Salem Township

Short-term overnight rentals operate in Salem Township only as a zoning-permitted "Bed and Breakfast Establishment" use, which is a Special Use in the R-1 Agricultural and Rural Estate District (Section 6.03(w), Amended 5/10/94) and is capped at fourteen (14) or fewer rentable rooms with guest stays of fewer than thirty (30) consecutive days ^[1][3]. The Zoning Ordinance defines a Bed and Breakfast Establishment as "a private residence that offers sleeping accommodations to lodgers in fourteen (14) or fewer rooms for rent, in the innkeeper’s principal residence, for fewer than thirty (30) consecutive days" ^[1]. The R-2 Low Density Residential District (Chapter 7) and the R-3 Medium Density Residential District (Chapter 8) do not list bed-and-breakfast establishments as permitted or special uses ^[6][7], so a property in those districts cannot host a B&B-style STR by right or by special use.

There is no stand-alone short-term-rental ordinance and no rental-registration program; the Planning Commission’s Special Use Permit process is the only township-level entitlement path for an STR-style operation. For any specific property, verify the parcel’s district with the Township Supervisor before underwriting — the A-1 Agricultural Conservation district’s special-use list should also be checked directly with the township, as the printable A-1 chapter (Chapter 5) is not available as a stand-alone download from the township’s public Permits page ^[4].

Click the map to open the 2024 Master Plan (PDF), which contains the most recent district map and future land-use plan.

The Planning Commission is the approving body. Bed and Breakfast Establishment applications are filed with the Township Clerk in Burnips and are reviewed under the Special Use standards in Chapter 15 of the Zoning Ordinance, plus any specific standards tied to the R-1 District ^[3].

Salem Township does not publish a standing Special Use Permit fee schedule on its public Permits page. The application fee, public-hearing notice costs, and any escrow for engineering review are set by the Township Board and must be confirmed with the Township Clerk at the time of application ^[8]. Building-permit fees (separate from the SUP) are set and collected by Professional Code Inspectors of Dorr, the township’s contracted building department ^[4].

Because there is no STR-specific ordinance, an approved Bed and Breakfast Establishment operates under the conditions of its Special Use Permit plus the general standards in the Zoning Ordinance ^[2][3]:

• Length of stay: No guest stay may equal or exceed 30 consecutive days (per the B&B definition in Section 3.02) ^[1].
• Room cap: Maximum 14 rentable rooms per dwelling ^[1].
• Resident-innkeeper standard: The definition contemplates accommodations in "the innkeeper’s principal residence" — investor-owned remote operations should expect Planning Commission scrutiny and may need a resident manager as a SUP condition ^[1].
• Parking: Off-street parking must satisfy the Chapter 11 general-provision parking standards; the Planning Commission may impose additional on-site parking requirements as part of the SUP ^[2].
• Noise & nuisance: Salem Township enforces Michigan’s general nuisance authority plus the standards in Chapter 11 (General Provisions) ^[2]. Allegan County Sheriff’s Office handles after-hours noise and disturbance complaints (non-emergency: 269-673-0500).
• Riparian Area Protection Overlay (RAP): Lakefront and stream-adjacent parcels in Salem Township sit inside the RAP overlay (added 2-08) and are subject to additional setbacks and vegetative buffer rules layered on top of the base district ^[2].
• Signage: The Zoning Ordinance limits accessory signs for home occupations and Special Use businesses — verify any proposed B&B sign with the township and PCI before installation ^[2].

Salem Township does not perform routine STR inspections. Compliance touch-points apply to any habitable dwelling used for lodging and are administered by outside agencies, not the township:

• Building, electrical, plumbing & mechanical inspections for additions, conversions, or new construction — performed by Professional Code Inspectors (PCI) of Dorr on behalf of Salem Township, (616) 877-2000 or (800) 628-3335 ^[4]. Required for any permitted alteration tied to a B&B SUP.
• Septic & well permits and existing-system evaluations for properties not on public sewer/water — issued by the Allegan County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, 2233 33rd St., Allegan, MI 49010, (269) 673-5411 ^[4]. Lender-required septic evaluations are common on point-of-sale and are strongly recommended before underwriting an STR purchase.
• Smoke and CO detectors per the Michigan Residential Code: working smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor; carbon-monoxide alarms on each floor with fuel-burning appliances ^[10].
• Egress: Every sleeping room must have a code-compliant emergency egress window or door.
• Fire extinguishers: At least one ABC-rated extinguisher on each floor is best-practice for transient lodging and is commonly required as a SUP condition. Salem Township Fire Department: (616) 896-8715.

Because Salem Township contracts out building enforcement and shares many functions with the county, investors should expect to interact with several agencies:

• Supervisor — James Pitsch: First point of contact for zoning interpretation and SUP pre-application questions, Jim@salemtownship.org ^[8].
• Clerk — Renee Busscher: Receives SUP applications, issues meeting notices, maintains records, clerk@salemtownship.org ^[8].
• Treasurer — Ashley Brower: Property-tax payments; rental income may shift the parcel’s taxable status if the Principal Residence Exemption is affected, treasurer@salemtownship.org ^[8].
• Assessor — Heather Mitchell: In office Thursdays 2-5 p.m. — handles assessment appeals and PRE rescissions ^[8].
• Building Department — Professional Code Inspectors (PCI) of Dorr: (616) 877-2000 or (800) 628-3335 — issues all building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits in the township ^[4].
• Allegan County Environmental Health: (269) 673-5411 — septic and well permits and existing-system evaluations ^[4].
• Allegan County Equalization / Property Records: Parcel lookup and assessment history via the Allegan County Parcel & Tax Map Viewer ^[12].
• Salem Township Fire Department: (616) 896-8715 — fire-protection inspections and smoke-alarm assistance, captain@salemtownship.org.

The township office is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 PM and 1 PM-4 PM. The Assessor is in on Thursdays from 2-5 PM ^[8].