Garage conversion rules in Ottawa County, MI — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
The county sets no rule; cities and townships do. In Holland Charter Township accessory buildings, including detached garages, may not include living quarters, so converting one to habitable space is treated as an ADU under city or township zoning.
Michigan land use is governed by cities and townships, not Ottawa County, under MCL 125.3201. Holland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance § 8.3(A)(4) flatly prohibits living quarters in any accessory building, and § 8.3(A)(5) limits accessory buildings to hobby, storage, or recreation, not business use. Adding a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area to a garage creates a dwelling unit, which must instead follow the accessory-dwelling-unit path (in the City of Holland, UDO § 39-9.07, one ADU per single-family lot with owner-occupancy). Converting an attached garage to living space also triggers building-code and setback review.
Living in an unpermitted converted garage violates zoning; the municipality can order the space vacated, restored, or brought up to code and dwelling standards.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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