts.

  • Chapter 10 provides for new, conditional or overlay zoning districts; not reviewed in detail.

  “chapter 8 a-1 rural agricultural districts section 801. section 802. section 803. section 804.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in the A-1 rural agriculture district inside Frankenmuth township

  • Ground-floor minimum of 750 square feet applies to units of more than one story.

  minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1050 square feet (minimum 750 square feet on ground floor for units of more than one story)

  “each dwelling unit shall have a minimum floor area of one thousand fifty (1050) square feet per dwelling unit with a minimum of seven hundred fifty (750) square feet on the ground floor for units of more than one (1) story.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwelling units in the A-2 agricultural district inside Frankenmuth township

    “each dwelling unit shall have a minimum floor area of one thousand fifty (1050) square feet per dwelling unit with a minimum of seven hundred fifty (750) square feet on the ground floor for units of more than one (1) story.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling lots in the A-1 rural agriculture district inside Frankenmuth township

  • For non-farm dwelling units the maximum lot area is 2 acres (Chapter 8, section 804(1)(a)); a lot for a dwelling unit is a separately conveyed parcel of no more than two acres unless the county health department requires a larger parcel for a drain field or separation from well water.
  • Farm single-family dwelling structure units require a minimum lot area of 40 acres.
  • Lot width-to-depth ratio maximum 1 to 2.
  • Frontage clause marked [adopted 9-20-21] in the ordinance.

  minimum lot area per dwelling unit: >= 40000 square feet (non-farm lots capped at 2 acres; farm dwellings 40 acres minimum) · minimum public road frontage: >= 200 feet

  “each lot shall contain a minimum of forty thousand (40,000) square feet per dwelling unit.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling lots in the A-2 agricultural district inside Frankenmuth township

    “each lot shall contain a minimum of forty thousand (40,000) square feet per dwelling unit.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings on lots in the A-1 rural agriculture district inside Frankenmuth township

  • Corner lot: street-side side yard not less than 25 feet; remaining side yard 15 feet.
  • Accessory buildings on non-farm dwelling lots are prohibited between the front lot line and the setback; the zoning administrator may reduce rear setbacks up to 20 feet on practical-difficulty showing.
  • Farm buildings over 35 feet must be set back a distance at least equal to the building height from a lot line; farm animal enclosures 50 feet from property lines.

  front yard: >= 60 feet · total side yard: >= 35 feet (minimum 15 feet on one side) · rear yard: >= 40 feet (zoning administrator may reduce up to 20 feet for non-farm rear setbacks)

  “each lot shall have a minimum front yard of sixty feet (60’).”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings on lots in the A-2 agricultural district inside Frankenmuth township

    “each lot shall have a minimum rear yard of forty feet (40’).”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Parking or occupancy of recreational vehicles on A-1 land inside Frankenmuth township

  • Restriction covers only the required front yard and the 25-foot strip at the property line in A-1; it is not a general ban on RV use.
  • Applies to parking for more than three days.
  • Permanent occupancy of an RV as a dwelling was not addressed in the reviewed text.

  recreational equipment parking limit: > 3 days (prohibited in required front yard and within 25 feet of property line in A-1)

  “the parking of recreational equipment for more than three (3) days including travel trailers, campers, boats and similar recreational equipment is prohibited within the required front yard areas of an a-1 district and within twenty-five feet (25’) of property line.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewered sanitation for dwellings and businesses on lots inside Frankenmuth township

  • A structure may be used as a dwelling only with a safe and effective means of collection, treatment and disposal of human excreta, and all installations must conform to Saginaw County Health Department and state requirements.
  • Permanent non-sewered sanitation depends on county health approval of the site.

  “all such installations and facilities shall conform with the minimum requirements of the saginaw county health department and applicable state regulations.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New or existing dwellings on lots inside Frankenmuth township where a public sewer is available in the street

  • Connection is required within 90 days once public sewer is available or becomes available in the street.
  • Water connection requirement not confirmed here; see utility-water-unknown.

  connection deadline after sewer availability: 90 days

  “when public sewer is available or becomes available in the street, connection to the public sewer system shall be made within ninety (90) days.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions of parcels in the A-1 district inside Frankenmuth township

  • Number of additional lots is set by a density table based on gross tract acreage (0.1 to 5 acres: 0; 5.01 to 10 acres: 1; 10.01 to 20 acres: 2; and so on).
  • Divisions are also controlled under the Michigan Plat Act as to timing of divisions.
  • Remainder of the original lot of record must still meet the dimensional requirements.
  • Parcels over 80 acres may create additional lots under a clustered single-access arrangement.

  “those divisions are also controlled under the state of michigan “plat act” as to timing of divisions.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways serving lots in the A-1 rural agriculture district inside Frankenmuth township

  • Minimum separation from adjacent driveways on the same side of the road: 50 feet on a local secondary road; 80 feet on a county primary or state highway; 80 feet from an intersection of two or more of those roads.
  • Driveway must have a turn-around area sufficient to permit vehicle exit forward.
  • Access to a public road must meet ordinance requirements.

  driveway separation on local secondary road: >= 50 feet (80 feet on county primary/state highway)

  “the driveway must be provided with a turn-around area sufficient to permit vehicle exit forward.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals on A-1 parcels inside Frankenmuth township

  • Listed as a special use permit use, available only on parcels with public water and sanitary sewer facilities or an approved sanitary facility (Chapter 8 section 803; standards in section 1109).
  • Township FAQ states the township currently has its limit of 8 short-term rentals.

  current township short-term rental limit: 8 rentals (stated in township FAQ as current limit)

  “we currently have our limit of 8 in the township.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permit process for construction inside Frankenmuth township

  • Zoning permit valid for one year (township FAQ).
  • Process steps, fees and forms are obtained from the zoning administrator; the township publishes forms for the zoning administrator.

  zoning permit validity: 1 year

  “how long is my zoning permit valid for? one year”

Rules another office applies inside Frankenmuth Township

Frankenmuth 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 septicCounty

  Onsite sewage disposal (septic) systems on parcels inside Frankenmuth township not served by public sewer; the Saginaw County Health Department administers the rule, which applies inside Frankenmuth township.

  • The township refers residents to the Saginaw County Health Department for septic system location questions.
  • Chapter 3 section 306(6) requires that sanitary installations conform to the minimum requirements of the Saginaw County Health Department and applicable state regulations.

  “onsite wastewater treatment and disposal (septic) systems and onsite water wells are covered under the saginaw county environmental health code.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing or replacing a septic system on a parcel inside Frankenmuth township that is not served by public water and sewer; issued by the Saginaw County Health Department.

  • Permit issued only if site conditions are acceptable.
  • Permit valid for two years and states minimum construction standards; changes must be approved before installation.
  • Septic installers must be registered with the Saginaw County Health Department.

  permit validity: 2 years

  “the permit you receive is valid for two years and will state certain minimum standards for the construction of the system.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Pre-permit site evaluation for a septic system on a parcel inside Frankenmuth township; issued by the Saginaw County Health Department.

  • This is a site evaluation before permit issuance. A final installation inspection requirement was not confirmed in the reviewed text.

  “each site must be evaluated by a department of public health representative to accurately determine the characteristics of the soil layers which exist below the land surface and other features of the area, such as the water table level and surface drainage patterns.”

• Well permitRequired

  Installing a new or replacement water well on a parcel inside Frankenmuth township; issued by the Saginaw County Health Department.

  • An existing well being replaced must be properly abandoned unless it meets well construction code requirements and the owner elects to keep it.
  • Well must be installed by a licensed well driller (per the county page citing Act 368, P.A. of 1978).

  “a permit is required to install a new or replacement well on your property.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Frankenmuth township
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Frankenmuth township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Frankenmuth township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new dwellings inside Frankenmuth township
• Lot coverage — Lots in the A-2 agricultural district inside Frankenmuth 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.