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

Clay Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, and accessory work inside Clay township, administered by the township building department

  • Building permit applications require two complete sets of construction plans, delivered to the office.
  • Permits are required for new construction, alterations/structural repairs, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling installation, accessory structures (garage, pole barn, sheds over 200 sq ft, gazebo, pergola), decks/porches, tear-off and re-roof, occupancy and land use, and all signage.
  • Sheds under 200 sq ft and fences require only a zoning compliance permit.
  • Driveway, septic, and soil erosion permits are not issued by the township.

  “permits are required for the following work:”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction inside Clay township

  • Building and zoning inspections are scheduled Monday through Thursday approximately 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; electrical inspections after 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday; mechanical and plumbing Mondays and Wednesdays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • 24-hour notice is required for inspections.
  • If multiple permits are open for one job, all trade permits must be rough or final approved before the building permit rough or final inspection is requested.
  • Open roof inspections required effective July 1, 2024.

  “we require 24-hour notice for inspections by email”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Clay township (St. Clair County, Michigan) limits: the township's own Zoning Ordinance #126 governs use and dimensional rules.

  • Ordinance text as hosted is amended through June 6, 2016; later amendments were not located in this research.
  • Zoning compliance permits are required for sheds under 200 sq ft and fences per the township building department page.

  “clay township st. clair county zoning ordinance #126 adopted: august 20, 2007 by the clay township board of trustees effective date: september 5, 2007”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts and dimensional schedule for land inside Clay township

  • Districts include RS-1, RS-2, R-1L, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, RM, MHP, C-1 to C-3, L-1 and I-2.
  • Dimensional rules for each district are in the article XVIII schedule; the zoning map was not opened.

  “section 18.01 schedule limiting height, bulk, density, and area by zoning district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Rural suburban RS-1 district land inside Clay township (agricultural/rural-residential district)

  • Minimum lot area one acre and minimum lot width 150 feet, per the RS-1 row of section 18.02.
  • The flattened table text lists the same one-acre, 150-foot values for utility service none, public sewer or water, and public sewer and water.
  • The R-1 single-family district minimum (section 18.03) was not verified in this research.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (RS-1 district) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet (RS-1 district)

  “section 18.02 rs-1 and rs-2, rural suburban districts. 1 1. minimum size per zoning lot (not including public road right-of-way or private road easement) shall be as follows: rs-1, rural suburban minimum lot area required minimum lot width required utility service available one acre 150 none one acre 150 public sewer or water one acre 150 public sewer and water”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV occupancy inside campgrounds in Clay township. General RV occupancy on private residential land was not found in the opened sections.

  • Campgrounds are for temporary use only; no year-round residency except within a dwelling unit.
  • Campground permitted under the special land use standards of section 20.12.
  • Minimum campground area 20 acres; one permanent dwelling unit allowed for owner, manager or employee.

  minimum campground area: >= 20 acre

  “2. no year-round residency shall be permitted, except within a dwelling unit as herein defined. clay township zoning ordinance 133 3. no more than one (1) permanent dwelling unit shall be allowed in a campground which shall only be occupied by the owner, manager or an employee. 4. the minimum area shall be twenty (20) acres.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping in Clay township: only in campgrounds meeting section 20.12

  • Campgrounds are used solely for temporary placement of tents, travel trailers and RVs.
  • Minimum area 20 acres; common-use area 500 sq ft per campsite; picnic table and fire place per site.
  • Campground development must follow Act 368 of 1978 (public health code) per section 20.12.

  minimum campground area: >= 20 acre

  “1. all campgrounds shall be used solely for the temporary placement of tents, travel trailers, and recreational vehicles and shall be developed in accordance with act 368 of 1978 (public health code)”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartment dwellings in Clay township (rs-1, rs-2, r-1l and r-1 districts)

  • Requires special land use and site plan approval by the planning commission.
  • Application must be submitted by the owner-occupant.
  • Dwelling must meet minimum lot area and setback requirements of article XVIII.
  • Health department must certify the onsite septic system can handle the added load.
  • Where sanitary sewers are available, both units must be connected and pay the appropriate connection fees.
  • Exterior changes must be kept to a minimum and not change the single-family character.

  “accessory apartments dwellings may be permitted in the rs-1, rs-2, r1-l, and r-1 districts, subject to special land use and site plan approval by the planning commission”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and subdivisions inside Clay township

  • Township building department page references a separate land division ordinance #129; its text was not opened in this research.

  “zoning ordinance #126, land division ordinance #129, & setback chart”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in mapped floodplain or EGLE-regulated areas inside Clay township

  • The building department page says applicants should contact the building department, before or after getting an EGLE permit, to learn whether a township permit is required.
  • FEMA flood map information is referenced on the page; the floodplain rules themselves were not opened.

  “please contact the building department—before or after receiving your egle permit—to determine if a township permit is required for your project”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees charged by the Clay township building department

  • Building permit fees include processing, staff review and all required inspections and are based on the cost of construction.
  • Trade permit fees are based on the actual work being performed.
  • No published fee schedule was opened in this research.

  “building permits fees, which include processing, staff review and all required inspections, are based on the cost of construction.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and zoning permit application process in Clay township

  • Permits may be submitted in person, by mail, by email, faxed, or through the secure drop box.
  • Two complete sets of construction plans are required with building permit applications.
  • Contractors must provide licensing documents with new applications; the licensed person signs the application.
  • New businesses must schedule a walk-through with the building official and fire chief.

  “permits can be submitted in person, by mail, by email, faxed, or dropped off in our secure drop box.”

Rules another office applies inside Clay Township

Clay 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 Clay township; the St. Clair County Health Department issues the septic permits, not the township.

  • The township building department page links septic permits to the St. Clair County Health Department.

  “septic permits & soil erosion permits are also not issued through clay. please click the link below to st. clair county health dept to find those permits & additional permits:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit rules for Clay township
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Clay township: which state construction codes the township building department enforces
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Clay township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area for single-family homes in Clay township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for single-family homes in Clay 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.