Bolthole Index

Saginaw County, Michigan

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Birch Run Township, Michigan

Birch Run Township, Michigan, in Saginaw County, adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance1, and its township building department takes building permit applications2. Septic and well permits for every address in the township come from the Saginaw County Health Department3. Saginaw County itself does no zoning4, and the separate Village of Birch Run is not covered by the township's ordinance1.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance with A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MF, R-MHC, C-1, C-2 and I-1 districts5
Building permit
Required before construction; applications go to the township building department62
Septic and well permits
Saginaw County Health Department3
Minimum lot (A-1 and R-1)
1 acre in each district78
Minimum house size
1,200 sq ft of heated living area (A-1 and R-1)910
Living in a detached accessory building
Not allowed11
RV living
General rule not confirmed; ask the zoning administrator12
Owner-builder
Exempt from residential-builder licensing, not from permits13

Who to call

Building permits

Birch Run Township Building Department

Building permit applications, plus electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications, contractor registration and sign permits, in Birch Run Township

building@birchruntwp.com

Zoning

Birch Run Township Zoning & Code Enforcement

Zoning permits, the zoning ordinance and zoning map, and code enforcement in Birch Run Township

zoning@birchruntwp.com

Septic permits

Saginaw County Health Department – Environmental Health

Well and septic (onsite wastewater) permits, soil evaluations and installer registration for property not served by public water and sewer, including inside Birch Run Township

989-758-3800

1600 North Michigan Avenue, Saginaw, MI 48602

Roads & driveways

Saginaw County Road Commission

Right-of-way permits for driveways onto Saginaw County roads (not state routes or roads inside a city or village)

989-752-6140

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Birch Run Township, Michigan have zoning?

Yes. Birch Run Township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, and the township's zoning districts are A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MF, R-MHC, C-1, C-2 and I-15. Saginaw County does no planning or zoning of its own, so the township ordinance is the one that applies4. The Village of Birch Run is a separate municipality with its own rules1.

In the A-1 (Agricultural) district, the minimum lot is 1 acre with 200 ft of width, and setbacks are 50 ft front, 15 ft on each side and 40 ft rear714. In R-1 (single-family residential), the minimum lot is 1 acre with 150 ft of width, and setbacks are 30 ft front, 10 ft on each side and 30 ft rear815. Lots fronting M-54, M-83 or Dixie Highway need 300 ft of width in both districts8.

Buildings in A-1 and R-1 are capped at 35 ft, though farm structures in A-1 may reach 85 ft16. A single-family home needs at least 1,200 sq ft of heated living area in both districts910. Splitting A-1 land is limited by a development-site formula, so ask the township zoning administrator before you count on dividing a parcel17.

Do you need a building permit in Birch Run Township, and who issues it?

Michigan requires an owner or the owner's builder to apply to the appropriate enforcing agency for a building permit before constructing a building or structure6. Saginaw County runs no county code-enforcement program18. Inside Birch Run Township, the township building department publishes the building permit application packet, plus electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications and a contractor registration form2. The township's zoning permit is a separate application handled by its zoning office19.

Owner-builders get a break on licensing only: a person building a home for their own use and occupancy on their own property is exempt from the residential-builder license, but the exemption does not waive the building permit13. A new building cannot be occupied until the code official issues a Certificate of Occupancy20, and the township ordinance makes a certificate of occupancy a condition of starting a use21.

We could not confirm the township's permit fees or inspection schedule. Call the building department for current numbers.

How do septic and well permits work in Birch Run Township?

The Saginaw County Health Department issues septic and well permits throughout the county, including inside every township22. A site in Birch Run Township that is not served by public water and sewer needs a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit before building2324. The township's zoning ordinance independently requires on-site sewage and water facilities to meet the health department's standards25.

Soils matter here. Only about 1.8% of Saginaw County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system or sand fill rather than a simple trench26. If you do not yet own the land, the department offers a preliminary soil evaluation to tell you whether a septic system is feasible24.

The residential septic permit costs $570, and a Type III residential well permit costs $265; installing without a permit is charged double27. The permit is valid for two years24.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Birch Run Township?

We could not confirm a general rule for living in an RV on your own land in Birch Run Township. The only RV provision located is for agricultural labor housing, which needs a special land use permit, at least 80 acres of associated agricultural production, and a 100 ft setback from all property lines12. Ask the township zoning administrator before you plan to camp on a parcel19.

No accessory building or structure on a lot may be lived in as a dwelling11. So a shed, barn or garage conversion is not a workaround.

We found no tiny-home provision in the township ordinance. Single-family homes in A-1 and R-1 must have at least 1,200 sq ft of heated living area, so a tiny home built as a house does not appear to fit those districts910. Manufactured homes are addressed for licensed communities in the R-MHC district; mobile homes on individual lots were not confirmed28.

Building a home in Birch Run Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and read the district's lot, setback and house-size rules195.
  2. If the land is not on public water and sewer, ask the Saginaw County Health Department for a preliminary soil evaluation before you buy24.
  3. Get the well permit and/or wastewater disposal permit from the Saginaw County Health Department23.
  4. Apply to the township for a zoning permit and a building permit, and register any trade contractors2.
  5. If the driveway meets a county road, apply to the Saginaw County Road Commission for a right-of-way permit29. Driveways onto a state trunkline need a separate state permit from MDOT30.
  6. Have the septic system inspected before it is covered31.
  7. Request a Certificate of Occupancy when the work is complete and permits are finalized20.

What stays with Saginaw County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits, well permits and soil evaluations stay with the Saginaw County Health Department no matter which township the land is in22. The county page covers rules for land outside Birch Run Township.

Before buying, check three things. First, floodplain: if the land lies in or partly in a regulated floodplain or wetland, a state environmental permit is needed before the county health permit is issued32. Second, driveway access, since county road and state highway driveways go through different agencies2930. Third, taxes: Saginaw County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%33.

The zoning ordinance we reviewed is Ordinance No. 2004-02 as amended through Ordinance 2014-04, and later amendments exist, so ask the zoning office for the current text before relying on any dimension1.

Watch-outs

  • The Birch Run Township zoning ordinance has been amended since the version we reviewed, so confirm lot size, setbacks and house-size minimums with the township zoning office before you buy1.
  • We could not confirm Birch Run Township's building permit fees, driveway rules inside the township or floodplain rules; call the township building department2.
  • Land inside the Village of Birch Run follows the village's rules, not the township's1.
  • Installing a septic system or well without a permit is charged double the normal fee27.

Sources

  1. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Birch Run Township Building Department (birchruntwp.com)
  3. Saginaw County Health Department - Wastewater Management / Septic (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan, quoted and re-checked
  5. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Michigan LARA - Building Permit Information (2026 county census)
  19. Birch Run Township Zoning & Code Enforcement (birchruntwp.com)
  20. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Saginaw County Environmental Health Code, quoted and re-checked
  23. Saginaw County Health Department - Wastewater Management / Septic (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Saginaw County Health Department – Environmental Health (saginawpublichealth.org)
  25. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Environmental Health Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  28. Birch Run Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2004-02 (as amended through Ordinance 2014-04) (Birch Run Township), quoted and re-checked
  29. Saginaw County Road Commission (scrc-mi.org)
  30. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Waste Water Management/Septic, quoted and re-checked
  32. saginawpublichealth.org, quoted and re-checked
  33. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Birch Run Township

Birch Run Township’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Commencement of a use or occupancy of a structure in Birch Run Township under the zoning ordinance.

    • The definition states the certificate is a condition precedent to commencing a use.
    • Issuance procedure, timing and fees were not captured.
    “certificate of occupancy: a document signed by the building inspector as a condition precedent to the commencement of a use which acknowledges that such use, structure or building complies with the provisions of this ordinance and the township’s building codes.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Birch Run Township limits (Saginaw County). The Village of Birch Run is a separate municipality and is not covered by this claim.

    • The reviewed text is Ordinance No. 2004-02 as amended through Ordinance 2014-04. Search results reference later amendments (2019-04, 2020-04, 2022-03, 2024-04) that were not opened and must be checked against the current consolidated text.
    • Uses and dimensional standards are controlled by Article 9 Table 9-4 and the use tables (Tables 9-2 and 9-3) of this ordinance.
    “site development requirements of zoning districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Birch Run Township (Saginaw County).

    • Table 9-4 lists site development requirements for A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MF, R-MHC, C-1, C-2 and I-1 districts; only A-1 and R-1 dimensions were captured here.
    • Zoning map is referenced in section 9.04 (zoning district map) and was not opened.
    “section 9.01 section 9.02 section 9.03 section 9.04 establishment of districts purposes of zoning districts zoning district map interpretation of district boundaries”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the A-1 (Agricultural) district inside Birch Run Township.

    • Two-family dwellings: 900 sq. ft. heated living area per unit (footnote 7b).
    • Two-story single-family dwellings need at least 750 sq. ft. of heated living area on the first story (footnote 7a).
    • Section 15 dwelling standards also require the dwelling to meet the district minimum floor area and a 24 ft by 24 ft minimum square, plus a 4:12 roof pitch over 70% of roof area, and comply with the Michigan Building Code.
    • Temporary dwellings are excluded from the section 15 standards (see temporary camping claim).

    minimum heated living area, single-family dwelling: >= 1200 sq ft (two-story: first story at least 750 sq ft)

    “a. single family dwellings: each dwelling unit shall have a minimum of one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet of heated living area. in the case of a dwelling unit composed of two (2) or more stories, the dwelling unit shall have a minimum of seven hundred fifty (750) square feet of heated living area on the first story.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    A-1 (Agricultural) district land inside Birch Run Township.

    • Minimum lot width and frontage in the same row is 200 ft (footnote 5 raises it to 300 ft for lots fronting M-54, M-83 or Dixie Highway).
    • Footnote 10 (cited against the A-1 lot-area cell) was not captured.
    • A-1 division of parcels is further limited by the development-site formula (see subdivision claim).

    minimum lot area: 1 acre (Table 9-4 footnote 10 not captured)

    “a-1 1 acre10 200 ft.5 35 ft. 1,2007 10%11 50 ft. 15 ft. each4 40 ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    A-1 (Agricultural) district land inside Birch Run Township.

    • Front yard setback is measured from the road right-of-way (Table 9-4 footnote 3).
    • On a corner lot, a minimum 25 ft side yard setback is maintained along the side yard abutting the road (footnote 4).
    • Side setback is 15 ft each side; rear 40 ft.
    • Wind energy conversion facilities must also stay outside all required yard setbacks in Table 9-4 (section 14.20).

    front yard setback: 50 ft · side yard setback (each side): 15 ft (corner lot side abutting road: 25 ft per footnote 4) · rear yard setback: 40 ft

    “a-1 1 acre10 200 ft.5 35 ft. 1,2007 10%11 50 ft. 15 ft. each4 40 ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    A-1 (Agricultural) district land inside Birch Run Township.

    • Table 9-4 footnote 11 applies to the cell and its text was not captured in full.
    • If an authorized nonresidential use occupies an A-1 or R-1 lot, the allowable maximum lot coverage is 25% (Table 9-4 note, section 9.06 text).
    • A nonconforming A-1 or R-1 lot that does not meet minimum lot area may cover the Table 9-4 percentage plus 2,000 sq. ft.
    • Accessory buildings and structures are separately capped by area limits in section 20.20(d).

    maximum lot coverage: 10 percent (nonresidential use on A-1 or R-1 lot: 25%)

    “a-1 1 acre10 200 ft.5 35 ft. 1,2007 10%11 50 ft. 15 ft. each4 40 ft.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    A-1 (Agricultural) district land inside Birch Run Township.

    • Farm structures in the A-1 district: maximum height 85 ft (Table 9-4 footnote 6).
    • Additional height exceptions are in section 20.10 (not captured).

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft (farm structures: 85 ft per footnote 6)

    “6. the maximum height of farm structures shall be eighty-five (85) feet. see section 20.10 for additional height exceptions.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles or mobile homes used as agricultural labor housing in Birch Run Township. General RV occupancy outside this use was not located.

    • Agricultural labor housing requires a special land use permit.
    • Minimum parcel area for agricultural production associated with the labor housing: 80 acres.
    • Labor housing facilities must be at least 100 ft from all property lines and may not be in the front yard of the principal dwelling.
    • The special land use permit terminates when occupants no longer meet the ordinance definition of agricultural labor housing.

    minimum parcel area for agricultural labor housing: >= 80 acres · setback for agricultural labor housing from property lines: >= 100 ft

    “1. minimum parcel area used for agricultural production in association with the agricultural labor housing shall be eighty (80) acres. 2. labor housing facilities shall be located a minimum of one hundred (100) feet from all property lines and in no case shall such housing be located in the front yard of the principal dwelling.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes located in a licensed manufactured housing community in the R-MHC district of Birch Run Township. Mobile homes on individual lots outside R-MHC were not captured.

    • R-MHC requires a preliminary plan submitted to the township for review by the township board, under the Michigan Mobile Home Commission Act.
    • The ordinance definition of mobile home excludes modular homes built on a foundation, recreational vehicles, and travel trailers.
    • Mobile homes in licensed parks are exempt from the section 15 dwelling standards except as state or federal law requires.
    “c. r-mhc: manufactured housing community district 1. pursuant to section 11 of public act 96 of 1987, as amended, the michigan mobile home commission act, a preliminary plan shall be submitted to the township for review by the township board.”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Detached accessory buildings and structures on lots in Birch Run Township. This does not address dwelling units attached to or within a principal dwelling.

    • Accessory buildings may be erected before a principal structure with a plot plan or site plan approval (section 20.20(f)).
    • Temporary dwellings under section 20.17 are the only dwelling exception cross-referenced in this subsection.
    “e. habitation of accessory structures: no accessory building or structure shall be used or occupied as a dwelling. see section 20.17, temporary dwellings.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privately served buildings on sites with on-site sewage disposal and potable water (wells) in Birch Run Township.

    • Every building for human occupancy must have a potable water supply and waste water disposal system (section 18.03).
    • On-site sewage disposal and potable water facilities must meet Saginaw County Health Department requirements.
    • Health department requires a well permit and/or wastewater disposal permit for a site not served by public water and sewer.
    “all on-site sewage disposal and potable water facilities shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements and standards of the saginaw county public health department”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land in the A-1 (Agricultural) district inside Birch Run Township.

    • The number of development sites is set by a formula in the A-1 district text; the formula's full terms were not captured.
    • The formula may be increased by 2 in listed road/driveway or large-parcel situations.
    • Parcels existing on March 31, 1997 are treated specially under the A-1 provisions.
    • Land divisions are also subject to state law (Michigan Land Division Act); not reviewed.
    “the number of authorized development sites according to the formula above may be increased by 2 if one or both of the following conditions are met”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building and zoning permit applications in Birch Run Township.

    • Published forms include building permit application packet, zoning permit application, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications, contractor registration, and special land use applications.
    • Review steps, timelines and approval sequence were not captured.
    “building permit application packet zoning permit application electrical permit application mechanical permit application”

Rules another office applies inside Birch Run Township

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    On-site sewage disposal systems for sites inside Birch Run Township not served by public sewer. The Saginaw County Health Department administers the permits; geography recorded as district-specific because county scope does not allow township-specific.

    • Township zoning section 18.03 requires compliance with Saginaw County Public Health Department requirements.
    • Health department says it manages construction and installation of sewage disposal systems and water wells through regulatory processes and permits.
    “if you own property and are planning to build or need to replace a well or septic system at a site which is not served by a public water supply and sewage disposal system, you are required to obtain a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit from this office.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Building or replacing an on-site septic system at a site in Birch Run Township not served by public water and sewage disposal (county scope; applies inside Birch Run Township).

    • Construction may proceed after the wastewater disposal permit is issued.
    • Each site must be evaluated by a health department representative to determine soil characteristics and system sizing.
    “you are required to obtain a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit from this office”
  • Well permitRequired

    Building or replacing a private water well at a site in Birch Run Township not served by a public water supply (county scope; applies inside Birch Run Township).

    • Permit issued by the Saginaw County Health Department.
    • Applies where the site is not served by a public water supply and sewage disposal system.
    “you are required to obtain a well permit and/or a wastewater disposal permit from this office”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — New construction and alterations in Birch Run Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Birch Run Township.
  • Building code adopted — Residential building code enforced by Birch Run Township.
  • Inspections — Inspections of construction in Birch Run Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Birch Run Township.
6 more unanswered
  • Septic inspection
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Birch Run Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Saginaw County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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