Wright Township

Wright Township has no separate STR classification. Whether a whole-home short-term rental is permitted on a given parcel turns on the zoning district plus whether the use functions as a ‘dwelling unit’ (allowed in residential districts) or as a lodging operation. The Zoning Ordinance’s family definition requires occupants to share a ‘continuing, non-transient domestic character’ ^[3], which is the lever a township can use to argue that a rotating short-stay rental is not a permitted residential use. Owner-occupied bed-and-breakfast operation is the one short-stay use the ordinance directly authorizes, under Sec. 1909 as a Special Use ^[3].

The township has these zoning districts: RA (Rural Agricultural), LDR (Low Density Single Family Residential), MDR (Medium Density Residential), HDR (High Density Residential), Community Commercial, Village District, Industrial, MHP (Mobile Home Park), OS-PUD (Open Space Planned Unit Development), and Fairgrounds. For any specific property, verify the district on the zoning map below and confirm STR/lodging permission in writing with the township office before acquisition or listing.

Click the map to open the full PDF.

Owner-occupied bed-and-breakfast use is the one lodging path Wright Township’s Zoning Ordinance directly authorizes, governed by Sec. 1909 as a Special Use ^[3]. The ordinance defines a Bed and Breakfast Establishment as ‘a private residence that offers overnight accommodations to lodgers in the innkeeper’s (owner and operator) principal residence and serves breakfasts at no extra cost to its lodgers,’ with lodger meaning ‘a person who rents a room in a bed and breakfast establishment for fewer than thirty (30) consecutive days.’

Practical implications for an investor:

• The dwelling must be the operator’s principal residence; the operator must live on-site while the B&B is in operation.
• Breakfast must be included in the room rate (no separate charge).
• The use is granted only by Special Use approval through the Planning Commission, subject to the standards in Chapter 19 of the Zoning Ordinance.
• A whole-home, non-owner-occupied short-term rental does NOT fit this B&B framework. For that scenario, contact the Township Office directly to confirm how Wright currently treats the use ^[7].

Wright Township does not operate a short-term rental registration or licensing program. There is no township STR application form, no annual STR permit, and no public STR portal ^[2]. Operators have two compliance touchpoints to confirm before listing:

• Zoning verification. Email info@ocwrighttwp.org or call 616-677-3048 with the parcel number/address and intended STR use; ask for written confirmation that the use is permitted in that district (or, if a Special Use Permit is required for a B&B, an application packet) ^[7].
• Ottawa County Time of Sale evaluation. If the property is on private septic/well, an Ottawa County Real Estate Transfer Evaluation must be completed before any change of ownership ^[4]. Apply online through the County’s HealthSuite portal.

Michigan’s state Use Tax (6%) applies to all rentals under 30 days and is collected at the platform/operator level rather than by the township ^[6].

There is no township STR registration fee. Cost exposure for a Wright Township STR comes from the Special Use Permit path (if pursuing a B&B), zoning enforcement under the township’s Civil Infractions Ordinance, and county/state fees, not from a recurring local rental license ^[2].

Wright Township does not publish its fee schedule online; call the office at 616-677-3048 during posted hours (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 9 AM to 1 PM) to confirm current amounts before filing.

Even though there is no STR-specific operating ordinance, every rental in Wright Township must comply with the regulatory ordinance set posted on the township’s Ordinances page ^[2]:

• Outdoor Gatherings Ordinance — sets thresholds and permit requirements for organized outdoor events; investor-rented properties hosting large parties or weddings may trigger this.
• Disorderly Conduct Ordinance — covers loud and disturbing conduct, similar to a noise/nuisance ordinance.
• Dangerous Animals Ordinance — control of dangerous animals; landlord obligations where applicable.
• Civil Infractions Ordinance — the enforcement mechanism for zoning and regulatory ordinance violations.
• Cemetery Ordinance, Peddler License & Control — not rental-specific but on the same regulatory framework.

Complaints about a specific property are filed using the township’s Complaint Form (PDF) and submitted to the township office ^[8]. Several of these ordinances are not posted as PDFs on the township website — the Ordinances page notes ‘Call office for other ordinances’ for full text ^[2].

Wright Township has been active on the zoning side in the last two years but has not introduced an STR-specific regulation as of May 2026. The applicable touchpoints ^[1][3]:

• Zoning Ordinance update (June 2025) — the most recent comprehensive revision, replacing the 2024 edition. Still does not name short-term rentals as a use category.
• Master Plan (2024) — adopted future-land-use framework signals where residential growth is expected; useful for predicting where rental demand will concentrate.
• Planning Commission meets monthly — third Monday at 7 PM (per township calendar); agenda postings are the leading indicator of any pending STR text amendment ^[1].
• Town Hall on Renewable Energy (March 2026) — current ordinance attention has been focused on solar/wind energy systems rather than rentals.