Author: Park Township Neighbors

News

Diving into short term rental-related survey results

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 25, 2023

Within the past five years, 3 surveys have been conducted that offered insights related to short term rentals.

Two were done by the township, and one was done by the Realtors associations. All three had similar results regarding short term rentals.

Details on those surveys are below, with the most recent surveys listed first. Keep in mind that the two most recent surveys were conducted after:

a significant number of negative comments were posted on social media (in many cases from a former Michigan resident) regarding short term rental owners
the township began announcing in meetings and in the press that short term rentals have “been illegal since 1974”. (See have short term rentals always been illegal for details on that.)

It’s natural for people to be upset if they think people have been getting away with something illegal, so those activities may have biased opinions against short term rentals before those surveys took place.

Now on to information about the surveys.

News

PTN learns lawsuit will not be resolved by early settlement

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 17, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Yesterday, Park Township Neighbors (PTN) learned that the lawsuit filed against Park Township will not be resolved by an early settlement, thus requiring taxpayer money to defend the lawsuit.

PTN would like to see the long history of visitors staying in our beautiful lakeshore community continue. The previous, small number of vacation rental homes made up around 3% of available housing.

Fact Checks

Do complaints about short term rentals show a huge problem?

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 8, 2023

Claim:

Short term rentals in Park Township are a huge problem.

Complaints were said to be filled with noise violations and other disturbances in 2020 and 2021.

“This is a huge issue. I think as time goes on it just becomes bigger and bigger.” – Jim Gerard, Park Township Supervisor, in the Feb. 12, 2022 Board of Trustees meeting.

Facts:

The facts show that there were not a huge number of complaints filed against short term rentals, and that they do not show a huge problem.

News

Park Township Neighbors asks court for relief on short term rental ban

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 6, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Park Township Neighbors (PTN) has filed a lawsuit against Park Township to ask the court for relief on the township’s short term rental ban.

PTN spent many months trying to avoid a lawsuit, working to find a win-win solution instead. After the Park Township Board of Trustees proved unwilling to compromise or to allow PTN to present at a board meeting, PTN turned to the court for help.

For nearly 50 years, Park Township had repeatedly and expressly permitted the use of single-family dwellings for short-term rentals throughout the township, which has long been a tourist destination. PTN would like that use to continue, in a respectful manner.

Fact Checks

Who really owns short term rentals in Park Township?

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 4, 2023

Claim:

Short term rentals are largely owned by out of state people and corporations.

Facts:

According to data provided to PTN by Park Township through a July 2023 FOIA request, short term rentals are largely owned by Michiganders.

41.5% are owned by Park Township residents
54% are owned by greater Holland residents
68% are owned by West Michigan residents
75% are owned by Michigan residents

In other words, over half of the short term rentals in Park Township are owned by hyper-local residents of greater Holland. And 41.5% of the vacation rental owners live directly in Park Township itself. Sometimes right next door to their rental! (Or to someone else’s.)

3 out of 4 vacation rentals here are owned by Michigan families and property owners. This means that Michigan owners are disproportionately and negatively impacted by the township’s decision to create an outright ban rather than enforce reasonable regulations – most of which already exist in the current code.

Fact Checks

Have short term rentals always been illegal in Park Township?

Post author By Park Township Neighbors
Post date October 1, 2023

Claim:

Short term rentals have been illegal in Park Township since 1974. The 1974 ordinance prohibits them in residential zones.

Facts:

There are no mentions of short, medium, or long term rental properties in the zoning ordinances at all.

And there is nothing in the zoning ordinances that says any of those types of rentals are prohibited.

Rentals are simply not mentioned at all.

While we can’t speak for the drafters of the 1974 zoning ordinances, it’s likely this is because the right to rent out one’s home was assumed to be part of the bundle of rights that are granted when someone purchases real estate in the United States.