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

Riley Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and structures inside Riley township

  • A zoning permit is required for all buildings 200 square feet or less.
  • A new house needs the septic, well and driveway culvert permits filed with the building permit application.
  • Plot plans must show setbacks from property lines, easements, wells, septic fields and drains; the information sheet says its list is not all-inclusive.

  “zoning approval is required for all building permits.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New and altered buildings inside Riley township

  • The information sheet requires plans to comply with the 2015 Michigan Building Code; the township ordinance index also lists building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing code ordinances (#37-96, #37-2023, #34, #37a-2021, #20), which were not opened, so the current edition should be confirmed with the township.

  code edition: 2015 Michigan Building Code

  “all building plans must comply with the 2015 michigan building code”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Riley township under Riley Township Zoning Ordinance 33 (the ordinance governs the township's unincorporated portions, which is the whole township)

  • Adopted under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (PA 110 of 2006); the 2011 dates are the original adoption and publication dates stated on the ordinance page.
  • The township ordinance index lists later amendments (for example sections 905, 919, 923, 924 and 925); those were not opened, so check current text before relying on a specific section.

  “an ordinance enacted under michigan zoning enabling act 110 0f 2006, as amended, (p.h. 6/13/2011; adopted 10/4/2011; published 10/13/2011) governing the unincorporated portions of the township of riley”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Riley township Zoning Ordinance 33

  • Districts named in the ordinance: AR agricultural-rural residential (Article IV), R-1 residential (Article V), RC river conservation (Article VI) and EC extensive commercial (Article VII).
  • The zoning map and district boundary sections (301 to 304) were not opened.

  “zoning ordinance 33 - article 4 agricultural - rural residential district (ar)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  One-family and two-family dwellings inside Riley township under Article VIII (all zoning districts)

  • The information sheet (rev. 05/25) lists 1,200 sq. ft. for four bedrooms, while Section 802(e) gives 1,056 sq. ft. plus 120 sq. ft. per bedroom over three, which is 1,176 sq. ft. for four bedrooms; the ordinance text controls until the township confirms.
  • A den, library or extra room counts as a bedroom (Section 802 footnote g).
  • Multiple-family floor areas are set separately in Section 802(f).

  minimum floor area, one-bedroom dwelling: >= 870 sq ft · minimum floor area, two-bedroom dwelling: >= 870 sq ft · minimum floor area, three-bedroom dwelling: >= 1056 sq ft · additional floor area per bedroom over three: 120 sq ft

  “minimum floor area per dwelling units in one-family and two-family dwellings shall be as follows: one-bedroom dwellings two-bedroom dwellings three-bedroom dwellings 870 sq. ft. 870 sq. ft. 1,056 sq. ft. plus 120 sq. ft. for each additional bedroom over three (3).”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots with frontage on Belle River Road inside Riley township, in any zoning district

  • Those lots must also meet the minimum lot width (frontage) of 300 feet.
  • This is a Belle River Road frontage rule only; the general district lot area is not established here (see the separate unknown claim).

  minimum lot size: >= 3 acres · minimum lot width (frontage): >= 300 feet

  “all lots in all districts having frontage on belle river road must also meet the minimum lot width (frontage) of three (300’) feet and the minimum lot size of three (3) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Property fronting M-19 (Kinney Road) inside Riley township

  • The front setback is measured from the centerline of the road (Section 802(c)), and a front setback applies on every lot line adjoining a public or private road.
  • Side and rear setbacks by district were not reliably readable in the information sheet chart (the table shows 25 and 30 foot values); see the unknown setbacks claim.
  • Accessory buildings must sit behind the front line of the residence except in the RC district or where the residence is set back more than 500 feet from the road centerline.

  setback from centerline of M-19 (Kinney Rd.): 150 feet

  “setback for all property on m-19 (kinney rd.) is one hundred fifty (150’) feet from the centerline of the road.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  New lots and divisions of property created inside Riley township

  • Every new lot must front on and have actual frontage on a public street, road or highway for at least the district minimum lot width.
  • The township ordinance index also lists Land Division ordinance #39-97, which was not opened; its terms are unknown.

  “all lots, parcels and/or division of property, created after the effective date of this amendment to the riley township zoning ordinance shall front upon, and have actual frontage upon, a public street, road or highway”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process inside Riley township

  • Two sets of blueprints are required (hand-drawn acceptable if they show construction), and a plot plan at 1 inch = 100 feet is required for vacant land.
  • Ordinance #29 performance bonds apply to new and moved-in homes and are in addition to permit and plan review fees.
  • The information sheet is not all-inclusive and is marked subject to change.

  “for all permits, you must provide an application.”

Rules another office applies inside Riley Township

Riley 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)

  Septic disposal permits for new houses on land inside Riley township (St. Clair County Environmental Health Department serves the township)

  • The township sends applicants to the St. Clair County Environmental Health Department for septic and well permits; the township itself does not issue them according to the information sheet.

  “septic and well permits are available from the st. clair county environmental health department phone: (810) 987-5306;”

• Septic permitRequired

  New houses on land inside Riley township (permit issued by St. Clair County Environmental Health Department)

  • A septic disposal permit with a perk test must accompany the building permit application for a new house.

  “for a new house: a copy of the following documents must be provided with application: 1.) septic disposal permit (perk test);”

• Well permitRequired

  New houses on land inside Riley township (permit issued by St. Clair County Environmental Health Department)

  • The well permit is issued by the St. Clair County Environmental Health Department, which the township sheet names as the source.

  “2.) well permit (septic and well permits are available from the st. clair county environmental health department phone: (810) 987-5306;”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New houses with a driveway onto a county road inside Riley township

  • Applies to new houses as part of the building permit packet; the St. Clair County Road Commission issues the culvert permit (permits department).

  “3.) driveway culvert permit from the st. clair county road commission phone: 800-999-9424”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit rules inside Riley township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Riley township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage inside Riley township
• Building height — Maximum building height inside Riley township
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Riley 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.