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

Vassar Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Vassar township limits: the township administers its own zoning ordinance with AFR, RM, MHP, C and I districts

  • Establishes that a township zoning ordinance exists; district uses and dimensional limits are recorded in separate claims.

  zoning districts: afr, rm, mhp, c, i

  “the township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: afr rm mhp c i agriculture - forestry - residential medium density residential manufactured housing park commercial industrial”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Vassar township

  • Map is referenced in section 4.02 as the Vassar Township zoning map; the map itself was not opened.

  districts: afr, rm, mhp, c, i

  “the boundaries of the zoning districts are shown on the zoning map which is a part of this ordinance.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwelling in the AFR agriculture-forestry-residential district inside Vassar township

  • Minimum floor area per dwelling is read from the section 10.02 table; the column alignment in the extracted PDF text should be verified against the printed table.

  minimum floor area per dwelling: >= 1000 sq ft (AFR column of section 10.02 table, prior to additions)

  “afr rm mhp c i 2 acres 1 acre (3) (5) 1 acre 2 acres 200 100(3) 100 100 200 75 75 75 75 75 15 15(3) 15 20(9) 20(9) 15 15(3) 15 20 20 1000 1000 (4) 1000 - 35 (7) 35 35 35 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwelling in the RM residential medium density district inside Vassar township

    “afr rm mhp c i 2 acres 1 acre (3) (5) 1 acre 2 acres 200 100(3) 100 100 200 75 75 75 75 75 15 15(3) 15 20(9) 20(9) 15 15(3) 15 20 20 1000 1000 (4) 1000 - 35 (7) 35 35 35 35”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the RM residential medium density district inside Vassar township

  • Same footnote (3) reduction to 20,000 sq ft and 75 ft width applies with central sewer or subdivision service.

  minimum lot area per dwelling unit: >= 1 acre (20,000 sq ft if served by central sewer or in a platted or condominium subdivision) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet (75 feet under the same reduction)

  “(3) the minimums are reduced to 20,000 square feet lot area and 75 feet lot width if served by a central sewer system or if located within a platted subdivision or a condominium subdivision, providing that all health department requirements for sewage systems are complied with.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Manufactured housing park site in the MHP district inside Vassar township

    “the minimum site size of a manufactured housing park shall be 20 acres.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the AFR agriculture-forestry-residential district inside Vassar township

  • Footnote (7) on the height column was not resolved; agricultural structures are stated to be exempt in the footnote list.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (footnote (7) not resolved)

  “agricultural structures shall be exempt.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the RM residential medium density district inside Vassar township

    “afr rm mhp c i 2 acres 1 acre (3) (5) 1 acre 2 acres 200 100(3) 100 100 200 75 75 75 75 75 15 15(3) 15 20(9) 20(9) 15 15(3) 15 20 20 1000 1000 (4) 1000 - 35 (7) 35 35 35 35”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying a recreational vehicle on private land inside Vassar township

  • Motor homes or campers may be occupied on a property with an occupied single-family dwelling up to 120 days per calendar year, with no more than two units.
  • On a property without an occupied dwelling, up to two RVs or boats may be stored or used up to 180 days per calendar year.
  • No mobile home or manufactured home is allowed under this section.

  occupancy days: <= 120 days per calendar year (with an occupied single-family dwelling on the property) · occupancy days: <= 180 days per calendar year (on property without an occupied single-family dwelling; up to 2 units)

  “any such recreational vehicle may be occupied for a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days in any calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a manufactured home or other structure while a permanent dwelling is built in Vassar township, and RV occupancy on land without a dwelling

  • Zoning administrator permit allows a temporary dwelling for up to one year during construction.
  • A building permit for the permanent dwelling must be acquired before the temporary dwelling is placed or occupied, except after casualty damage.
  • Up to two RVs or boats may be used on land without an occupied dwelling for up to 180 days per calendar year.

  temporary dwelling occupancy: <= 1 year (during construction of a permanent dwelling)

  “the zoning administrator may issue a permit for a manufactured home or other structure as a temporary dwelling to be occupied for up to one (1) year during the time that a permanent dwelling is being constructed.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured home used as a dwelling outside a manufactured housing park inside Vassar township

  • Manufactured homes brought into the township must be no more than twenty years old.
  • Manufactured housing parks are regulated by the Michigan Manufactured Housing Commission and require at least 20 acres.

  maximum age when brought into township: <= 20 years

  “in the case of manufactured housing, each unit shall be no more than twenty (20) years old at the time it is brought into the township.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Garages, barns, pole barns, accessory buildings or basements used as a dwelling inside Vassar township

  • Such structures may not be occupied as dwellings unless the single-family dwelling standards in section 12.05 are met.
  • The zoning administrator may grant temporary occupancy under section 12.09.

  “garages, barns, pole barns, accessory buildings, basements or other structures shall not be occupied as dwellings unless the requirements of section 12.05 are complied with.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Site condominium and platted subdivision development inside Vassar township

  • Site condominium plans need planning commission final approval before site improvements begin.
  • Platted subdivisions must comply with the Michigan Land Division Act.

  “pursuant to authority conferred by section 141 of the michigan condominium act, all site condominium plans shall require final approval by the planning commission before site improvements may be initiated.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Construction on land with a mapped 100-year floodplain inside Vassar township

  • Site plan must show the 100-year flood elevation where applicable.
  • The checklist says other flood plain control rules may apply; no floodplain ordinance was opened.

  “a site plan must show property lines, proposed project and location, existing buildings, ground elevations and the 100-year flood elevation (if applicable).”

• Permit feesPublished

  Township zoning, land division and related fees inside Vassar township

  • Schedule states effective date 4/12/2022 and cites resolutions 21-2012, 10-2013, 23-2017 and 04-2022.
  • Township board sets zoning permit and inspection fees under the zoning ordinance.
  • County building permit fees are not included in this township schedule.

  zoning permit fee, residential: 25 USD · zoning permit fee, industrial or commercial: 50 USD · home occupation permit fee: 25 USD · land division fee, first division: 125 USD · land division fee, each additional division: 25 USD

  “zoning permit- residential ---------------------------------------------- $25.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning and building permit process for construction inside Vassar township

  • Township zoning permit comes first; county building permit follows; county steps not opened in full.

  “checklist for obtaining a building permit before this office can issue a building permit”

Rules another office applies inside Vassar Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Vassar township that needs a building, electrical, plumbing or heating permit; issued by Tuscola County after the township zoning permit

  • Zoning approval from the township must come first; the township zoning permit is presented to the county building codes administrator.
  • Construction may proceed only after the county permit issues.
  • Zoning permit form states it expires one year from final approval date.

  “this permit must be presented to the tuscola county building codes administrator to obtain a building, electrical, plumbing, and heating permit required by state law in accordance with public act 230, 1972.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Septic approval for a dwelling on a non-conforming lot of record in Vassar township

  • Township ordinance requires county health department septic approval for these lots; the general septic permit requirement for new homes was not opened.

  “septic and/or well permit. this can be obtained from the tuscola county health department at 989-673-8114.”

• Well permitLimited

  Well approval for a dwelling on a non-conforming lot of record in Vassar township

  • Stated for non-conforming lots of record; general well permit rules for new homes were not opened.

  “septic and/or well permit. this can be obtained from the tuscola county health department at 989-673-8114.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for permits inside Vassar township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Vassar township
• Septic inspection — Septic inspection for dwellings inside Vassar township
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid or non-sewered sanitation for dwellings inside Vassar township
• Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home inside Vassar township must connect to public water or sewer

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.