UPDATE: Moratorium for some short-term rentals now in effect

Six-month hold put on new free-standing short-term rental license applications due to complaints, housing shortage.

Laketown Township Hall, 4338 Beeline Road.

A moratorium on free-standing short-term rentals in Laketown Township went into effect at noon Monday, May 19, 2025, after review by the township attorney.

“The moratorium directs the staff of the local unit to not issue new permits for that particular use during the life of the moratorium,” wrote attorney Ron Bultje of Dickinson Wright. He concluded that the moratorium was reasonable and permissible.

The Laketown Township Planning Commission will now address the free-standing short-term rental issue.

“As the Planning Commission considers this matter, it will want to acknowledge the economic benefits that short term rentals bring to the Township, while also considering how to protect the residential character of the Township’s residential neighborhoods,” Bultje said.

The Laketown Township Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, to put a moratorium pending attorney review on free-standing short-term rentals in an effort to decrease complaints and preserve housing.

For more on the board decision, click here.

The moratorium

At the meeting, Supervisor Steven Ringelberg explained the pause in licensing, which is handled by the Graafschap Fire Department:

  • Applications for new attached accessory dwelling short-term rentals, where people stay in a property owner’s house, will still be accepted.
  • Applications for new detached accessory dwelling unit short-term rentals, where people stay in a separate unit that is still on the owner’s property, will still be accepted.
  • Applications for new free-standing short-term rentals that were submitted prior to the moratorium taking effect will still be processed.
  • Renewal applications for currently licensed short-term rentals will still be accepted.

The moratorium will mean only that the township does not process new short-term license applications for free-standing houses. The township will still keep a record of any applications received and inform the applicant that their license application is rejected because of the moratorium.