[tjay]

Does anyone in Michigan have an idea of what counties have the least strict building codes? If someone were to want to be off the grid is it even allowed here in Michigan? In my township, you can't build unless you have at least 2.5 acres and the home has to be at least 1200 sq ft. This is to protect the 'rural' feel of the areas outside of our small town, yet it seems counterproductive to me for several reasons. I could check with every single township in Michigan but thought it might be quicker to ask if anyone knew offhand.

[mostie]

We were in Gaylord at one point, but had property in Atlanta...about 40 miles from Gaylord- it was out in the woods, and if I recall correctly, they were pretty easygoing on things- this was a few years ago, but you might want to check in N. MI- I don't know where you are now, but I think building outside of a town (our property was a few miles outside of Atlanta) in the woods would probably be your best bet. The closer downstate you get, I would imagine the tougher the building codes are.

[tjay]

Thanks so much mostie! Where I am at now, they would not allow anything (Oakland County). At least that is my assumption, probably shouldn't assume. But I'd definitely like to get out of Oakland County and go north anyway...just not sure where. The thing I think they won't allow is to NOT have a septic system....freaks people out!

[MSwartz]

I have no idea how or if it would work, but check out Indian Reservations. They in general don't seem to be very strict on building codes.

[zthatzmanz28]

The Upper Peninsula? They are always looking for new citizens.

[mostie]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

The Upper Peninsula? They are always looking for new citizens.

We're in the U.P., and my own personal opinion is...you couldn't pick a better place to be, lol.

I'm trying to recall the situation with the guy I talked to in Atlanta (building code guy? Heck, I can't remember what he was called, lol)- I want to say, and please don't quote me on this....less than 200 sq ft didn't need a permit...um...could have a mobile in place for a year, but had to have a building within a year...certain distance from the road...septic and well, I honestly don't recall at all, I don't even think it came up. I do know it was our first go-round buying rural acreage, and we got "took" a good one- the guy we bought from wasn't completely honest about things. My husband did a walkthrough of the property with the owner in the dead of winter, with snow on the ground and it was breathtakingly beautiful-the owner was on 20 acres, and he was selling us 10- we didn't discover that he had used the majority of our property to dig massive holes for garbage fill for himself (delightful, lol) until, of course, the snow melted! Due diligence, big on that now...in the ad for the property it was also stated that work had already begun on getting electric to the property, and the cost would be approximately "800" to finish up.....ERRRRR....wrong again, lol. When I called the electric company (after we had purchased ...of course!) I was told that the owner had already checked into it, never gone anywhere with it, and the cost would be over $5,000.

As for the U.P., I'm not totally sure what or how much they enforce building code up here, out in the woods- we live right in town, but I would bet there are loads of others who built way out there. You might want to look on the boards here and find someone who has built in the area you want to be in, maybe they could tell you what you need to know- I know that in N. MI where we lived, it seemed to me that the towns were all roughly 40 miles apart....Gaylord..Atlanta...Grayling, etc.- with lots of wide open space in between- with what you're looking for, I would still suggest either N. MI. or the U.P.- I don't think you would have much luck not having a stringent building code downstate, and I would guess that it really would be different the further North you go!

[wishIwereintheUP]

If you want remote, off the grid living, the UP is where it's at! Heck, if you look at the real estate listings, you can already find off the grid camps on nice size acreage for sale. There's a broad spectrum from a one or two room camp with fireplace/wood stove for heat and an outhouse with no water or well of any sort - to - a modern home with septic, drilled well, central heat and solar/batteries with generator backup.

What I've seen with my limited experience, the codes are quite reasonable. The health dept. gets involved in wells and septic, but they are pretty reasonable - believe they still 'approve' outhouses, if you want to go 'by the book'. They do get fussy with septic on small lots on lakes, probably with good reason. But, if you are looking at acreage, that shouldn't be a problem.

[tjay]

Thanks so much for the responses! I figured things were much more lax in the U.P. I haven't been up there in years...I'll have to make an effort to revisit and see if any areas feel like home to me. Was hoping for L.P....since all of my family is down here. Hmmmm....decisions:}

[Strange Roamer]

If you wished to focus on the LP, I would think your best bets would be the inner counties with no frontage on the Great Lakes.
Probably Otsego, Montmorency, Crawford, and Oscoda counties.

My wife and I have given this some thought ourselves but have not gone through the motions of contacting the county officials yet.

[dragon_fly_12]

Rural counties are a little easier in the lower half of MI, but you have to watch out for the good ol' boy system as well.

So, Eaton County is pretty unrestrictive, but if you tick off a neighbor, they make a call to their buddy and your building plans are brought to a halt.