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

Selma Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Selma township, Wexford County, Michigan, zoned under the Wexford Joint Zoning Ordinance administered by the Wexford Joint Planning Commission for Selma township (parcel-level coverage not verified).

  • The opened ordinance text is the Feb 2021 web copy; the WJPC zoning page lists 'wexford joint zoning ordinance of 2017 (revised 3-23-2022)', which was not opened.
  • The Selma-specific PDF is a zoning map detail, not the ordinance text; the Selma township adoption clause was not read.
  • Selma township's own ordinances page lists citation, blight, ordinance enforcement officer and short-term rental ordinances only and says to call the clerk for any other ordinances; no township zoning ordinance was found there.

  “selma township - slagle township - south branch township”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts listed in the Wexford Joint Zoning Ordinance for Selma township land; the Selma map detail shows R-1 and R-2 residential districts and B-1/B-2 commercial districts.

  • District list is from the Feb 2021 web copy of the joint ordinance; the 2022 revision was not opened.
  • Overlay districts (for example Lake Mitchell overlay) are listed separately in the ordinance and were not reviewed.

  “c. residential districts: 1. r-1 residential district [annotation: article 43. chapter f6 of master plan. color on the zoning map”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Parcels in the R-1 residential district (Article 43, Wexford Joint Zoning Ordinance) in Selma township.

  • Purpose of R-1 is parcels 'without public water or sewer services in certain parts of the county'.
  • Exception: minimum parcel areas do not apply as provided for in an open space development or planned unit development.
  • Duplex or apartment building: not less than 9,000 square feet per ground-floor housing unit or 15,000 square feet total, whichever is greater.
  • Buildable-area rule (Section 4304 b) requires a minimum 15,000 square foot buildable area per principal building; text not fully captured.

  minimum parcel area: >= 15000 square feet (Does not apply within an open space development or planned unit development; duplex/apartment minimum is 9,000 sq ft per ground-floor unit or 15,000 total, whichever is greater)

  “a. minimum parcel area - no building, structure or use shall be established on any parcel less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land-division lots in Selma township under the Wexford Joint Zoning Ordinance lot design standards.

  • Lots must meet the 15,000 square foot minimum area unless the Land Division Act or Condominium Act is more stringent.
  • Where a lot will be served by public sanitary sewer, the minimum lot area is 12,000 square feet.
  • Section numbering and the full subdivision article were not captured; Land Division Act (MCL 560) also applies.

  minimum lot area with public sanitary sewer: 12000 square feet (Applies when the lot will be served by a public sanitary sewer system)

  “a minimum area of 15,000 square feet, unless the land division act or condominium act makes more stringent requirements or is controlling as to the relevant standard. provided, however, that if the lot diminishes in width from front to rear it shall be no less than 75 feet wide at a distance of 50 feet from its front lot line, and provided further, however, that if the lot will be served by a public sanitary sewer system the minimum lot area shall be 12,000 square feet.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit for new residential construction inside Selma township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building in Selma township.
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Selma township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Selma township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Selma 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.