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

Lockport Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Lockport Township, St. Joseph County, MI

  • Ordinance is Part 95, 2023 edition; no adoption date stated in the excerpt reviewed

  “in order to carry out the purposes and provisions of this ordinance, the following districts are hereby established: a. agricultural production b. agricultural residential c. single-family residential”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Lockport Township

  • Ordinance lists Agricultural Production, Agricultural-Residential, Single-Family Residential, Multiple-Family, Retail Commercial, Service Commercial, Light Industrial, Manufacturing, PUD, plus solar and tiny home overlay districts

  “a. agricultural production b. agricultural residential c. single-family residential d. multiple-family residential e. retail commercial f. service commercial g. light industrial h. manufacturing i. planned unit development j. solar overlay district (s-1)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Agricultural-Residential district, Lockport Township (Sec. 95.305)

  • At least 200 feet along a public roadway
  • Depth not over four times width for parcels under 10 acres
  • Size and width may be reduced for public utility uses when authorized by the planning commission

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres · minimum road frontage: >= 200 feet

  “the lot, parcel or building site as of january 1, 2015 shall be a minimum of two (2) acres. parcel size and width requirements for uses dealing with a public utility may be reduced when authorized by the planning commission.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-Family Residential district, Lockport Township (Sec. 95.404)

    “a lot, parcel or building site area as of july1, 2023 shall be a minimum of one (1) acre with a lot, parcel or building site width of not less than one hundred (100) feet and at least one hundred (100) feet of frontage on a public street, shall be required for every buildable lot, parcel or building site that contains a private water supply and private septic system.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings in the Single-Family Residential district, Lockport Township (height section preceding Sec. 95.404)

  • Accessory buildings to dwellings: 35 feet measured from average grade to peak
  • Section number inferred from position; verify

  dwelling height: <= 35 feet (not exceeding two and one-half stories)

  “height regulations. sec. 4.03. a. for any principal dwelling, thirty-five (35) feet, not exceeding two and one-half stories;”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Structures for human occupancy inside Lockport Township (Sec. 95.1206)

  • Ordinance requires a safe potable water supply and safe waste disposal, in addition to state and county health department requirements; it does not say public water or sewer connection is mandatory
  • Drain fields must be 150 ft from normal high water line of surface water and in ground at least 4 ft above the high water table

  “no structure for human occupancy, or use shall hereafter be erected, altered or moved unless it shall be proved with a safe, sanitary and potable water supply and a safe effective means of collection, treatment and disposal of wastes.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Lockport Township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Lockport Township
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Lockport Township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Lockport Township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Lockport 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.