Permitted uses in Canton Township, MI

Permitted by right in RA (Section 9.02.A): one single-family or farm dwelling per 40 acre lot; general and specialized farming including crops, livestock, poultry, and bees; farm buildings; idle cropland; nurseries and tree farms; retail sale of produce raised on the premises, including roadside stands under Section 6.02.V; sod farming; private kennels (Section 6.02.K); private stables (Section 6.02.X); Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards; and accessory uses under Section 2.03.

Site plan review is not required for normal agricultural activity or a single-family house, but it is required for the incidental retail sales uses and all special land uses (Section 9.03.A). A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

RE and RR share the single-family use list (Section 10.02.A): everything permitted in R-1 through R-5 under Section 11.02.A, which means single-family detached homes and site condominiums, public parks, homeowners' association parks, Class A mobile homes (Section 2.05.B), family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses under Section 2.03. The districts add idle cropland and religious institutions by right (Section 10.02.A).

General farming and livestock keeping are not in the RE or RR permitted use lists; they belong to the RA district (Section 9.02.A). Nurseries and tree farms are available only as special land uses (Section 10.02.B.9). A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

RE and RR share the single-family use list (Section 10.02.A): everything permitted in R-1 through R-5 under Section 11.02.A, which means single-family detached homes and site condominiums, public parks, homeowners' association parks, Class A mobile homes (Section 2.05.B), family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses under Section 2.03. The districts add idle cropland and religious institutions by right (Section 10.02.A).

General farming and livestock keeping are not in the RE or RR permitted use lists; they belong to the RA district (Section 9.02.A). Nurseries and tree farms are available only as special land uses (Section 10.02.B.9). A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-1 (Section 11.02.A): single-family detached dwellings including site condominiums, publicly owned parks and recreation facilities, private parks owned by homeowners' associations, Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards, family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses and structures under Section 2.03.

The district text expressly prohibits multiple-family, office, business, commercial, and industrial use of the land (Section 11.01). Accessory buildings may not be used as dwellings or for any business (Section 2.03.D.4), and home occupations must stay within the Section 2.06 limits. A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-2 (Section 11.02.A): single-family detached dwellings including site condominiums, publicly owned parks and recreation facilities, private parks owned by homeowners' associations, Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards, family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses and structures under Section 2.03.

The district text expressly prohibits multiple-family, office, business, commercial, and industrial use of the land (Section 11.01). Accessory buildings may not be used as dwellings or for any business (Section 2.03.D.4), and home occupations must stay within the Section 2.06 limits. A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-3 (Section 11.02.A): single-family detached dwellings including site condominiums, publicly owned parks and recreation facilities, private parks owned by homeowners' associations, Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards, family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses and structures under Section 2.03.

The district text expressly prohibits multiple-family, office, business, commercial, and industrial use of the land (Section 11.01). Accessory buildings may not be used as dwellings or for any business (Section 2.03.D.4), and home occupations must stay within the Section 2.06 limits. A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-4 (Section 11.02.A): single-family detached dwellings including site condominiums, publicly owned parks and recreation facilities, private parks owned by homeowners' associations, Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards, family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses and structures under Section 2.03.

The district text expressly prohibits multiple-family, office, business, commercial, and industrial use of the land (Section 11.01). Accessory buildings may not be used as dwellings or for any business (Section 2.03.D.4), and home occupations must stay within the Section 2.06 limits. A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-5 (Section 11.02.A): single-family detached dwellings including site condominiums, publicly owned parks and recreation facilities, private parks owned by homeowners' associations, Class A mobile homes meeting the Section 2.05.B design standards, family day care homes (Section 6.02.E), and accessory uses and structures under Section 2.03.

The district text expressly prohibits multiple-family, office, business, commercial, and industrial use of the land (Section 11.01). Accessory buildings may not be used as dwellings or for any business (Section 2.03.D.4), and home occupations must stay within the Section 2.06 limits. A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in R-6 (Section 12.02.A): single-family attached dwellings and townhouses built to the Section 6.03.A standards, zero lot line developments, public parks, homeowners' association parks, and accessory uses under Section 2.03. Site plan review is required for all uses (Section 12.03.B). A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in MR (Section 13.02.A): multiple-family dwellings and townhouses built to the Section 6.03.A standards, public parks, housing for the elderly (Section 6.03.E), and accessory uses under Section 2.03. Site plan review is required for all uses (Section 13.03.B).

This is where apartments live in Canton Township; the single-family articles expressly prohibit multiple-family use (Section 11.01). A use not named in any district list may be allowed only through the Planning Official's similar-use determination under Section 2.08.

Permitted by right in RMH (Section 14.02.A): mobile homes located in a licensed mobile home park, mobile home parks and subdivisions built to Section 6.03.C, public parks, private parks of the homeowners' association or park owner, and accessory uses under Section 2.03. Outside this district, a mobile home on its own lot must qualify as a Class A mobile home under Section 2.05.B; parking or storing an unoccupied mobile home is prohibited outside RMH (Section 4.01.E.6).

Permitted by right in C-1 (Section 15.02.A): specialty retail such as apparel, bakery, bookstore, convenience grocery, delicatessen, drugstore, flower and gift shop, toy and hobby; personal services including hair salons, alterations, dry cleaning outlets, and licensed massage; professional and medical offices; banks and credit unions; carryout and standard restaurants (delivery only as an accessory); child and adult day care with screened rear or side play areas; planned shopping centers under Section 6.05; fitness centers, dance and music schools, and art studios; veterinary offices; similar uses; and accessory uses.

Required conditions (Section 15.03.A): retail and service dealings must be direct to customers, no wholesale activity, everything inside a fully enclosed building, and no outside storage. Outdoor display and sidewalk cafes are limited to sidewalk or patio areas shown on the site plan. Buildings and centers follow the village-scale design standards of Section 6.05, which is also where the 5,000 square foot per-business size threshold lives (Section 6.05.B).

Permitted by right in C-2 (Section 16.02.A): convenience retail (groceries, meats, alcohol, baked goods, drugs, hardware); comparison retail (carpet, furniture, appliances, building materials, sporting goods and firearms, apparel, jewelry); on-premises service shops (beauty and barber, repair, locksmiths, photo studios); veterinary offices and hospitals; trade showrooms of a plumber, electrician, or similar contractor with retail sales and no outside storage; laundromats and dry cleaning outlets; private clubs, banquet halls, and religious institutions; standard and carryout restaurants, bars, and lounges; child care centers; fitness centers and studios; ice cream parlors; offices; medical clinics and labs; banks; planned shopping centers under 40,000 square feet (Section 6.06); funeral homes; adult day care; smoking lounges under chapter 18; similar uses; and accessory uses.

Required conditions (Section 16.03.A): all goods and services sold at retail on the premises, everything inside an enclosed building, and no outside storage of goods, inventory, or equipment.

Permitted by right in C-3 (Section 17.02.A): every C-2 principal use plus planned shopping centers up to 200,000 square feet (Section 6.06); every O-1 office use (Section 20.02.A); contractor showrooms; standard restaurants, bars, and lounges; dancehalls, assembly halls, and religious institutions; banks; business schools and vocational training; hospitals (Section 6.02.L); funeral homes; indoor and outdoor private recreation such as bowling, billiards, driving ranges, and tennis clubs (Section 6.02.R); smoking lounges; and accessory uses.

Required conditions (Section 17.03.A): direct-to-customer retail and service, fully enclosed operations unless specifically permitted, and no outside storage.

Permitted by right in C-4 (Section 18.02.A): executive, administrative, and professional offices including multitenant buildings and medical clinics; theaters (Section 6.02.O); standard restaurants, bars, and lounges; motels and hotels (Section 6.02.N); smoking lounges; and accessory uses.

Required conditions (Section 18.03.A): direct-to-customer service, enclosed operations, no outside storage. The district exists for freeway interchange trade (Section 18.01).

Permitted by right in MRD (Section 19.02.A): every C-2 retail and service use (Section 16.02.A); every O-1 office use (Section 20.02.A); assembly halls, convention centers, banquet halls, and religious institutions; theaters and nightclubs (Section 6.04.A); research and design facilities with office character and no manufacturing; hospitals (Section 6.02.L); essential services; and housing for the elderly (Section 6.03.E).

Required conditions (Section 19.03.A): the Section 6.04.A mixed use site standards, direct-to-customer sales, enclosed operations, and no outside storage. Parking structures are permitted here under the Section 4.01.B.8 design standards.

Permitted by right in HRD (Section 19.02.A): every C-2 retail and service use (Section 16.02.A); every O-1 office use (Section 20.02.A); assembly halls, convention centers, banquet halls, and religious institutions; theaters and nightclubs (Section 6.04.A); research and design facilities with office character and no manufacturing; hospitals (Section 6.02.L); essential services; and housing for the elderly (Section 6.03.E).

Required conditions (Section 19.03.A): the Section 6.04.A mixed use site standards, direct-to-customer sales, enclosed operations, and no outside storage. Parking structures are permitted here under the Section 4.01.B.8 design standards.

Permitted by right in O-1 (Section 20.02.A): office buildings for administrative, professional, accounting, clerical, drafting, research, sales agent, and similar occupations; offices where no goods are manufactured, exchanged, or sold on site; medical and dental clinics, offices, labs, and licensed massage establishments; banks and credit unions; veterinary hospitals; public offices and utility buildings without outside storage; business and trade schools, dance, music, and art studios; assembly and concert halls and religious institutions; funeral homes; data processing centers; photographic studios; similar uses; accessory uses; and essential services.

Required conditions (Section 20.03.A): direct-to-customer services only, enclosed operations, and no outside storage. Retail is otherwise prohibited (Section 20.01). Uniquely, the Planning Commission holds final site plan authority in O-1, without automatic Township Board review (Section 27.02.C.9).

Permitted by right in LI-R (Section 21.02.A): research and design centers and testing labs; light manufacturing, assembly, packaging, testing, and repair of life science, material science, information technology, instrumentation, and automotive products; professional and administrative offices; software development and data centers; business service establishments such as printing and mail services; secondary retail and service uses accessory to a principal use; essential services; and accessory uses.

Required conditions (Section 21.03.A): everything inside enclosed buildings, no outside storage and no storage trailers, compliance with the Article 7.00 performance standards, underground utilities, and no raw material bulk processing; stamping, casting, and multi-station machining are expressly not permitted. Warehousing stands only as an accessory use.

Permitted by right in LI (Section 22.02.A): light manufacturing, assembly, research, packaging, testing, and repair of life science, material science, information technology, instrumentation, automotive, food and beverage (no rendering of fats and oils), apparel, wood, paper, ceramic, metal, glass, stone, and electrical products; research centers and testing labs; film production studios; printing; tool, die, gauge, and machine shops; contractor establishments; offices; software and data centers; plastic injection molding; warehousing and distribution centers; vocational schools fronting a primary county road; accessory secondary retail; indoor recreation such as bowling, skating, and court sports; dance and martial arts studios; pet care facilities without outdoor runs; similar uses; accessory uses; and essential services.

Required conditions (Section 22.03.A): activity inside enclosed buildings under the Article 7.00 performance standards. Outdoor storage is allowed only behind the front building line, screened per Section 5.08, below screening height, never on parcels fronting I-275, and never in trailers or shipping containers.

Permitted by right in GI (Section 23.02.A): every LI principal use (the text cites the pre-2010 LI-2 list, now Section 22.02.A); assembly and manufacture of automobiles, auto parts, electrical apparatus, cement, lime, and gypsum products; food processing, refining, and storage; machine, plating, molding, millwork, painting, undercoating, and welding shops; truck, boat, mobile home, and RV sales and repair (Section 6.02.Q); truck terminals; power generating stations; petroleum production, refining, and storage; concrete and asphalt batch plants; construction material manufacturing; auto auctions; mini-warehouses (Section 6.02.M); lumberyards behind a six foot masonry wall with a 20 foot greenbelt; accessory uses; and essential services.

Required conditions (Section 23.03.A): Article 7.00 performance standards, enclosed operations except as specified, outdoor storage screened per Section 5.08 where abutting residential or commercial districts, stored no higher than 8 feet, and at least 150 feet off any street right-of-way.

The only principal use in OSP is off-street parking accessory to one or more abutting business, office, or industrial uses (Section 24.02.A). The lot must abut an MR or nonresidential district, hold passenger vehicles for under one day, be built to Article 4.00 standards, and measure at least 2,000 square feet. Buildings are limited to a parking attendant shelter of up to 50 square feet (Section 4.01.D.8).

Permitted by right in WC (Section 25.03.A): forestry; wildlife sanctuaries, woodland preserves, and arboretums; hunting, fishing, and preservation of scenic, historic, or scientific land; and accessory uses. Site plan review applies to all uses (Section 25.04.A).