Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Yale, Michigan

Yale’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Factory-built single-family dwellings brought into Yale city.

  • The dwelling must meet current State of Michigan and City of Yale construction standards before being brought into the city and before issuance of a building permit.

  “All such dwelling units must meet the current construction standards of the State of Michigan and the City of Yale prior to being brought into the City and prior to issuance of a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Mechanical-code enforcement inside Yale city limits.

  • The evidence specifically identifies the Michigan Mechanical Code; it does not establish Yale's current adoption or enforcement of every construction-code discipline.

  “Pursuant to the provisions of the Michigan Mechanical Code, in accordance with Act 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, the mechanical official of the City of Yale is hereby designated as the enforcing agency”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Mobile homes subject to Yale Zoning Ordinance § 16.20.

  • Wheels, axles, and towing apparatus must be removed before the certificate of occupancy is issued.

  “All wheels, axles and towing apparatus must be removed from a mobile home prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the incorporated City of Yale, St. Clair County, Michigan.

  “This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the “City of Yale Zoning Ordinance.””

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in Yale zoning districts.

  • The minimum floor-area requirement is the requirement of the district in which the dwelling is located.
  • For dwellings with one and one-half or more stories, first-floor area cannot be less than 600 square feet.

  minimum first-floor area: >= 600 square feet (Dwelling with one and one-half or more stories.)

  “Each dwelling with one and one-half (1-1/2) or more stories shall have a minimum first floor area of not less than six hundred (600) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Lots in Yale zoning districts.

  • The ordinance's schedule applies unless another provision specifically provides otherwise.

  “EXCEPT as otherwise specifically provided in this Ordinance, no lot shall be smaller than the minimum size specified below; nor less than the minimum width specified below;”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Structures in Yale zoning districts.

  • The schedule applies unless another ordinance provision specifically provides otherwise.
  • Accessory-building rules include additional limits.

  minimum rear-or-side distance for accessory building: >= 5 feet (Where located within a residential district; see cited provision for other accessory-building rules.)

  “no structure shall be erected or maintained between any lot line and the pertinent setback distance listed below”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures on lots in Yale zoning districts.

  • The district schedule applies unless a different ordinance provision specifically applies.

  “nor shall the buildings or structures on any lot occupy a greater percentage of the lot than the maximum specified below.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Buildings in Yale zoning districts.

  • The height schedule applies unless another ordinance provision specifically applies.

  “no building shall be erected or maintained which exceeds the height limit specified below.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Travel trailers, motor homes, and similar enclosures used as dwellings inside Yale city.

  • Occupancy is only in an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility and may not exceed 30 days.

  maximum occupancy period: <= 30 days (Only within an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility.)

  “A tent, travel trailer, motor home or similar enclosure maybe occupied for periods up to thirty (30) days only within an approved and licensed campground or other overnight camping facility.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tent, camper, travel-trailer, and similar recreational-vehicle camping inside Yale city.

  • Campgrounds and overnight camping parks may be permitted only in the R-2 district on a minimum 20-acre site.
  • An individual tent or recreational vehicle cannot occupy the same campground site longer than 30 days.

  minimum campground site: >= 20 acres (R-2 district.) · maximum same-site occupancy: <= 30 days (Individual tent or recreational vehicle in any campground.)

  “Campgrounds and overnight camping parks for tents, campers, travel trailers, and similar recreational vehicles may be permitted on a minimum site of twenty (20) acres in the R-2 district, subject to the following:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  One accessory apartment per single-family dwelling in Yale R-1, R-2, and R-3 districts.

  • The lot must conform to minimum lot-area and setback requirements.
  • The Health Department must certify adequate on-site septic design where applicable.
  • Only one accessory apartment is permitted per lot and single-family dwelling.
  • The apartment must be at least 550 square feet, no more than 35% of combined floor area, no more than 700 square feet, and no more than two bedrooms.

  minimum accessory-apartment area: >= 550 square feet · maximum accessory-apartment area: <= 700 square feet · maximum bedrooms: <= 2

  “One (1) accessory apartment per single family dwelling unit may be permitted in R-l, R-2 and R-3 districts subject to the following:”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Dwellings erected, altered, or moved inside Yale city.

  • A dwelling must connect to public sanitary sewer or use a private sewage disposal system approved by the St. Clair County Health Department.

  “Every dwelling hereafter erected, altered or moved shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer or to a private sewage disposal system approved by the St. Clair County Health Department.”

Rules another office applies inside Yale

Yale 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)

  Private sewage disposal systems serving dwellings inside Yale city.

  • The private sewage disposal system must be approved by the St. Clair County Health Department.

  “Every dwelling hereafter erected, altered or moved shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer or to a private sewage disposal system approved by the St. Clair County Health Department.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Yale city.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Yale city.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Yale city.
• Septic permit — Private sewage disposal systems inside Yale city.
• Septic inspection — Private sewage disposal systems inside Yale city.

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.