Off-Grid Living in Keweenaw County, Michigan

I've spent a good while digging through Keweenaw County's official zoning documents and the regional health department's site, and here's what I found for anyone thinking about going off-grid in Michigan's Copper Country tip.

The big structural quirk: Keweenaw County is one of the few counties in Michigan that actually runs its own countywide zoning ordinance, rather than leaving it entirely to townships. That ordinance, administered by the county's Zoning & Construction Codes Department (ZCCD), covers Grant, Sherman, Houghton, and Allouez Townships plus Ahmeek Village. Eagle Harbor Township is the one exception, it keeps its own separate zoning ordinance and maps, so if your land is there, you need to talk to that township directly rather than the county.

Zoning: Under the county ordinance, the Agricultural district has a minimum five-acre lot size, and most waterfront structures must sit 75 feet back from the high-water mark (with an exception for the RS-1 district).

Dwellings: The county limits how long you can live in a structure that doesn't meet the ordinance's dwelling-unit standards, generally no more than 14 days in a row or 60 days total in a year, with an exception for tents and RVs in licensed campgrounds. Yurts are explicitly allowed as seasonal dwellings, but only if built to manufacturer spec and hooked to an approved septic and water system, and (in the RR district) sited on at least an acre. I found no county-specific tiny-home square footage rule, so ask ZCCD directly.

Building permits: ZCCD issues both zoning and building permits countywide, and you need the zoning permit approved before you can even apply for the building permit. A Certificate of Occupancy is required before you move in. Small accessory buildings (200 square feet or less) skip the building permit but still need a zoning permit.

Septic and wells: Keweenaw County doesn't run its own health department. That's handled regionally by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD), which enforces the U.P. Environmental Health Code across five counties. Critically, you need a valid well and septic permit (or a documented existing system) before the county will issue you a zoning permit at all. That's a real bottleneck for anyone hoping to build without conventional utilities.

Greywater and rainwater: I couldn't find county- or WUPHD-specific rules on either. My best guess is the state plumbing code framework applies by default, but that's not confirmed, so check with ZCCD or WUPHD directly before assuming.

Bottom line on disconnecting from utilities: Because a working or permitted well and septic system is a prerequisite for any zoning permit, and because dwelling in a non-code structure is capped at those short day limits, truly off-grid, no-water-hookup living isn't something the county's written rules accommodate for permanent residency.