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

Superior Township’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Residential repair and construction work inside Superior Charter Township.

  • Ordinary repairs are excluded only as described by the Township.
  • The listed exclusions do not include construction or cutting away of a wall or structural member, egress changes, or water, sewer, drain, vent, electrical, mechanical, or duct alterations.

  “Generally, permits and inspections are not required for ordinary repairs.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Residential repair and construction work inside Superior Charter Township.

  • Ordinary repairs are excluded only as described by the Township.
  • Inspection requests must be received by 3:30 p.m. on the day before the inspection.

  “inspection requests must be received no later than 3:30 p.m. the day prior to inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Superior Charter Township, Michigan.

  • Township Planning & Zoning administers zoning regulations and land-use applications.

  “The Planning & Zoning Department guides the long-term development of the township, administering zoning regulations, reviewing land-use applications, and helping ensure growth aligns with the adopted master plan.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage-disposal facilities in the urban service area sewer district delineated in Superior Charter Township's Growth Management Plan.

  • The prohibition is subject to the exceptions in § 169-152.
  • This does not establish the rule for land outside the urban service area sewer district.

  “the use of septic tanks, privies, privy vaults, cesspools, or similar private sewage disposal facilities in the urban service area sewer district as delineated in the growth management plan of superior charter township, is deleterious to the health, safety and welfare of the businesses, industries, governmental and charitable agencies, and residents of the township. no person shall construct or maintain any septic tank, privy, vault, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the ultimate disposal of sewage expect as provided in section 152 of this ordinance.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses, buildings, and properties used for human occupancy in Superior Charter Township where public sewer is available.

  • The connection trigger is public sewer within 200 feet of the property line.
  • The Ordinance provides for notice and a 90-day connection period.
  • The cited provision concerns sewer; this record does not establish a parallel mandatory water-connection distance rule.

  public sewer distance from property line: <= 200 feet (Connection requirement is triggered after official notice under § 169-105.)

  “within 90 days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Superior Charter Township.

  • A division violating the ordinance is not recognized on the Township tax roll.
  • Construction requiring a prior construction or building permit is not allowed on such a division.
  • The ordinance also requires compliance with the State Land Division Act.

  “any division of land in violation of any provision of this ordinance shall not be recognized as a land division on the township tax roll and no construction thereon which requires the prior issuance of a construction or building permit shall be allowed.”

Rules another office applies inside Superior Township

Superior 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work inside Superior Charter Township.

  • The Township enforces the state codes under Public Act 230.

  “Superior Township enforces the State of Michigan building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical codes as required by Public Act 230 (PA230), the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private onsite septic construction inside Superior Charter Township, which is in Washtenaw County.

  • The Township Utilities Ordinance requires a written permit from the Washtenaw County Environmental Health Department before construction of a private onsite septic tank and drainfield.
  • The County page describes its rule for sewage systems installed in Washtenaw County.

  “(a) before commencement of construction of a private on-site septic tank and drainfield, the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the washtenaw county environmental health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private onsite septic tank and drainfield inside Superior Charter Township.

  • Permit must be obtained before commencement of construction.
  • The Township separately requires a plumbing permit before installing building sewer piping from the building to the tank.

  “section 169-153. permit required for construction; inspection; specifications. (a) before commencement of construction of a private on-site septic tank and drainfield, the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the washtenaw county environmental health department. (b) a plumbing permit shall be obtained from the superior township building department prior to installing the building sewer piping from the building to the tank.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Superior Charter Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Superior Charter Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Primary dwellings inside Superior Charter Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Superior Charter Township.
• Setbacks — Residential structures inside Superior Charter 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Superior Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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