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

Saginaw Township’s own rules

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction overseen by the Township Building Inspection Department inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The official budget describes field inspections but does not specify every inspection trigger or sequence.

  “Building Construction Plan Review & Field Inspections.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Development subject to Township site-plan review inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • Final site-plan approval is required before a certificate of occupancy may issue when site-plan review applies.

  “"certificate of occupancy" shall not be issued prior to final approval of the site plan.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The Township's zoning ordinance governs land use and development subject to its district and approval provisions.

  “Saginaw Charter Township Zoning Ordinance.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The operative numerical yard standards require district-schedule research.

  “minimum yard, courts and other open spaces”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Construction inside Saginaw Charter Township floodplain areas.

  • The Township Building Inspection Department covers the floodplain-management program; specific permit triggers were not located.

  “department covers the Floodplain Management program”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Community Development permits and drainage reviews inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The Development Costs Fact Sheet is dated January 14, 2019; it cautions that costs may increase without notice. Building fees vary with construction cost; later reviews and inspections carry additional hourly fees.

  sanitary sewer permit fee: 75 USD (Listed in the 2019 Development Costs Fact Sheet.)

  “Building Permit - Varies according to cost of construction. - Sanitary Sewer Permit - $ 75.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Development projects inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The published packet is a 2020 development-process guide and should be confirmed with the Township for current procedures and fees.

  “SAGINAW CHARTER TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND DESIGN GUIDELINES”

Rules another office applies inside Saginaw Township

Saginaw 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures within Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The Township Building Inspection Department administers and enforces State Construction Codes.

  “administration and enforcement of the State Construction Codes”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite wastewater systems inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The County Environmental Health Code applies; Township zoning and building approvals remain separately relevant.

  “Saginaw County Environmental Health Code.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A habitable building, structure, or premise in Saginaw Charter Township requiring a private sewage-disposal system.

  • A permit is not required under this provision if the building, structure, or premise will be connected to public sanitary sewer before occupancy.
  • parameters are subject to Health Officer approval and required application information.

  “No person shall begin construction or locating of any habitable building, structure or premise without first having obtained a sewage disposal system permit unless said habitable building, structure or premise prior to occupancy shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer system.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage-disposal systems installed inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • The Health Officer must be notified before covered with earth; inspection must be made within the next two work days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after notification.

  “Inspection of such facilities shall be promptly made”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sanitation serving habitable development inside Saginaw Charter Township.

  • A sewage-disposal permit is required before construction unless the development will connect to public sanitary sewer before occupancy.

  “No person shall begin construction or locating of any habitable building, structure or premise without first having obtained a sewage disposal system permit unless said habitable building, structure or premise prior to occupancy shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer system.”

• Well permitRequired

  New or replacement onsite wells inside Saginaw Charter Township where the parcel is not served by public water.

  • The County public-health page states that well systems are regulated through permits under the County Environmental Health Code.

  “you are required to obtain a well permit [...] from this office.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Saginaw Charter Township.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land inside Saginaw Charter Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Saginaw Charter Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Saginaw Charter Township.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Saginaw Charter 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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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