Bureaucracy

I am getting anxious to break ground on the actual cabin and before we can do that there is a ton of paperwork we have to wade through. If we want to do any building this summer, I figure we had better start the permitting process asap because there's no telling how long it might take. It would be so frustrating if we finally got the ok just as the first flakes start to fall! Right now, we are getting ready to submit our Land Use Permit Application. The Land Use Permit gives the township a rough idea of your intentions for the land, what kind of structure you are planning on putting up, where it is going to be situated, how close it will be to the road, or your neighbor's property. Of course there is a fee attached depending on the proposed size of the building to be built. I don't think we will have any issues with this step in the process. The main thing is that they want to make sure you have adequate distance between your building and everything around it. Camp Freedom is large enough that it easily meets all the setback requirements. After we file this and receive the Land Use Permit, we can apply for a building permit. That should be a little more complicated. We're not sure if the township needs to review actual blueprints before issuing a permit. We are describing this structure to anyone who asks as a "hunting shack." There are lots of rustic shacks around with limited utilities and let me tell you, they weren't built using blueprints. We do have building plans, we're just not sure how official they have to be to please the permitting office. If our experience with the outhouse permitter is any indication, as long as the check clears, it passes.