On October 13, 2026, the Ganges Township Board passed Ordinance 70. It limits short-term rental licenses to 175 and sets new rules for how those rentals run. It starts November 20, 2026. If you own a home in Ganges Township, this may affect you, whether you rent it out, might someday, or are thinking about selling. This page explains the rules in plain language and links to every source. Please read the ordinance yourself. It is the only version that counts.
The short version: The township will give out no more than 175 short-term rental licenses. Applications are reviewed in the order they come in. Guests are capped at 12 per home, and fewer for many homes. Owners also need $1,000,000 in liability insurance, a septic certificate, and a yearly registration.
Ordinance 70 at a glance
| Topic | What the ordinance says | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Passed October 13, 2026. Starts November 20, 2026. | Title page |
| License cap | 175 licenses across the township. When they are gone, no new ones are approved until one ends. | Section 4 |
| What counts as short-term | A rental of 2 to 30 days. | Section 2 |
| Registration | Every year, for each year you rent or advertise. The Township Board sets the fee. A higher fee applies to unregistered rentals after January 1, 2028. | Section 4 |
| Insurance | A liability policy of at least $1,000,000, insured as a commercially rented property. | Section 5(I) |
| Septic | You pay for an inspection. You need a pumping certificate, renewed every three years. | Section 5(G) |
| Fines | Renting without a license: $500 the first time, then $500 a day. Too many guests: $250 the first time, then $500. | Section 8 |
Summary of Ordinance No. 70 as published by Ganges Township. This is not legal advice.
How the 175-license cap works
The cap is on licenses, not applications. The township reviews applications in the order it gets them. If one is missing something, it goes on hold and the township moves to the next one. Once 175 licenses are out, no more are approved until one expires, is revoked, or is voided.
The Township Board can change the cap by resolution. If it does, that cannot be used to cancel or refuse to renew a license already issued.
No one has published an official count of rentals in the township. Estimates during the drafting process ran well above 175. That means some owners who want a license may not get one.
Ask the township about timing: The ordinance starts November 20, 2026, and says no home may be rented or advertised without a license. It also sets a higher fee for unregistered rentals after January 1, 2028. I could not find a plain explanation of how those two dates fit together. Ask the township before you rely on either one.
The guest limit, and why it matters for bigger homes
Your limit is the lower of two numbers: 12 people, or two people per bedroom plus two more for each finished floor that meets the egress (exit) rules in the Michigan Construction Code. Even a huge home tops out at 12. A home that has slept 14 or 20 guests cannot be licensed at that level. Here is how the math works on a few sample homes:
| Home | Two per bedroom, plus two per floor | Your limit |
|---|---|---|
| 3 bedrooms, 1 finished floor | 6 + 2 = 8 | 8 |
| 4 bedrooms, 2 finished floors | 8 + 4 = 12 | 12 |
| 5 bedrooms, 2 finished floors | 10 + 4 = 14 | 12 |
| 6 bedrooms, 3 finished floors | 12 + 6 = 18 | 12 |
These are examples only. The ordinance defines what counts as a bedroom and a finished floor. Attics and basements do not count unless the owner agrees in writing to a township inspection (Section 5(F)). Confirm your number with the township.
Day visitors are counted separately. They can be there from sunrise to sunset, and the total number of people on site can reach two times your limit (Section 5(C)).
Local reports say some owners of large homes are unhappy with the 12-guest cap, and some are thinking about a legal challenge. I can’t say how that will turn out.
Other rules to know
- Local agent. If you do not live within 45 miles of the home, you must name a Local Designated Agent. That person must live or have a place of business within 30 miles of the home.
- Safety. A smoke detector in each bedroom and a carbon monoxide device on each floor, both tested every six months. You also need a reflective address marker and your street address posted inside.
- Inspections. You must agree to township inspections.
- Guest information. Renters must get the ordinance, your registration number, the township’s Good Neighbor Policy, and details on trash, parking, and day visitors.
- Losing your license. Three incidents in one year that end in a violation finding can lead to revocation or a six-month cut in your registration. A fourth means full revocation. A revoked home cannot be registered again for one year.
Section 6 lists a few cases that do not need registration, such as family staying in a home, house-sitting without pay, and a prior owner staying fewer than 91 days after closing.
What is still unsettled
- Does a license go with the home? I read the full ordinance and found nothing on whether a license passes to a new owner. Do not assume it does, and do not tell a buyer it does. Ask the township and get the answer in writing before it affects a price or a contract.
- The earlier moratorium. Ordinance 66 put the township’s pause on new rentals in place. Ask how it works with Ordinance 70 during the switch.
- The real number of licenses left. Until the township says how many it has issued, no one knows how fast the cap will fill.
- Future changes. The board must start a review within a year of implementation, and it can change the cap.
What this could mean for your home
You rent now and want to keep renting. Get your insurance, septic, and parking paperwork ready. Since applications are handled in order, being ready helps. Check your home against the guest limit too. If your income depends on groups bigger than the limit, rerun your numbers.
You rent now, but may not get a license or the guest limit hurts. That can change what the home is worth to you and to a buyer. It helps to know that number before you decide anything.
You do not rent and plan to stay. You do not have to do anything. It still helps to know where your home stands, since license access and guest limits may affect how buyers value homes nearby.
Why timing may matter if you are thinking of selling
I can’t predict prices, and no one can promise a result. Here is how I see the timing.
- Fresh listings are rare. Buyers have few homes to pick from right now. A home that has not been on the market gets more attention than one every buyer has already seen.
- More homes could come. If owners who can’t keep renting start to sell, buyers will have more choices. Listing before that happens puts your home in front first.
- Buyers will price in the license and guest limit. A clear answer about what a home can do helps a buyer put a number on it. Doubt usually helps the buyer, not the seller.
- Lakeshore buyers shop by season. Getting a home ready takes weeks. Starting in winter puts you in position for spring.
If you plan to keep your home, none of this changes anything.
Why work with me
I live in both Chicago and Saugatuck. Many buyers of West Michigan lakeshore homes are Chicago-area families looking for a second home, and I work with them every day. I know how they search and how to get a lakeshore home in front of them.
I also track short-term rental rules along Lake Michigan and share what I find in my West Michigan STR Regulatory Snapshot, which covers 28 places. I read the source documents, link them, and tell you what I could not confirm.
Before real estate, I worked in finance and consulting at PwC, Northern Trust, and Deloitte. I will show you the numbers behind a value estimate, not just the number. I am with the Justin Lucas Group at @properties Christie’s International Real Estate.
Curious what your home is worth, with or without a rental license?
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Sources and where to read them
These are the documents and reports behind this page. Please read the ordinance yourself.
- Ganges Township Ordinance No. 70, Short Term Rental Ordinance (PDF)The adopted ordinance, published by Ganges Township. Passed October 13, 2026, effective November 20, 2026.
- Ganges Township official websiteTownship notices, ordinances, and contact information.
- Ganges Township Ordinance No. 66, Moratorium on Short Term Rentals (PDF)The earlier moratorium, published by Ganges Township.
- Ganges Township caps short-term rentals at 175, 12 guestsCrain’s Grand Rapids Business. Subscription required.
- In Ganges, the fight over short-term rentals turns on data nobody seems to haveAllegan County News. Reporting from the drafting process on how many rentals exist.
- West Michigan STR Regulatory SnapshotMy running comparison of short-term rental rules along the Lake Michigan shore.