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

Keeler Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Keeler township limits; the township administers its own zoning ordinance through its zoning administrator

  • The ordinance is titled Keeler Township Zoning Ordinance and is posted as the 05.01.2025 adopted version; effective date not confirmed from the opened text.
  • Zoning-only topics below are answered from this ordinance, not from county zoning.

  “the building setback set forth in the applicable sections of the keeler township zoning ordinance as the minimum setback requirement for a lot or parcel in each zone district”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Keeler township, including AG, R-R, R-1, LR, R-2, C and LI

  • Districts are set out by chapter in the 2025 ordinance; the lakeshore district (LR) is a lake-frontage variant of single-family zoning.

  “chapter 8 – lr lakeshore residential district section 8.00 description and purpose this district is intended for medium density single family residential development located on and near the lakes of the township.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the AG (agricultural) district inside Keeler township

  • Basement dwellings without direct outside access are prohibited (section 3.05).

  minimum dwelling unit floor area, one story: >= 850 square feet · minimum dwelling unit floor area, two story ground floor: >= 600 square feet · minimum dwelling unit width: >= 24 feet

  “one story - 850 square feet minimum dwelling unit floor area two story - 600 square feet on ground floor”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the R-R (rural residential) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum dwelling unit width 24 feet minimum lot width 165 feet one story - 850 square feet minimum dwelling unit floor area”

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the R-1 (residential, moderate density) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum dwelling unit floor area one story – 850 square feet chapter 7 two story – 600 square feet on ground floor”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the AG (agricultural) district inside Keeler township

  • Lot-split sliding scale applies to new single-family lots created from a lot of record (section 5.01.b).
  • Lot area excludes private road easements, public right-of-way and bottomlands (section 3.01.b).

  minimum lot area: >= 10 acres (cross-referenced lot-split table in section 5.01.b) · minimum lot width: >= 330 feet

  “minimum lot area [see b, below] 10 acres minimum dwelling unit width 24 feet minimum lot width 330 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the R-R (rural residential) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum lot area 100,000 square feet minimum dwelling unit width 24 feet minimum lot width 165 feet”

  • Specified — Lots in the R-1 (residential, moderate density) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum lot area 15,000 square feet minimum dwelling unit width 24 feet minimum lot width 100 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG (agricultural) district inside Keeler township

  • Setbacks measured from road right-of-way for front yards and from lot lines for side and rear yards (section 3.01.c).

  minimum front yard: >= 30 feet · minimum side yard: >= 40 feet · minimum rear yard: >= 40 feet

  “ag district requirements minimum front yard 30 feet minimum side yard 40 minimum rear yard 40 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-R (rural residential) district inside Keeler township

    “r-r district requirements minimum front yard 30 feet minimum side yard 20 feet minimum rear yard 40 feet”

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-1 (residential, moderate density) district inside Keeler township

    “r-1 district requirements minimum front yard 30 feet minimum side yard 7 feet minimum rear yard 25 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings on lots in the AG (agricultural) district inside Keeler township

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 25% minimum lot area [see b, below] 10 acres”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings on lots in the R-R (rural residential) district inside Keeler township

    “maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 25% minimum lot area 100,000 square feet”

  • Specified — Buildings on lots in the R-1 (residential, moderate density) district inside Keeler township

    “maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 30% minimum lot area 15,000 square feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AG (agricultural) district inside Keeler township

  • Accessory buildings have their own height limits (section 3.10); farm buildings may be higher as reasonably necessary.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “minimum rear yard 40 feet maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 25%”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-R (rural residential) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum rear yard 40 feet maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 25%”

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the R-1 (residential, moderate density) district inside Keeler township

    “minimum rear yard 25 feet maximum building height 35 feet maximum lot coverage 30%”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a recreational vehicle on a residential lot inside Keeler township while a permanent house is built

  • Only by permit issued by the zoning administrator; no general residential RV occupancy permit was found in the opened text.
  • The permit is for temporary use on the same lot while the permanent residence is under a building permit.

  “the zoning administrator may issue a permit to an individual to park and temporarily occupy a manufactured home or recreational vehicle in any residential district provided that the zoning administrator makes the following determinations:”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping on private land inside Keeler township; small private campgrounds only in the AG and R-R districts

  • Planning commission approval is required before a small private campground operates.
  • Minimum lot area 5 acres; not more than four campsites; campsites at least 50 feet from property lines and 150 feet from occupied dwellings on adjacent property.
  • Limited to invited guests; no electrical service; generator noise limit 65 decibels and no running 9pm to 8am.

  maximum campsites: <= 4 sites · minimum lot area: >= 5 acres

  “section 3.35 small private campgrounds in the ag and r-r districts only, a property owner may establish on a lot a small private campground containing not more than four (4) campsites, subject to the following regulations:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Temporary occupancy of a manufactured home on a residential lot inside Keeler township while a permanent house is built

  • Permit issued by the zoning administrator; manufactured home must meet the district health department requirements and township ordinances.
  • Permit tied to a building permit for a permanent residence on the same lot.

  “the zoning administrator may issue a permit to an individual to park and temporarily occupy a manufactured home or recreational vehicle in any residential district provided that the zoning administrator makes the following determinations:”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Detached accessory buildings on residential lots inside Keeler township used for overnight occupancy

  • Overnight occupancy by the property owners may be permitted if all applicable safety and building codes are followed and the building is inspected and approved for such use.
  • No kitchens or cooking appliances in an accessory building; no more than two detached accessory buildings on a residential lot (except farm uses).

  “12. overnight occupancy by the property owners may be permitted if all applicable safety and building codes are followed and if the building is inspected and approved for such use. the renting of any portion of an accessory building for overnight occupancy is prohibited.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farms and farm operations in the AG, R-R, C or I districts inside Keeler township

  • Exempt only while in compliance with generally accepted agricultural management practices (GAAMPs) promulgated by MDARD, per the Michigan Right to Farm Act.

  “a farm or farm operation located in the ag, r-r, c, or i zoning districts that is in compliance with generally accepted agricultural management practices (gaamps) as promulgated by the michigan department of agricultural and rural development (mdard) shall not be subject to this ordinance”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Splitting AG-district lots of record for new single-family dwellings inside Keeler township

  • Lot-split sliding scale: 1 to 10 acres allows 1 additional lot; 10.1 to 20 acres allows 2; larger lots allow more (see table in section 5.01.b).
  • Lot splits are also subject to the state Land Division Act, which was not opened in this research.

  “b. permitted lot splits. 1. the maximum number of lots that may be created or split for new single family dwelling units in addition to creating a lot for an existing dwelling unit shall be based on the gross area of the lot of record which is to be divided, as listed in the following sliding scale table.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Temporary manufactured-home or RV occupancy permit from the zoning administrator inside Keeler township; other permit fees not located

  • Fee is set by the township board, not published in the opened text.
  • Building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical fees were not found on the opened pages.

  “upon applying for a temporary manufactured home permit, the applicant shall pay a fee to the township as determined by the township board.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process for construction inside Keeler township

  • Building permits are applied for online through CloudPermit; plumbing and mechanical through Dobberteen Inspection; electrical through a drop box at the township hall.
  • Building and permit officials are available on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the township hall.

  “building permits are available online via https://us.cloudpermit.com/gov/registration plumbing and mechanical permits and payment must be submitted to dobberteen inspection. electrical permits and payment may be dropped off at the keeler township hall in the secure drop box located in the vestibule.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Keeler township
• Inspections — Inspections for new construction inside Keeler township
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new dwellings inside Keeler township
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection inside Keeler township
• Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home in Keeler township must connect to public water or sewer when available

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.