Bolthole Index

Saginaw County, Michigan

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

Spaulding Township, Michigan, in Saginaw County, administers its own zoning ordinance1, and Saginaw County does no zoning of its own2. Building permits are required under Michigan's statewide code3; the township's website offers building permit forms4. Septic and well permits come from the Saginaw County Health Department5. Tiny homes are not permitted outside the township's tiny house district6.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, set by the township (Chapter 156); no county zoning12
Building permit
Required statewide; confirm with the township office who enforces it3
Septic and wells
Saginaw County Health Department permits5
Tiny homes
Only in the tiny house district, by special land use permit67
Tiny homes on wheels
Prohibited everywhere in the township8
Agricultural district lots
Single-family homes need a site of at least 1 acre and 200 feet of width (older ordinance text)9
Owner-builder
Residential-builder license exception for your own home; permit still needed10

Who to call

Building permits

Spaulding Township Office

Township zoning information, planning and zoning commission, and building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit application forms

(989) 777-0950

[email protected]

5025 East Road, Saginaw, MI 48601

Septic permits

Saginaw County Health Department – Environmental Health Division

Well and septic permits, soil evaluations and installer registration for property without 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 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Spaulding Township have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Spaulding Township administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 156 of the township code, for all land inside its limits1. Saginaw County does no planning or zoning itself; that work happens at the township, city and village level2. The districts are AG agricultural, R single-family residential, RM multiple-family residential, MH mobile home, C-1 local business, C-2 general business, C-3 institutional site re-use, M industrial and THD tiny house district11.

In the AG district, the township's 2019 ordinance PDF permits single-family dwellings with a minimum site size of 1 acre and a minimum lot width of 200 feet9. That text predates the current online code and may have been amended, so confirm with the township office before relying on it. We could not confirm the township's rules for long-term RV living, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals outside the tiny house district; ask the Spaulding Township Office4 and the Planning & Zoning Commission, which meets on the first Wednesday of the month.

Are tiny homes allowed in Spaulding Township?

Tiny homes are not permitted outside the township's tiny house district (THD)6. Inside the THD, a tiny home development needs planned unit development approval and a special land use permit, and no use is allowed by right7. Tiny homes on wheels are strictly prohibited anywhere in the township, and shipping-container tiny homes are prohibited as well8.

THD rules include a tiny home floor area of at least 240 square feet and under 500 square feet12, lots of at least 4,600 square feet with 40 feet of frontage13, and building coverage of no more than 20 percent14. Setbacks are 25 feet front, 25 feet rear (40 feet next to developed residential property) and 8 feet on the side15. Height tops out at 20 feet to the peak16. Tiny homes in the THD must connect to municipal water and sewer17. Each dwelling must be owner-occupied, with no rentals7.

Do you need a building permit in Spaulding Township, and who issues it?

Michigan law requires a written building permit application to the appropriate enforcing agency before building a structure or changing its use3. Saginaw County runs no countywide building department, so the agency is a local government or the state18. The Spaulding Township website lists building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit application forms and a building permit fee schedule4. We could not confirm from the township's ordinance whether the township or the state is the enforcing agency for your parcel, so call the Spaulding Township Office at (989) 777-0950 before you pull anything4.

Michigan also requires a certificate of occupancy for new or altered buildings19. Building yourself does not waive the permit: the owner-builder exception covers residential-builder licensing for a home you build for your own use10.

How do septic permits work in Spaulding Township?

Inside Spaulding Township, the Saginaw County Health Department's Environmental Health Division issues well and wastewater disposal permits for sites without public water and sewer20. The township does not issue them, and the county's Environmental Health Code applies throughout Saginaw County, including townships21. The department offers a preliminary soil evaluation before you buy undeveloped property20.

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 system22. A residential septic permit costs 570 USD and a Type III well permit 265 USD23. Where a public sewer is available, habitable buildings must connect to it24. The township says about 95 percent of residents have city water4.

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

  1. Call the Spaulding Township Office at (989) 777-0950 and ask which district your parcel is in, and whether zoning approval is needed first4.
  2. Ask the township office who enforces the building code, then submit the building permit application3.
  3. If no public sewer reaches the lot, request a soil evaluation and a septic and well permit from the Saginaw County Health Department20.
  4. Have the septic system inspected before it is covered25.
  5. Expect periodic inspections during construction and a certificate of occupancy at the end2619.
  6. For a driveway onto a state highway, a state permit is required27.

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

The county's rules reach into Spaulding Township for septic, wells and floodplain-related health permits528. The county's own land-use answers cover other townships and unincorporated parts of the county, not this one; see the Saginaw County page for them. The county does not set minimum lot size, setbacks or dwelling size29, so the township's ordinance is the one that counts.

Before buying, check the zoning district, any floodplain on the parcel (Michigan requires permits for development in a 100-year floodplain30), and the tax picture: Saginaw County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%31, and the median bill is about 2,190 USD per year32.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the township's rules on long-term RV living, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the Spaulding Township Office at (989) 777-09504.
  • The only lot-size rule we found for the AG district comes from a 2019 ordinance PDF that predates the current online code, so verify it with the township9.
  • Tiny homes on wheels are prohibited throughout the township, and other tiny homes are limited to the tiny house district8.

Sources

  1. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan, quoted and re-checked
  3. Building Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  4. Spaulding Township Office (spauldingtwp.com)
  5. Saginaw County Environmental Health Code, quoted and re-checked
  6. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Spaulding Township Zoning Ordinance, effective 12.01.19 (township website PDF) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (RB), quoted and re-checked
  11. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Spaulding Township, MI Code of Ordinances, Chapter 156 Zoning (American Legal Publishing) (Spaulding Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Michigan LARA - Building Permit Information (2026 county census)
  19. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Saginaw County Health Department – Environmental Health Division (saginawpublichealth.org)
  21. Saginaw County Environmental Health Code (2026 county census)
  22. 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
  23. Environmental Health Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  24. Saginaw County Environmental Health Code, quoted and re-checked
  25. Waste Water Management/Septic, quoted and re-checked
  26. courts.michigan.gov (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Waste Water Management/Septic, quoted and re-checked
  29. Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan, quoted and re-checked
  30. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  32. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Spaulding Township

Spaulding Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    All land inside Spaulding township limits; the township administers its own zoning ordinance (code Chapter 156 Zoning).

    • Zoning is administered by the township under its own ordinance; this is a presence finding only and does not describe any specific district's permitted uses.
    • Chapter 156 on American Legal Publishing (current through the 2026 supplement) and the township-hosted 12.01.19 zoning ordinance PDF both exist; their section numbering differs, and the PDF predates the 2025 THD amendment.
    “chapter 156: zoning share download bookmark print”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts of Spaulding township

    • Amlegal Chapter 156 lists these districts: AG agricultural, R single-family residential, RM multiple-family residential, MH mobile home, C-1 local business, C-2 general business, C-3 institutional site re-use, M industrial, THD tiny house district.
    • The 2019 PDF section 15.601 lists AG, R, RM, MH, C-1, C-2, C-3 and M. The district map and the current district schedule were not opened.
    “districts ag agricultural district r single-family residential rm multiple-family residential mh mobile home c-1 local business district c-2 general business district c-3 institutional site re-use district m industrial district”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Tiny homes inside the Spaulding township THD only

    • Also requires walls of solid wood or metal and a permanent concrete foundation (§ 156.315(b), (g)); no basements.

    minimum tiny home floor area: >= 240 square feet (and less than 500 square feet)

    “tiny homes must be at least 240 square feet and less than 500 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings in the AG (agricultural) district of Spaulding township

    • Source is the township's 12.01.19 zoning ordinance PDF, section 15.702 (AG uses permitted by right). That version predates the amlegal Chapter 156 renumbering, so the AG rule may have been amended; the current AG text on amlegal was not opened.
    • Other AG uses (churches, stables, etc.) carry their own rules in section 15.703 and appendix (e).

    minimum site size: >= 1 acre · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet

    “single-family dwellings with a minimum site size of one (1) acre and a minimum lot width of two hundred (200) feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Tiny home developments inside the Spaulding township THD only

    • Front and rear setbacks are measured per § 156.314(e); the 40-foot rear setback applies where the lot is adjacent to existing and developed residential zoned property.

    front yard setback: >= 25 feet · rear yard setback: >= 25 feet (40 feet if adjacent to existing and developed residential zoned property) · side yard setback: >= 8 feet

    “(e) yard setbacks: (1) front: 25 feet. (2) rear: 25 feet (40 feet if adjacent to existing and developed residential zoned property). (3) side: eight feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Tiny home developments inside the Spaulding township THD only

    • Applies to the THD only.

    maximum building coverage: <= 20 percent

    “(d) maximum percentage of building coverage: 20%.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Tiny home developments inside the Spaulding township THD only

    • Applies to the THD only.

    maximum building height: <= 20 feet (one and one-half story above grade is the alternative measure; 20 feet to the peak)

    “(f) maximum building height: one and one-half story above grade or 20 feet to the peak.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny home developments inside the Spaulding township THD

    • Requires approval as a planned unit development and a special land use permit; § 156.312 states there are no permitted uses in the THD by right.
    • Each lot must carry a deed restriction that the dwelling must be owner-occupied; no rentals are permitted (§ 156.314(g)).
    • Detached accessory structures are limited to one per lot, 120 sq ft or smaller (§ 156.314(h)).
    “tiny home developments approved subject to the planned unit development provisions of the spaulding township code of ordinances are approved as a special use in the thd permitted with the attainment of a special land use permit.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Tiny homes inside the Spaulding township THD

    • Requires connection to municipal water and sewer and all other municipal utilities; running water, flushing toilets, bathing facilities and electricity are also required (§ 156.315(e)–(f)).
    “tiny homes must be connected to municipal water and sewer as well as all other municipal utilities.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction in Spaulding township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in Spaulding township
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption in Spaulding township
  • Inspections — Building inspections in Spaulding township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Spaulding township
16 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Spaulding 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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