Zoning

Departments Zoning

Contractual Zoning Administrator

Lukas Hill
(616) 842-1393

A Collaborative Effort with Spring Lake Township

The Village of Spring Lake adopted a Master Plan in 2006. The Master Plan is a document intended to guide future development in the community. The Village also reviews and revises its Zoning Ordinance each year, through the Village Council and Zoning Board of Appeals.

The Zoning Administrator makes sure the Master Plan and the Village's Zoning Ordinance work together toward an organized plan for the city's future.

Zoning Documents & Forms

Short Term Rentals

Short-term vacation rentals are permitted in the Village, but only in certain zoning districts. Historically, the Village has not tracked which rentals are long-term versus short-term. As websites such as VRBO and AirBnB become more popular and homes are converted to short-term rentals, the number of complaints have increased. These complaints require the Village to become more proactive with enforcement. If you have a short term rental or you are considering investing in one, we encourage you to contact our office to ensure it is a permitted use. Lukas Hill, Zoning Administrator, would be happy to walk you through the process or take any complaints you may have about an existing short-term rental at 844-2110 or LHill@springlaketwp.org

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are short-term rentals (STR) allowed in the Village of Spring Lake?

STRs are not permitted in any Residential Districts. This includes practically every single family and multifamily home in the Village of Spring Lake.

I didn’t know that I couldn’t have a STR in this location. Now what do I do?

Immediately stop advertising on websites such as VRBO and AirBNB and cease accepting contracts for short-term rentals. Should the Village receive complaints from neighbors regarding the continued illegal use of the property, citations will be issued as enforcement of the ordinance has commenced.

The legislature contemplated changes to the laws in 2017. Why can’t we wait and see what happens with the state law?

At this time, the local ordinance is valid and will be enforced. Should the state law change at some point in the future, the Village will re-evaluate the STR ordinance.

I’ve paid for my rental inspection, so I can continue what I’m doing, right?

No. Just because the property has been inspected by the building inspector does not mean it complies with the zoning ordinance. If you would like to use the property as a long-term rental, then your inspection is still valid. In order to qualify as a long-term rental, your renters would be expected to have changed their address and/or voter registration to indicate they are residing in the home on a non-transient basis.

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