Georgetown Charter Township

Short-term rentals (a month or less) are permitted in residential districts ONLY as a Bed and Breakfast Establishment under Section 20.4(D) of the Zoning Ordinance, and ONLY at the homeowner’s principal residence ^[2][3]. Investor-owned or absentee-operator STRs are not allowed — operating an STR out of a second home that is not your principal residence is a violation of the Zoning Ordinance ^[2].

A Special Land Use Permit (SLU) from the Planning Commission is required before the use can begin ^[2][6]. The Planning Commission meets twice a month and reviews each SLU against the four general standards in Section 20.3(A), plus the site-design standards specific to Bed and Breakfast Establishments in Section 20.4(D) ^[3].

Section 20.4(D) site-design rules (verbatim) ^[3]:

• Establishment must be directly serviced by public water and sanitary sewer.
• Property must have direct access to a paved public road.
• No new B&B permitted within 750 feet of an existing B&B (property-line to property-line).
• Must be a detached single-family dwelling.
• Maximum 3 guest rooms, plus 1 additional room per 10,000 sq ft of lot above 1 acre, capped at 7 rooms total.
• Parking must be located to minimize impact on adjacent properties.
• Establishment must contain the principal residence of the operator.
• Accessory retail or service uses (gift shops, restaurants, bakeries, etc.) are prohibited.
• Breakfast may be served only to operator’s family, employees, and overnight guests.
• One non-illuminated wall sign, max 4 sq ft.

Open the current Zoning Map (PDF) to verify a parcel’s district before applying.

Submit the Application for Special Land Use – Site Plan Review (PDF) ^[6] to the Building & Zoning Department at 1515 Baldwin Street, P.O. Box 769, Jenison, MI 49429-0769. Georgetown Township does not have an online STR portal — this is a paper-form, Planning-Commission-reviewed process ^[6][7].

Required with the application ^[6]:

• Completed Special Land Use / Site Plan Review application form.
• 10 folded paper copies of a complete site plan meeting Section 19.5 standards.
• 1 electronic copy of the site plan.
• Filing fee (set by the Township Board — confirm current fee with Building & Zoning at 616-457-2340 before submitting).
• Written explanation of how the request conforms to the four general standards in Section 20.3(A).

Georgetown Township does not publish a separate STR fee on its public-facing site — the cost to operate a compliant STR is the Special Land Use Permit filing fee plus the staff/Planning Commission review process ^[6]. Call Building & Zoning at 616-457-2340 for the current SLU filing fee before mailing your application.

The Township also notes that operating a short-term rental at your principal residence may affect your Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) on property taxes — the State of Michigan PRE guidelines allow partial or full loss of the exemption depending on facts and circumstances ^[2]. Direct PRE questions to the Township Assessor.

Georgetown Township does not operate a periodic rental-inspection program for STRs separate from the SLU review. Inspection of the property occurs as part of the Special Land Use approval and any subsequent building permits triggered by the site plan ^[6]. Georgetown contracts with Professional Code Inspections (PCI) of West Michigan for building inspections ^[7].

Section 20.4(D) safety/site requirements that the inspector verifies ^[3]:

• Public water and sanitary sewer service (no private well/septic STRs).
• Direct paved-road access.
• Detached single-family dwelling — no apartment buildings, no attached units.
• Operator’s principal residence — non-owner-occupied STRs are not allowed.
• Parking located to minimize negative impact on neighbors.
• Maximum 3 guest rooms (plus 1 per 10,000 sq ft of lot above 1 acre, capped at 7 rooms).
• No exterior refuse storage beyond what a typical single-family dwelling generates.

State and local building/fire codes (smoke and CO detectors, egress windows in bedrooms, GFCI outlets in wet areas) apply via the Michigan Residential Code through the building-permit process.

Operating an STR in Georgetown Township means operating a compliant Bed and Breakfast Establishment under Section 20.4(D) ^[3]:

• Principal residence required. The operator must live at the property ^[2][3]. There is no investor / absentee-owner pathway.
• Guest rooms capped. Maximum 3 guest rooms on a 1-acre lot, with 1 additional guest room per 10,000 sq ft above an acre, up to 7 rooms total ^[3].
• One small sign only. A single non-illuminated, un-animated wall sign, mounted flat against the principal building, maximum 4 square feet ^[3].
• Parking. Must be sited to minimize impact on adjacent properties ^[3]; on-street parking that disrupts neighbors is a common code-enforcement complaint.
• No accessory commercial uses. Gift shops, antique shops, restaurants, bakeries, and similar are prohibited at the STR property ^[3].
• Meals limited. Breakfast may be served only to the operator’s family, employees, and overnight guests — no public restaurant use ^[3].
• 750-foot separation. No new STR is permitted within 750 feet (property line to property line) of an existing B&B establishment ^[3].

Georgetown Township handles STR complaints through its Code Enforcement Officer, not through a third-party complaint portal ^[2]. Anyone can submit a complaint detailing the address and the suspected violation; the Code Enforcement Officer investigates, and if violations are observed, the Township proceeds with enforcement under the Zoning Ordinance ^[2].

• Submit a complaint: via the Township’s online Contact Us page or by calling Building & Zoning at 616-457-2340.
• Building & Zoning Department: building@georgetown-mi.gov.
• After-hours nuisance: Ottawa County non-emergency dispatch (Sheriff) handles noise and disturbance calls when the Township office is closed.

Common enforcement triggers from neighbors: noise complaints, on-street parking saturation, refuse violations, and operating an STR at a property that is not the owner’s principal residence.