Pine Grove Township

Short-term rentals are allowed by right anywhere a dwelling unit is a permitted use. Ordinance 01052022 amended the Zoning Ordinance definitions to classify a short-term rental (a stay of 30 consecutive days or less) as a residential accessory use ^[2]. There is no separate "Commercial Lodging" classification and no STR-specific district overlay.

What that means in practice: If a parcel is zoned for a single-family dwelling and the dwelling is legally established, STR activity is a by-right accessory use of that dwelling. The Zoning Ordinance Article 5.00 district chart at the Municode link below shows which districts permit residential dwellings ^[5].

Verification path for any specific parcel: open the township’s interactive zoning map, locate the parcel, confirm the district allows dwellings, and confirm permitted-use status with the Zoning Administrator before closing.

Click to open the township’s interactive zoning map (ArcGIS).

No township registration or permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Pine Grove Township. Ordinance 01052022 treats STRs as a residential accessory use, so they do not trigger a separate township license, application, inspection, or annual renewal ^[2]. There is no online portal because no application exists.

Operators still need to comply with these non-township obligations:

• State of Michigan 6% Use Tax on the rental of rooms/accommodations (Michigan Department of Treasury) ^[6].
• Van Buren/Cass District Health Department septic and well requirements if the property is on a private system ^[4].
• Kalamazoo Area Building Authority (KABA) for any building, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing permits triggered by interior improvements ^[7].
• Pine Grove Township ordinance compliance for litter, blight, motor vehicle storage, and fireworks/noise rules that apply to any occupied dwelling.

There is no township STR permit fee because there is no STR permit. The fees an operator may encounter come from other ordinances and from state and county programs:

Each day a violation continues constitutes a separate offense under the Litter Ordinance, and the violator pays the township’s administrative and legal costs in addition to the civil fine ^[9].

Pine Grove Township does not conduct rental-specific inspections. Because no STR permit is issued, there is no annual or biennial township life-safety inspection tied to operating a short-term rental ^[2]. Safety obligations come from three other places:

• Building / electrical / mechanical / plumbing inspections are handled by the Kalamazoo Area Building Authority (KABA) for any work that triggers a permit. KABA serves Pine Grove Township as the building department of record ^[7].
• Septic and well inspections are governed by the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department under the District Environmental Health Code ^[4]. Septic permits, soil evaluations, and well water testing run through their Lawrence office at 260 South Street, (269) 621-3143.
• Beach and pool safety (if the property has a private pool, or if marketing leans on a lake beach) is monitored seasonally by the same Van Buren/Cass DHD program ^[4].

Practical owner checklist for a rental dwelling (not a township requirement, but standard insurer expectations): working smoke alarms in every sleeping room and on every floor, a carbon monoxide alarm near sleeping areas if any fuel-burning appliance or attached garage is present, a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, egress windows that meet building code, and a posted emergency-contact card with the township office (269-628-4380) and Van Buren County non-emergency dispatch.

STR operators in Pine Grove Township are bound by the same nuisance, litter, and outdoor-storage rules as every other resident. The two ordinances most likely to generate a complaint at a short-term rental are the Litter & Blight Ordinance and the Motor Vehicle Repair and Storage Ordinance ^[9][10].

• Trash and garbage must be kept in an enclosed container, with regular (at least weekly) pickup by a public or private collection service. Outdoor storage between pickups is allowed only in compliance with the litter ordinance ^[9].
• Junk, inoperable, or unlicensed vehicles cannot be parked or stored outdoors. This includes boats, trailers, and watercraft that are not in usable condition ^[9].
• Personal use items (lawn equipment, toys, sporting equipment, bicycles) must be in usable condition; broken or unused items left outdoors are treated as litter and subject to enforcement ^[9].
• Logs, firewood, and scrap wood may be stacked in the rear or side yard up to 2,000 cubic feet, outside zoning setbacks, and only if not creating a fire hazard or nuisance ^[9].
• Motor vehicle storage and repair on residential property is restricted under the Motor Vehicle Repair and Storage Ordinance adopted in March 2026 ^[10].

Pine Grove Township’s STR posture has been consistent since the January 2022 ordinance change. There has been no further STR-specific ordinance amendment as of May 2026 ^[11].

• January 5, 2022: Township Board adopted Ordinance 01052022, adding the "Short-Term Rental" definition (≤30-day rental, residential accessory use) and repealing the prior "permanent resident" definition ^[2]. This made STRs by-right wherever dwellings are by-right.
• December 3, 2025: Township Board adopted the Litter & Blight Ordinance (Ord. 12032025) ^[9]. This isn’t STR-specific but is the most common complaint channel for any rental property.
• March 2026: Township adopted the Motor Vehicle Repair and Storage Ordinance ^[10], tightening rules on the outdoor storage of inoperable vehicles and equipment.