Laketown Township

A new zoning ordinance adopted May 13, 2026 and effective May 26, 2026 prohibits new stand-alone (whole-home) short-term rentals in every residential and agricultural district ^[4][13]. The adopted rules work district-by-district ^[4]:

• AG Agricultural District: all STRs prohibited ^[4].
• R-1 Rural Estate & R-1.5 Very Low Density Residential: STRs allowed only in an attached or detached accessory dwelling unit, with the owner living on the lot and Planning Commission special-use approval ^[4].
• R-2 Low Density & R-3 Medium Density Residential: STRs allowed only in an attached accessory dwelling unit ^[4].
• MU Mixed-Use District: STRs allowed in a stand-alone home or attached ADU ^[4].

Existing licensed stand-alone STRs are grandfathered and may continue operating under the rules they were originally approved under ^[4]. Only one unit may be rented in any case.

📍 Zoning Map (Feb 2025). Township map is distributed as PDF only — open the current PDF to locate your parcel’s district before underwriting STR eligibility.

For any specific parcel, verify the zoning district on the township zoning map and confirm STR eligibility with the Community Development Director.

STR registration goes through the Graafschap Fire Department on paper using the same Rental Unit Registration Application used for long-term rentals ^[7][8]. Complete the form, attach the required documents, and submit to the township office or the Graafschap Fire Department.

The township publishes its rental fees on a separate Rental Fee Schedule document maintained by the Graafschap Fire Department ^[9]. That document is currently distributed as a scanned PDF without machine-readable text, so dollar figures should be confirmed directly with the rental program before submitting an application or budgeting renewal costs.

Operating an unregistered rental remains the most common enforcement issue — township officials estimated in early 2026 that roughly half of about 200 rentals visible on listing sites were operating without a license ^[2]. Always confirm registration before listing.

All registered rentals require a safety inspection administered by the Graafschap Fire Department before a license is issued ^[10]. The township publishes a “What To Do Ahead of Time” checklist so owners can prepare — typical items include working smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, GFCI outlets in wet areas, properly handrailed stairs, an accessible electrical panel, and an unobstructed second means of egress from sleeping rooms ^[10].

Occupancy under the adopted ordinance is set by the International Property Maintenance Code, which sizes occupant counts by bedroom square footage ^[4]. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the total number of people on the lot may be up to 150% of the occupancy limit unless a special use is approved — for example, a 4-occupant STR may host two outside visitors for a total of six people on the property ^[4].

Operating rules sit in two places: the rental ordinance amendment adopted in 2020 (Ords. 208 and 209) ^[5][6], and the new zoning ordinance adopted May 13, 2026 (effective May 26, 2026) ^[4][13]. The township directed staff to develop a further package of operational regulations — covering noise, parking, and enforcement such as ticketing and fines — with information prepared for the June 3, 2026 Planning Commission meeting ^[4]. Owners should comply with these:

• Occupancy: set by International Property Maintenance Code bedroom standards ^[4].
• Visitors: from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the total on the lot may be up to 150% of the occupancy limit unless a special use is approved ^[4].
• One unit per parcel: only one dwelling unit on a lot may be operated as an STR ^[4].
• Owner-occupancy: for ADU-based STRs, the property owner must live in the main house on the lot ^[4].
• Allegan County Sheriff non-emergency: (269) 673-2121 for complaints between rentals.

Laketown’s STR framework was rewritten in 2025-2026 — the timeline matters for any new investment.

• 2020: Township adopted Rental Unit Registration ordinance (Ords. 208 and 209) requiring all rentals — short- and long-term — to register and be inspected ^[5][6].
• May 14, 2025: Township Board voted to enact a moratorium on new free-standing STR licenses ^[3].
• May 19, 2025: Moratorium took effect after attorney review by Ron Bultje of Dickinson Wright ^[3]. Renewals and ADU-based STR applications excluded from the pause.
• August–November 2025: Special joint committee of the entire township board and planning commission met four times to gather public input on a permanent ordinance update ^[4].
• November 2025: Township published an updated STR location map (V2) showing all licensed STRs in the township ^[11].
• April 1, 2026: Planning Commission public hearing on draft new rules ^[4].
• May 6, 2026: Planning Commission unanimously voted to send the proposed zoning amendments to the Township Board ^[4].
• May 13, 2026: Township Board adopted the new STR zoning ordinance by a 4-1 vote ^[4][13].
• May 26, 2026: New zoning rules took effect — about a month before the moratorium was due to expire ^[4].
• June 3, 2026: Planning Commission took up the next step: a package of operational regulations covering noise, parking, and enforcement (ticketing and fines) ^[4].

Laketown Township publishes a map of all currently licensed short-term rentals, updated in November 2025 ^[11]. Use it to verify whether an address is already in the licensed pool before underwriting.

• STR Location Map (PDF): 111125STRMapV2.pdf
• Confirm license status directly: email rentals@laketowntwp.org or call (616) 396-4060 with the parcel address.
• Verify zoning district: Zoning Map (Feb 2025)

Because the township estimated in early 2026 that roughly half of ≈200 properties listed online were operating without a license ^[2], a listing on Airbnb or Vrbo is not by itself evidence of a valid permit. Always verify directly.