Blendon Township

7161 72nd Avenue, Hudsonville, MI 49426

Directions

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Township Website

www.blendontownship-mi.gov

Area Overview

Blendon Township sits in central Ottawa County just outside the City of Hudsonville, between Allendale to the north and Jamestown to the south. It is a largely rural community of farms, residential subdivisions, and a small commercial corridor; most properties are on private well and septic rather than public utilities ^[1]. Day-to-day government runs out of the township office at 7161 72nd Avenue, with police service contracted through the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department (Deputy Adam Schaller is the assigned community deputy) ^[2].

Blendon has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance or a standalone rental registration program. Rentals are governed by the township’s general Zoning Ordinance (amended through February 2025) ^[3] together with the township’s Noise & Nuisance ordinance ^[4] and Ottawa County environmental health rules. Investors should pay particular attention to two structural facts: (1) the zoning ordinance’s definition of “family” expressly excludes transient or seasonal occupancy in residential dwellings, and (2) Ottawa County requires a septic and well evaluation at every property transfer, which can be a material expense on older rural parcels ^[5].

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals UNREGULATED

Blendon Township has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance and no STR registration or permit program. The zoning ordinance’s definition of “family” (Section 18.07) expressly excludes domestic relationships “of a transitory or seasonal nature,” which the Zoning Administrator may apply to rental occupancy in single-family residential districts ^[3]. The only formal short-term lodging use in residential/agricultural zones is a Bed & Breakfast Inn, which requires Special Land Use approval and is limited to operator-occupied dwellings with up to 8 guest rooms (Section 13.05.06) ^[3]. For any specific parcel, confirm with the Zoning Administrator before listing.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals (31+ day residential leases) are permitted by right wherever the underlying single-family, two-family, or multi-family dwelling use is permitted by Table 03.01 of the Zoning Ordinance ^[3]. The township does not maintain a separate rental registration, license, or annual inspection program. Standard Michigan landlord-tenant law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) controls leases, security deposits, repairs, and evictions ^[6].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Blendon Township has no short-term rental ordinance. There is no STR-specific use category in the township’s Zoning Ordinance, and no separate STR registration program ^[3]. The closest formally regulated short-term lodging use in residential/agricultural zones is a Bed & Breakfast Inn, which is a Special Land Use (Section 13.05.06) and is restricted to the operator’s permanent residence with no more than 8 sleeping rooms for guests ^[3].

The practical zoning issue for a typical investor STR (whole-home rental): the Zoning Ordinance defines “family” (Section 18.07) to exclude any group whose relationship is “of a transitory or seasonal nature” ^[3]. In single-family residential districts (R-1, R-2, R-3), the dwelling must be occupied by a “family” — so the Zoning Administrator may treat a whole-home short-term rental as an unpermitted use. Before listing any property, contact the Zoning Administrator in writing for a parcel-specific determination.

Click the map to open the full Zoning Map PDF (April 2024 edition).

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance (PDF)📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

There is no STR registration or permit application to file. Blendon Township has not adopted a short-term rental registration program, license, or permit process ^[3]. There is no online portal and no paper application specific to STRs.

If a property qualifies as a Bed & Breakfast Inn under the Zoning Ordinance (operator-occupied dwelling, up to 8 guest rooms, frontage on a County Primary road), the path is a Special Land Use application reviewed by the Planning Commission ^[3]:

Application formSpecial Land Use Application (PDF)

Reviewed byPlanning Commission (1st Monday of the month, 7:00 PM at the Township Hall)

SubmissionIn person or by mail to Township Office, 7161 72nd Avenue, Hudsonville

Operating limitTransient occupancy not to exceed 4 weeks within any one-year period (Section 13.05.06(h))

For investors: A Special Land Use is tied to the property and the operator, not freely transferable, and the dwelling must be the operator’s permanent residence. This route is unsuitable for absentee-owner whole-home STR strategies.

📄 Special Land Use Application 📞 Call Township Office 📧 Email Zoning Administrator

3 Operating Rules (Noise, Nuisance, Outdoor Burning, Fireworks)

Any rental in Blendon Township is bound by the township’s general operating ordinances regardless of whether a short-term rental ordinance exists:

Noise & Nuisance Ordinance (Regulatory Ord. No. 40): prohibits unreasonable noise, accumulation of refuse, and other nuisance conditions on residential property ^[4].
Outdoor Burning Ordinance (No. 39, updated 2018): restricts open burning; a burn permit through the Fire Department is required for most burns ^[7].
Inoperable Motor Vehicle Ordinance (65-02): bars storage of unlicensed/inoperable vehicles in residential yards ^[8].
Swimming pools: must be fenced per the Zoning Ordinance update for swimming pools (Section 15.03.03e) ^[9].
Property maintenance: Blendon Township has not adopted a separate property-maintenance code; complaints are handled by the Zoning Administrator and Ottawa County Sheriff via the Deputy assigned to the township ^[2].

📄 Noise & Nuisance Ordinance 📄 Outdoor Burning Update 📄 Pool Fencing Update

4 Complaints & Enforcement

Complaints about a rental property in Blendon Township are routed in two channels:

Zoning & ordinance violations (illegal use, signs, pool fencing, junk, burn complaints): contact the Zoning Administrator, Steve Kushion, at skushion@pcimi.com or call (616) 453-1846 ^[10].
Criminal Code, Motor Vehicle Code, noise/disorder at the time it occurs: contact the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Adam Schaller is the deputy assigned to Blendon and assists the Zoning Administrator with ordinance enforcement ^[2].

Ottawa County Sheriff non-emergency(616) 738-5000

Township Zoning Administratorskushion@pcimi.com

Township Managermanager@blendontownship-mi.gov · (616) 875-7707 x101

📧 Zoning Admin Email 🏫 Ottawa County Sheriff 📞 Township Office

5 Septic, Well & Property Transfer Evaluation

Most Blendon Township properties are served by private well and septic. Ottawa County’s Environmental Public Health Code requires a Real Estate Transfer Evaluation of the on-site well and septic system before ownership transfers ^[5]. For investors and out-of-area buyers this is the single largest pre-closing line item to budget for on rural Blendon parcels.

County requirementSeptic & well evaluation prior to property transfer (Ottawa County Environmental Health Code)

Issued byOttawa County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division

Application portalmiottawa.org/HealthSuite

Phone(616) 393-5645

📄 Real Estate Transfer Evaluation (PDF)🌐 Well & Septic Permits 🔗 Apply Online (HealthSuite)

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals (31+ day leases) are permitted by right wherever the underlying dwelling use is permitted. Table 03.01 of the Zoning Ordinance allows single-family dwellings by right in AG, R-1, R-2, and R-3 districts, two-family dwellings by right in R-2 and R-3, and multi-family dwellings by right in R-3 ^[3]. An LTR does not change the dwelling’s use classification, so no separate use approval is needed.

Where verification matters: If a parcel is zoned Exclusive Agricultural (EAG), Neighborhood Commercial, or Light Industrial, residential dwelling use itself is either not permitted or restricted — confirm with the Zoning Administrator before assuming an LTR is allowed. For any specific parcel, look up the zoning district on the map below and confirm dwelling use is permitted by right.

Click the map to open the full Zoning Map PDF (April 2024 edition).

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance (PDF)📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

Blendon Township does not require landlords to register long-term rentals, obtain a rental license, or schedule a rental-specific inspection. No rental application packet, no annual renewal, and no rental fee schedule has been adopted ^[3]. A landlord can simply lease a permitted dwelling under standard Michigan landlord-tenant law.

The only township touchpoints for a typical LTR are general property standards (Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing permits for any work the landlord performs) and the township’s Noise & Nuisance ordinance, which applies to all occupants ^[4].

Rental registration required?No

Annual inspection required?No (township does not operate a rental-inspection program)

Rental license feeNone

Tenant security-deposit cap (state law)1.5 months’ rent (MCL 554.602)

📄 Building Permit Application 📄 MI Landlord-Tenant Guide (PDF)📞 Call Township Office

3 Fees & Penalties

Because Blendon Township does not license or register rentals, there are no rental fees or rental-specific penalties at the township level.

LTR registration fee$0 (not required)

Annual rental renewalNone

Building permit (residential work)Fee per Building Permit Application; permit required for structural/electrical/mechanical/plumbing work ^[11]

Noise/nuisance violationMunicipal civil infraction per Regulatory Ord. No. 40 ^[4]

Zoning violationPenalty per the general penalty section of the Zoning Ordinance; enforcement by the Zoning Administrator ^[3]

State of Michigan and Ottawa County fees still apply: building/trade permit inspection fees, county septic transfer evaluation fees, recording fees, etc.

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Blendon Township does not operate a rental-inspection program. There is no rolling LTR safety inspection conducted by the township ^[3]. Landlord safety obligations are governed by state law and county environmental health rules:

Michigan Building Code (residential): permits required for structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work; inspections by the township’s contracted building department ^[11].
Ottawa County Environmental Health Code: well and septic systems must be evaluated at every property transfer (the Real Estate Transfer Evaluation Program) ^[5].
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: required in all dwellings under the Michigan Residential Code; landlords must verify functional alarms at the start of each tenancy.
Lead paint: federal Title X disclosure required for any rental built before 1978.

📄 Building Permit Application 📄 Septic Transfer Evaluation 🌐 Ottawa County Well & Septic

5 Tenant Rights & Eviction Resources

Michigan landlord-tenant relationships are governed by state law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) and the summary proceedings act for evictions. The Michigan Legislature publishes a free Practical Guide for Tenants and Landlords that covers leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process ^[6]. These rules apply equally in Blendon Township and are not modified by local ordinance.

For tenants facing eviction or landlord disputes in Ottawa County, the 58th District Court handles summary proceedings, and the Legal Self Help Center provides free forms and procedural guidance ^[12].

📄 MI Landlord-Tenant Guide (PDF)⚖️ Ottawa Legal Self Help Center 🏛️ 58th District Court

Official Resources

Ordinances

Blendon Township Zoning Ordinance

Amended through February 2025

Noise & Nuisance Ordinance (Regulatory Ord. No. 40)

Township ordinance

Outdoor Burning Ordinance (No. 39)

Township ordinance, with 2018 update

Inoperable Motor Vehicle Regulation (Ord. 65-02)

Township ordinance

Floodplain Management Ordinance (No. 94-2012)

Township ordinance

Swimming Pool Zoning Update (Section 15.03.03e)

Pool fencing requirements

Blendon Township Master Plan (2023)

Amended Master Plan

Forms & Applications

Special Land Use Application

Required for Bed & Breakfast Inns

Site Plan Review Application

PDF — Planning Commission review

Variance Application

Zoning Board of Appeals

Building Permit Application

Residential construction & remodel

Electrical Permit Application

Township form (2021)

Mechanical Permit Application

Township form (2021)

Plumbing Permit Application

Township form (2021)

Maps

Blendon Township Zoning Map

24×36 PDF, dated April 11, 2024

Ottawa County Property Mapping (GIS)

Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info

Ottawa County Property Search

Owner, parcel, assessed value

Portals & Lookups

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Ottawa County HealthSuite

Apply for septic, well & transfer evals

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BS&A Tax & Assessment Records

Blendon Township parcel lookup

Contact & Directions

Township Office Email

office@blendontownship-mi.gov

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Zoning Administrator Email

Steve Kushion — skushion@pcimi.com

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Township Manager Email

Greg Golembiewski — manager@blendontownship-mi.gov