Kent County does not zone livestock. Whether you may keep horses, cattle, goats, or sheep is set by your city or township under Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act. The county only requires owners to keep livestock from running at large.
Because Kent County land sits inside cities, villages, and zoned townships, livestock keeping is governed by municipal zoning under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3101 et seq.), not by the county. Your local ordinance sets minimum acreage, permitted animals, and setbacks from lot lines and dwellings. The county Animal Control Ordinance defines 'livestock' to include horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and fur-bearing animals raised in captivity, and Section 11(f) requires owners to prevent them from running at large on public or others' private property -- though it does not prohibit driving livestock along a public highway under supervision.
Zoning limits are enforced by your city or township. Allowing livestock to run at large is a county municipal civil infraction: $100 first offense, $200 for a repeat within five years, plus costs.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids is not a designated wildland-urban interface community, but Michigan DNR burn permits and city outdoor burning rules still control vegetation fi...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids follows the International Fire Code as adopted by Michigan, capping residential propane storage and requiring outdoor placement away from igniti...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no municipal ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments (statues, garden gnomes, pink flamingos, religious displays, flagpoles, decorat...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday decorations (lawn inflatables, blow-up Santas, animated displays). Const...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no municipal ordinance setting a calendar window for displaying holiday lights, no rule prohibiting year-round residential lighting, and no ...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids does not have a dedicated 'outdoor kitchen' permit category. Permanent outdoor kitchens with structural elements (built-in grill enclosures, mas...
See how Grand Rapids's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.