Robinson Township

12010 120th Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Directions

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Township Website

robinsontwpmi.gov

Area Overview

Robinson Township sits in western Ottawa County between Grand Haven and Allendale, bordered by the Grand River on the south and crossed by M-231 and Lake Michigan Drive (M-45). The township is largely rural and agricultural with pockets of single-family residential development; most parcels are on private well and septic rather than municipal utilities, and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department provides law-enforcement service in lieu of a township police department ^[1]. The township office at 12010 120th Avenue handles assessing, planning, zoning, and ordinance enforcement; building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspections are contracted to Professional Code Inspections (PCI) of Jenison ^[2].

Robinson Township has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance and does not operate a long-term rental registration program. Rentals are governed by the township’s 2024 Restated Zoning Ordinance ^[3], a small set of stand-alone ordinances (Noise Restrictions ^[4], Civil Disorderly Conduct ^[5], Fire and Burning ^[6]), and Ottawa County environmental health rules. Two structural facts shape every rental decision here: (1) the Zoning Ordinance’s Section 3.41 definition of “family” expressly excludes occupants whose relationship is “of a transitory or seasonal nature” ^[3], which gives the Zoning Administrator a basis to challenge whole-home short-term rentals in single-family residential districts; and (2) Ottawa County requires a septic and well evaluation at every property transfer, which is a material expense to budget on older rural parcels ^[7].

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals VERIFY ZONING

Robinson Township has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance and no STR registration, license, or permit program. The Zoning Ordinance’s Section 3.41 definition of “family” excludes domestic relationships “of a transitory or seasonal nature,” which the Zoning Administrator may apply to STR occupancy in single-family residential districts (R-1, R-2, RR) ^[3]. The only formally regulated short-term lodging use in residential and agricultural zones is a Bed & Breakfast Operation, which requires a Special Use Permit and is limited to operator-occupied dwellings with guest stays capped at 30 days (Section 4.46) ^[3]. Before listing any parcel, confirm with Zoning Administrator Greg Ransford.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals (31+ day residential leases) are permitted by right wherever one-family dwelling use is permitted under the Zoning Ordinance, including the A-1, A-2, RR, R-1, and R-2 districts ^[3]. The township does not maintain a rental registration, rental license, or annual inspection program. Standard Michigan landlord-tenant law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) controls leases, security deposits, repairs, and evictions ^[8].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Robinson Township has no short-term rental ordinance. There is no STR-specific use category, no STR registration, and no STR permit application in the township’s code ^[3]. The closest formally regulated short-term lodging use in residential and agricultural zones is a Bed & Breakfast Operation, which is a Special Use (Section 4.46) and is restricted to the operator’s permanent residence with guest stays capped at 30 days ^[3].

The practical zoning issue for a typical investor STR (whole-home rental): Section 3.41 defines "family" to exclude any group whose domestic relationship is "of a transitory or seasonal nature or for an anticipated limited duration" ^[3]. In the R-1, R-2, and RR districts the dwelling must be occupied by a "family," so the Zoning Administrator has a legal hook to treat a whole-home short-term rental as an unpermitted use. A rental that triggers the Lodging House definition in Section 3.62 (three or more unrelated persons on a weekly or monthly basis) is a separate non-residential use that is not permitted in residential districts at all ^[3].

Before listing any property, contact the Zoning Administrator in writing for a parcel-specific determination. The township’s 2024 Restated Zoning Ordinance is a 263-page document and the use chart in each district chapter is the authoritative source for what is permitted on any given parcel.

📄 Open the Robinson Township Zoning Map (PDF, May 2025)

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

2 Registration & Permit Process

There is no STR registration or STR permit application to file. Robinson 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 Operation under Section 4.46 (operator-occupied dwelling, sleeping rooms for transient guests, maximum 30-day stay), the path is a Special Use Permit application reviewed by the Planning Commission with final action by the Township Board ^[3]:

Application formSpecial Use Permit Application (PDF, 2026)

Reviewed byPlanning Commission (4th Tuesday of the month, 7:00 PM at Township Hall) ^[2]

Submission windowAt least 4 weeks prior to the Planning Commission meeting ^[2]

Submission methodIn person or by mail to Robinson Township Office, 12010 120th Avenue, Grand Haven

Guest stay limit30 days maximum per Section 4.46 ^[3]

For investors: The B&B path is tied to an owner-occupied dwelling, requires a Special Use Permit, and is not freely transferable. It is unsuitable for absentee-owner, whole-home STR strategies. If your business model is short-term rental of a non-owner-occupied house, expect the Zoning Administrator to scrutinize the use against Section 3.41 (family) and Section 3.62 (lodging house) before approving anything.

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

3 Operating Rules (Noise, Burning, Disorderly Conduct)

Any rental in Robinson Township is bound by the township’s general operating ordinances regardless of whether an STR-specific framework exists:

Noise Restrictions Ordinance: prohibits unreasonable noise that disturbs the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of others, with specific quiet-hours provisions ^[4].
Civil Disorderly Conduct Ordinance: establishes the township’s disorderly-conduct violations enforceable as municipal civil infractions ^[5].
Fire and Burning Ordinance: regulates open burning; the township maintains a Burn Permit phone line at (616) 842-3160 ^[6].
Earth Change Ordinance: any grading or earth-moving over thresholds in the ordinance requires a Class A or Class B Earth Change Permit before work begins ^[9].
Property maintenance: Robinson Township has not adopted a stand-alone property-maintenance code; complaints are handled by the Zoning Administrator and Ottawa County Sheriff ^[1].

📄 Noise Restrictions Ordinance 📄 Civil Disorderly Conduct Ordinance 📄 Fire & Burning Ordinance

4 Complaints & Enforcement

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

Zoning & ordinance violations (illegal use, signs, junk, burn complaints, lodging-house violations): contact the Zoning Administrator, Greg Ransford, at zoning@robinsontwpmi.gov or greg@freshcoastplanning.com. Office hours are Tuesdays 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM; call the Township Office at (616) 846-2210 to confirm availability or schedule an appointment ^[2].
Criminal code, motor vehicle code, noise or disorder in progress: Robinson Township does not maintain its own police department; service is provided by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department ^[1].

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

Ottawa County Central Dispatch (non-emergency)(616) 994-7850 ^[10]

Zoning Administrator (email)zoning@robinsontwpmi.gov

Township Office(616) 846-2210

📧 Zoning Admin Email 🏫 Ottawa County Sheriff 📞 Township Office

5 Septic, Well & Property Transfer Evaluation

Most Robinson Township parcels 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 ^[7]. For investors and out-of-area buyers this is the single largest pre-closing line item to budget for on rural Robinson parcels, particularly along the older M-45 / 120th Avenue corridor where systems may pre-date current Ottawa County construction standards.

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

Environmental Health phone(616) 393-5645

Office address12251 James Street, Holland, MI 49424 ^[7]

🌐 Ottawa County Well & Septic 🔗 Apply Online (HealthSuite)📞 Call Environmental Health

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals (31+ day leases) are permitted by right wherever one-family dwelling use is permitted. Chapter 6 (A-1 Agricultural) allows one-family dwellings by right; Chapter 8 (RR Rural Residential) allows one-family dwellings by right; Chapter 10 (R-1 One-Family Residential) is built around one-family dwellings; and Chapter 11 (R-2 Multiple-Family Residential) permits all R-1 uses plus two-family dwellings by right ^[3]. An LTR does not change the dwelling’s use classification, so no separate use approval is needed when a tenant occupies the dwelling as a household.

Where verification matters: If a parcel is zoned B-1 Neighborhood Commercial, B-2 General Business, I-1 or I-2 Industrial, M-1 Mining, or one of the overlay districts (LSOD, LMDCOD), residential dwelling use is either not a primary permitted use or is allowed only under specific conditions. For any parcel outside the standard residential and agricultural districts, confirm with the Zoning Administrator before assuming an LTR is allowed.

📄 Open the Robinson Township Zoning Map (PDF, May 2025)

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

2 Registration & Permit Process

Robinson 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 ^[8].

The only township touchpoints for a typical LTR are general property standards (Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing permits for any work the landlord performs, all administered by Professional Code Inspections of Jenison) ^[2] and the township’s Noise Restrictions and Civil Disorderly Conduct ordinances, which apply to all occupants regardless of tenure ^[4]^[5].

Rental registration required?No

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

Rental license feeNone

Building permit (residential work)Submitted via Building Application / Zoning Certificate of Compliance form ^[11]

Tenant security-deposit cap (state law)1.5 months’ rent (MCL 554.602) ^[8]

📄 Building Permit / Zoning Certificate 📄 MI Landlord-Tenant Guide (PDF)📞 Call Township Office

3 Fees & Penalties

Because Robinson 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

Township fee scheduleSee the 2024 Updated Fee Schedule for zoning permits, special use, ZBA variance, site plan review, and earth change fees ^[12]

Noise / disorderly violationMunicipal civil infraction per Noise Restrictions and Civil Disorderly Conduct ordinances ^[4]^[5]

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 through PCI, county septic transfer evaluation fees, recording fees, and PRE / non-PRE property tax differentials for non-homestead rental properties.

📄 Township Fee Schedule (2024)📄 Zoning Setbacks Quick Reference

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Robinson 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, the Michigan Building Code, and county environmental health rules:

Michigan Building Code (residential): permits required for structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work; inspections are performed by Professional Code Inspections of Jenison (PCI), the township’s contracted building department – call (616) 667-8803 ^[2].
Ottawa County Environmental Health Code: well and septic systems must be evaluated at every property transfer (the Real Estate Transfer Evaluation Program) ^[7].
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 / Zoning Certificate 🌐 Ottawa County Well & Septic 🔗 PCI Robinson Township Permit Forms

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 ^[8]. These rules apply equally in Robinson 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 county-operated Legal Self Help Center provides free forms and procedural guidance ^[13].

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

Official Resources

Ordinances

Robinson Township Zoning Ordinance

2024 Restatement (effective Nov 30, 2024)

Noise Restrictions Ordinance

Civil Disorderly Conduct Ordinance

Fire and Burning Ordinance

Earth Change Ordinance Restatement

2017 restatement

Land Division Ordinance

Master Plan Land Use Map

2025 edition

Forms & Applications

Special Use Permit Application

Required for Bed & Breakfast Operations

Building Permit / Zoning Certificate of Compliance

Required before construction or major work

Building Application Checklist

Documents to submit with a building application

Home Occupation Registration

Required for home-based businesses

Zoning Board of Appeals (Variance) Application

For dimensional or use variances

Site Plan Review Application

Planning Commission review

Township Fee Schedule (2024)

All zoning & planning fees

Zoning Setbacks Quick Reference

By district

Maps

Robinson Township Zoning Map

May 2025 edition (PDF)

Township Street Map

2018 township street map

Ottawa County Property Mapping (GIS)

Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info