Bolthole Index

Saginaw County, Michigan

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

Kochville Township, in Saginaw County, Michigan, has its own zoning ordinance1 and requires a building permit for new construction from the township building inspector2. Septic and well permits for homes without public water and sewer come from the Saginaw County Health Department, not the township3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Kochville Township building inspector2
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance (Chapter 155); Saginaw County has no countywide zoning14
Septic and wells
Saginaw County Health Department permits where no public water and sewer35
Minimum home size
1,100 sq ft in R-1 and in A-167
Minimum lot (R-1)
15,000 sq ft with public sewer; 43,560 sq ft (one acre) without8
Owner-builder
Township contractor registration does not apply to owners doing their own work on a house they occupy9
RV and tiny-home living
Set by township zoning; no rule confirmed, ask the township1

Who to call

Building permits

Kochville Township Building Department (Building Inspector)

Building permits and inspections inside Kochville Township; the township page also lists the county offices for septic, well and driveway permits

(989) 792-7596

[email protected]

5200 Tittabawassee Road Saginaw, Michigan 48604

Septic permits

Saginaw County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) and well permits for property in Kochville Township not served by public water and sewer

989-758-3800

1600 North Michigan Avenue Saginaw, MI 48602

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Kochville Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Kochville Township, Michigan?

Yes. New construction and alterations inside Kochville Township need a permit from the township building inspector, and the township says not to begin a project without an issued permit2. Michigan enforces a statewide construction code, and in Saginaw County the enforcing agency is the local township or city rather than a county department10. Kochville enforces the 2021 Michigan building code, and the 2015 Michigan residential code remains in effect for one- and two-family dwellings11.

Farm buildings used for legitimate agriculture are exempt from permitting and enforcement but must still meet zoning setbacks12. Contractors must register with the township to obtain a permit; that registration does not apply to homeowners doing their own work on a house they occupy9. Michigan's separate residential-builder licensing exception for owners building their own home on their own property is statewide13.

Who issues building permits in Kochville Township, and how do you reach them?

The Kochville Township building inspector issues building permits and does inspections14. Reach the Building Department at (989) 792-7596 or [email protected]15. Applications are available at the township office or by download, and the township emails a copy of the permit on issuance16. Inspections are by appointment, and the township asks for a call or email at least 24 hours ahead15.

The township publishes a building, planning and zoning master fee schedule on its building department page; we did not retrieve the amounts, so ask the office for current fees17. Saginaw County runs no county building department, so a county office cannot issue this permit18.

Does Kochville Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, home size and setbacks?

Yes. Kochville Township adopts and administers its own zoning under Chapter 155 of the township code1; Saginaw County itself has no countywide zoning4. The code lists agricultural, residential, mixed-use and commercial districts19.

In the R-1 (One Family-Low Density) district, a lot connected to public sewer needs at least 15,000 square feet, and a lot without public sewer needs at least 43,560 square feet with 150 feet of frontage8. R-1 homes need at least 1,100 square feet of finished living area6. R-1 principal buildings need a 30-foot front yard and a 30-foot rear yard20. In the A-1 (General Agriculture) district, a dwelling lot needs at least 43,560 square feet21, a home needs at least 1,100 square feet7, and the front yard is at least 60 feet22. Check your parcel's district with the township before you buy; the code text we reviewed may not include the latest amendments1.

How do septic permits work in Kochville Township?

The Saginaw County Health Department, not the township, permits septic systems and wells on Kochville Township land without public water and sewer3. A site evaluation by the health department comes first, and a septic permit is valid for 2 years23. The department inspects the system before it is covered and also inspects well installation and takes a well water sample24. A private well needs its own permit5. Call the Environmental Health Division at 989-758-380025.

Soil matters here: only about 1.8% of Saginaw County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system26. Because R-1 lots without public sewer need a full acre, septic and lot size are linked8.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Kochville Township?

We could not confirm. Kochville's zoning is township-level, so the answer comes from the township's zoning administrator, not from Saginaw County. We did not find a township rule on long-term RV living, temporary camping, tiny homes or manufactured homes, and a proposed zoning revision may add rules for in-law suites and barndominiums. Do not assume any of these is allowed. Ask the township office at (989) 792-7596 before you buy or place a unit15.

Building a home in Kochville Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel's zoning district and its lot size, home size and setback rules with the township1.
  2. If there is no public water and sewer, get a site evaluation and well and septic permits from the Saginaw County Health Department23.
  3. If you plan a driveway onto a county road, get a driveway permit from the Saginaw County Road Commission27.
  4. Check floodplain mapping; site work in a mapped floodplain needs state authorization submitted to the township28.
  5. Apply for the building permit from the township building inspector16.
  6. Schedule inspections with the building inspector14.

What stays with Saginaw County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic and well permits stay with the Saginaw County Health Department for every address in the county, township or not29. Driveway permits onto county roads come from the Saginaw County Road Commission27. For land outside Kochville Township, see the Saginaw County page.

County figures: the effective property tax rate is 1.6%30, and farmland averages about $5,683 per acre31. Ask the township office about certificates of occupancy and whether a new home must connect to public water or sewer; we could not confirm either.

Watch-outs

  • Rules we could not confirm for Kochville Township include certificates of occupancy, mandatory connection to public water or sewer, RV and tiny-home occupancy, and accessory dwellings; ask the township office at (989) 792-759615.
  • The zoning text we reviewed is current only through ordinance 23-01, and the township lists later zoning ordinances that are not in that text, so confirm current rules before relying on a setback or lot size1.
  • Farm buildings are exempt from permitting but must still meet zoning setbacks12.
  • Floodplain work needs state authorization, and the township's August 15, 2023 flood maps apply28.

Sources

  1. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1 Residential (One Family-Low Density) (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Saginaw County Health Department, Waste Water Management/Septic (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan, quoted and re-checked
  5. Saginaw County Health Department, Waste Water Management/Septic (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1 Residential (One Family-Low Density) (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1A and A-1 General Agriculture district sections (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1 Residential (One Family-Low Density) (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Michigan LARA - Building Permit Information (2026 county census)
  11. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (RB) (2026 county census)
  14. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Kochville Township Building Department (Building Inspector) (kochville.gov)
  16. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Building Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  19. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1A and A-1 General Agriculture district sections (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1 Residential (One Family-Low Density) (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1A and A-1 General Agriculture district sections (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Kochville Township Code, Chapter 155 Zoning: R-1A and A-1 General Agriculture district sections (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Saginaw County Health Department, Waste Water Management/Septic (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Saginaw County Health Department, Waste Water Management/Septic (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. Saginaw County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (saginawpublichealth.org)
  26. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  28. Kochville Township Building Department (Kochville Township), quoted and re-checked
  29. Saginaw County Environmental Health Code, quoted and re-checked
  30. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Kochville Township

Kochville Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction and alterations inside Kochville township, permits issued by the township building inspector

    • Contractor registration is required in order to obtain a permit; registrations are valid until the Michigan license expires.
    • Exception: farm buildings for legitimate agricultural use are exempt from permitting and enforcement (see agricultural_exemption claim).
    • Building department requires a minimum of 10 days to review construction plans for commercial projects requiring plan examination.
    “do not begin your project without an issued permit.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Contractor registration for building permits in Kochville township, as applied to owners doing their own work

    • The exemption covers only the township contractor registration requirement for a house the owner occupies.
    • The page does not address state residential builder licensing or the scope of work an owner may perform.
    “this does not apply to homeowners doing their own work on a house they occupy.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction in Kochville township, enforced by the township building inspector

    • Also listed as enforced: 2021 Michigan rehabilitation code for existing buildings (April 9, 2025); 2015 Michigan residential code (February 8, 2016), which the page says is still in effect for one- and two-family dwellings; 2021 Michigan commercial energy code (April 23, 2025); 2021 Michigan mechanical and plumbing codes (March 12, 2024); 2023 National Electrical Code with Michigan Part 8 rules (March 12, 2024).
    • The page says the transition to the 2023 NEC for one- and two-family dwellings is underway, but its effective date is not yet established.
    “current codes and effective dates, enforced by kochville township: 2021 michigan building code – april 9 th, 2025”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction inside Kochville township permitted by the township building inspector

    • Inspections are by appointment; the page asks for a call or email at least 24 hours in advance.
    • Inspection reports are issued electronically to the contractor at or shortly after the inspection.
    “the building inspector issues building permits and inspects construction sites in accordance with the relevant codes as listed below”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Kochville township limits, under the township's own zoning ordinance (Code Chapter 155, Zoning)

    • Code text is the American Legal Publishing supplement current through ord. 23-01.
    • The township ordinance index lists later zoning ordinances (24-02, 25-03, 26-02) as non-codified; they are not part of the code text reviewed here.
    “the following are the principal permitted uses by right within an r-1 district”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts of Kochville township

    • Districts in the code table of contents: CG-1 conservation-greenbelt; A-1 general agriculture; R-1A low density transitional; R-1 one family-low density; R-2 two family-medium density; R-3 multiple family-intensive; MU-1 mixed use; B-1, B-2, B-3 commercial; M-1, M-2 industrial; overlays (Town and Gown, Tittabawassee Road, Bay Road).
    • Zoning map is linked from the township building page; not opened.
    “a-1 general agriculture (food and fiber, as well as related activities)”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 (One Family-Low Density) district of Kochville township

    • Code text is the supplement current through ord. 23-01; later amendments are not verified.
    • Applies to the R-1 district only; the R-1A and A-1 districts have their own floor area rules.

    minimum finished living area per dwelling unit: >= 1100 sq ft

    “(c) minimum floor area per dwelling unit. each dwelling unit shall have a minimum finished living area of 1,100 square feet of floor area.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the R-1 (One Family-Low Density) district of Kochville township

    • Lot size depends on whether the lot is connected to a public sanitary sewer.
    • Code text is the supplement current through ord. 23-01; later amendments are not verified.

    lot area per dwelling unit, connected to public sanitary sewer: >= 15000 sq ft (minimum 100 ft of street frontage) · lot area, not connected to public sanitary sewer: >= 43560 sq ft (minimum 150 ft of street frontage)

    “(2) when not connected to a public sanitary sewer, each lot shall contain a minimum of 43,560 square feet with a minimum of 150 feet of frontage.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings on lots in the A-1 (General Agriculture) district of Kochville township

    • Corner lot: street-side yard not less than 60 feet and remaining side yard not less than 15 feet.
    • Farm buildings for legitimate agricultural use remain subject to zoning setbacks (per township building page).
    • Code text is the supplement current through ord. 23-01; later amendments are not verified.

    front yard: >= 60 ft · total side yard: >= 35 ft (minimum 15 ft on one side) · rear yard: >= 40 ft

    “(3) each lot shall have a minimum rear yard of 40 feet. (4) in the case of a corner lot, the side yard on the street side shall not be less than 60 feet and the remaining side yard shall be not less than 15 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R-1 (One Family-Low Density) district of Kochville township

    • Applies to all buildings combined.
    • Code text is the supplement current through ord. 23-01; later amendments are not verified.

    maximum lot coverage by all buildings: <= 25 %

    “(e) maximum lot coverage. a maximum of 25% of the lot may be covered by all buildings.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the A-1 (General Agriculture) district of Kochville township

    • Exceptions are cross-referenced to § 155.065, which was not opened.
    • Code text is the supplement current through ord. 23-01; later amendments are not verified.

    maximum building height: <= 2.5 stories (or 35 feet; exceptions refer to § 155.065) · maximum building height: <= 35 ft (or 2.5 stories; exceptions refer to § 155.065)

    “(d) maximum building height. (1) two and one-half stories or 35 feet. (2) exceptions (refer to § 155.065).”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Farm buildings for legitimate agricultural use on land inside Kochville township

    • Exempt from permitting and enforcement but must still meet zoning setbacks; the page directs questions to the zoning administrator.
    • Livestock and farm building restrictions in the R-1A and A-1 agricultural provisions still apply, including no farm buildings closer than 50 feet to any lot line in R-1A (§ 155.151(j)(4)).
    “farm buildings for legitimate agricultural use are exempt from permitting and enforcement, but still must meet zoning setbacks.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Non-structural development (parking lot resurfacing, grading, filling) in mapped floodplain inside Kochville township

    • Township floodplain management ordinance 23-03 (Code Chapter 157) and the August 15, 2023 flood maps apply, per the township building page.
    • State (EGLE) authorization must be obtained for site work in a floodplain and submitted to the township before the township permit issues.
    “non-structural development and redevelopment such as resurfacing parking lots, resealing, and re-striping, grading, and filling of a site must first obtain a non-structural development permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building, planning and zoning permit fees for work inside Kochville township

    • The building department page links a 'building, planning and zoning master fee schedule (september 2026)' and a building permit fee schedule dated January 2024; the newer schedule supersedes older amounts.
    • Fee amounts were not retrieved; the linked schedule PDF was not opened.
    “building, planning and zoning master fee schedule (september 2026)”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications for work inside Kochville township

    • Documents may include a site plan showing roadways, right-of-way, proposed construction, easements, property lines and existing structures; construction drawings; and a signed construction contract.
    • Applications are available at the township office or by download; the page says a copy of the permit is emailed on issuance.
    • Commercial projects requiring plan examination must submit a request for plan examination when plans are submitted.
    “fill out the application and return it to the kochville township building inspector along with other necessary documents.”

Rules another office applies inside Kochville Township

Kochville 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 (with conditions)

    Onsite septic systems for land inside Kochville township that is not served by public water and sewage disposal; the Saginaw County Health Department administers this under the Saginaw County Environmental Health Code

    • The Saginaw County Health Department's service area covers Kochville township; the township building page directs residents to this office for septic and well permits.
    • Per the county page, a permit may be appealed by variance from the Environmental Health Code.
    “onsite wastewater treatment and disposal (septic) systems and onsite water wells are covered under the saginaw county environmental health code.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Building or replacing an onsite septic system on a site in Kochville township not served by public water and sewage disposal

    • A site evaluation by the health department comes first; the permit states minimum system standards.
    • Changes to the approved system must be approved by the health department before installation.
    • Permits are valid for two years.
    • Processing is acted on within ten days after the completed application, registered deed, fees and soil-boring notice are received.

    permit validity: 2 years

    “you are required to obtain a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit from this office.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite septic systems installed in Kochville township under a Saginaw County Health Department permit

    • Inspection occurs before the system is covered.
    • Health department also collects a well water sample and inspects well installation.
    “make a complete inspection of the completed onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system prior to covering”
  • Well permitRequired

    Building or replacing a private water well on a site in Kochville township not served by a public water supply

    • The well should be installed by a well driller licensed by the state (Act 368, P.A. of 1978, as stated on the page).
    • The health department collects a well water sample and inspects the well installation.
    “if you own property and are planning to build or need to replace a well or septic system at a site which is not served by a public water supply and sewage disposal system, you are required to obtain a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit from this office.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    New driveway connections to county roads in Kochville township, permitted by the Saginaw County Road Commission

    • The township page lists the permit contact but does not state the road commission's rules; those were not opened.
    “driveway permit &ndash; saginaw county road commission 989-752-6140”

Still unanswered

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

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Kochville township
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Kochville township
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Kochville township
  • Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Kochville township
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured or mobile home occupancy on private land inside Kochville township
3 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Kochville Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Saginaw County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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