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

Koylton Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction and alterations of dwellings in Koylton township; a township zoning land use permit is issued before work starts

  • Construction may proceed only after the permit is obtained under the township, county and state building code provisions.
  • Permit fees are listed on the township fee sheet (see permit-fee claim).
  • Permits expire if no work is done within six months of issuance and all permits expire after two years.

  “all construction required herein shall be commenced only after a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the applicable township, county an d state building code provisions and requirements.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Construction inside Koylton township; the ordinance refers to township, county and state building code provisions without naming a single code

  • The township ordinance does not name the code it adopts; the application cites a county building code permit line.
  • Which code (state residential code) and which agency issues the building permit was not confirmed on an official source.

  “all construction required herein shall be commenced only after a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the applicable township, county an d state building code provisions and requirements.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land in the unincorporated area of Koylton township, Tuscola County, Michigan

  • The township zoning ordinance divides the township into zoning districts; the zoning map is part of the ordinance (section 2.03).
  • Zoning land use permits are administered by the township code compliance officer under the fee sheet.

  “in order to achieve the purposes of this ordinance, the township has been divided into zoning districts of varied shapes, kind and area, and regulations adopted for each district.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Unincorporated Koylton township, Tuscola County, Michigan

  • Districts named in the ordinance: agricultural and residential (A-R); residential lake (R-L); commercial (C); industrial (I); light industrial (L-I).
  • District boundaries are on the zoning map adopted in section 2.03 (page 5), which was not read as an image.

  “section 2.02 districts for the purpose of this ordinance, all of the unincorporated area’s of koylton township are hereby divided into the following zoning districts”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One-family dwellings in the A-R Agricultural-Residential district of Koylton township

  • Living area only; no garage or open porch counts as living space.
  • Fee sheet summarizes the same 1,000 square foot minimum.

  living area of one-family dwelling: >= 1000 square feet (garage and open porch excluded from living area)

  “the minimum footage for a dwelling is 1,000 square feet of living space. no garage, open porch or other attached structure shall be considered or allowed as living space.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwelling lots in the A-R Agricultural-Residential district of Koylton township (the main single-family district)

  • Parcel must have no less than 200 feet of frontage on a county approved road and must proceed back the full width of the property at least 80 feet from the property line, or flaglot frontage as defined in the ordinance.
  • A lesser-size lot is allowed if it was of legal record on the date of enactment of the ordinance and was in accordance with the prior ordinance of record dated June 24, 1998.
  • Fee sheet summarizes the same rule: a minimum of 200 ft. of road frontage and 2 acres to build one residence on each parcel.

  minimum parcel area for a dwelling: >= 2 acres (lesser-size lot of legal record before enactment of the ordinance) · road frontage on county approved road: >= 200 feet

  “every parcel of land upon which a dwelling is hereafter to exist or to be erected, moved in or altered shall contain not less than two acres. this parcel of land shall have no less than 200 feet of frontage on a county approved road”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings and structures in the A-R Agricultural-Residential district of Koylton township

  • Front setback: the fee sheet summarizes that the front line of every building, dwelling or structure must be at least 80 feet from the road right-of-way.
  • Side and rear: the ordinance requires no construction within 25 feet of any lot line and an open, unobstructed access for fire fighting equipment.
  • The fee sheet states buildings must be a minimum of 25 ft. from the sides and rear of property.

  yard setback from lot lines: >= 25 feet · front setback from road right-of-way: >= 80 feet

  “setback requirements: the front line of every building, dwelling or structure shall be located not less than 80 feet from the road right-of-way. buildings must be a minimum of 25 ft. from the sides and rear of property.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Dwellings moved onto a parcel in Koylton township, including manufactured homes placed outside a licensed mobile home park

  • Dwellings being built or moved onto property must be aesthetically compatible with other residences in the vicinity; the zoning administrator decides compatibility on plans, subject to appeal.
  • Dwelling must meet the 1,000 sq ft living-area minimum and a building permit is required.
  • The compatibility rule does not apply to a mobile home in a licensed mobile home park, except as state or federal law requires.

  “dwellings (being built or moved onto property) must be aesthetically compatible in design and appearance with other residences in the vicinity.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platted subdivisions in Koylton township

  • The township board requires an agreement that the township bears no expense for improvements before accepting and approving a platted subdivision.
  • Land division and combinations are handled by the township code compliance officer per the township homepage.

  “2. all land divisions/splits of land will be reviewed to ensure that all new parcels and lots that are proposed to be created, meet the requirements of the land division act, and minimum zoning ordinance requirements”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning land use permit fees in Koylton township

  • Fee sheet is revised 1/01/2026; this is the revision stamp on the sheet, not a stated effective date.
  • Payment by check or money order only, payable to Koylton Township; no cash or credit cards.
  • Other listed fees: attached garage $45, porch $45, addition or alteration $45, pole barn $45, stand-alone shed $45, commercial building $10 per first $1k (minimum $70), planning commission special permit hearing $850, zoning board of appeals appeal or variance $450.

  dwelling zoning land use permit fee: 65 USD · attached garage permit fee: 45 USD

  “dwelling: $65 attached garage: $45 porch: $45”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning land use permit process in Koylton township

  • Permits may be mailed to the township PO box; the code compliance officer reviews and approves.
  • Permits expire if no work is done within six months of issuance; all permits expire after two years.
  • County environmental health and county road commission permits are separate steps and are not described on the township page.

  permit validity: 2 years (permit expires after six months if no work is done)

  “all permits expire after two (2) years of issuance.”

Rules another office applies inside Koylton Township

Koylton Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway or access from a public road to a parcel in Koylton township

  • Approval of the location of an entrance and exit to a public thoroughfare is required before use; the Michigan highway agency for state highways and the county road commission for other roads.
  • Township application asks for a county road commission driveway permit number and length of access driveway.
  • Geography recorded as unincorporated-only; the rule applies to Koylton township.

  “approval for the location of such exit and entrance shall be first obtained from the michigan highway department for all highways under its jurisdiction and from the county road commission for all other roads, streets and highways under its jurisdiction”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Koylton township
• Inspections — Building inspections in Koylton township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy in Koylton township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Koylton township
• Building height — Building height in Koylton 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.