10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Kent County, Michigan.
Verified from official government sources
Kent County sets no countywide rule on where you may store an RV, camper, or boat on a private lot; that is decided by your city or township under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. Local codes are strict — Kentwood, for example, bans front-yard storage of recreational equipment.
City of Kentwood Code Enforcement (recreational vehicle storage)
Recreational equipment including, but not limited to, RV's, trailers and boats may not be stored in the front yard.
Kent County does not regulate parking on private driveways or front lawns; cities and townships do. A common rule bars parking on the 'lawn extension' between the curb and the property line — East Grand Rapids prohibits driving, parking, or standing any vehicle in that strip.
East Grand Rapids Code Sec. 10.14 (Parking on Lawn Extension)
No person shall drive upon, park or stand any vehicle between the curb or curb line and the lot line nearest the street, said area being commonly known as the lawn extension, whether or not any sidewalk or curb is actually in place on such street.
Kent County has no general ordinance restricting where commercial trucks and semis may park in residential neighborhoods; that is set by each city or township's zoning and traffic code. Grand Rapids and other communities limit or prohibit parking heavy commercial vehicles on residential streets and lots.
On-street parking is a city/township matter in Kent County, not a county function. Grand Rapids, for instance, runs odd-even seasonal parking from November 1 to April 1, forcing drivers to switch sides of the street each day so plows and street crews can work.
City of Grand Rapids Odd-Even Seasonal Parking Restrictions
Odd-Even Parking restrictions apply from November 1 to April 1. Just make sure to move your vehicle to the side of the road matching the next day's date by 1:00 AM.
There is no county-wide overnight parking ban in Kent County; cities and townships set their own. The most common local rule is a winter overnight ban for snow removal — in Kentwood, no on-street parking is allowed from 1:00 AM to 8:00 AM between November 15 and March 15.
City of Kentwood winter on-street parking restriction
Between Nov. 15 and March 15, street parking is not allowed from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. to allow for snow removal.
Kent County has no ordinance reserving or enforcing electric-vehicle charging spaces, and Michigan has no statewide statute penalizing 'ICEing' a charger. Enforcement of EV-only charging stalls depends on local ordinances and posted signs, or on private property owners.
Abandoned vehicles are governed statewide by the Michigan Vehicle Code. Under MCL 257.252a, a vehicle left on public property for at least 48 hours, or on private property without the owner's consent, is abandoned and may be tagged and towed by police. Abandoning a vehicle is a civil infraction.
MCL 257.252a(1)-(2)
(1) A person shall not abandon a vehicle in this state. (2) As used in this section... "abandoned vehicle" means... (a) A vehicle that has remained on private property without the consent of the owner. (b) A vehicle that has remained on public property for a period of not less than 48 hours...
Kent County does not regulate curb painting on local streets; cities and townships install and control curb markings and the 'lawn extension' between curb and property line. Residents may not paint public curbs themselves, and parking on that terrace strip is often banned outright.
East Grand Rapids Code Sec. 10.14 (Parking on Lawn Extension)
No person shall drive upon, park or stand any vehicle between the curb or curb line and the lot line nearest the street, said area being commonly known as the lawn extension, whether or not any sidewalk or curb is actually in place on such street.
Loading zones on local streets are designated by each city or township, not the county. Kent County does directly control loading and parking at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, where its ordinance defines a 'loading zone' and lets the Aeronautics Board set no-parking and load-only areas.
Kent County Airport Traffic & Parking Ordinance, Sec. 1(c)
The words, "Loading Zone," as used herein shall mean a space or section of a street or highway which has been set aside for the exclusive use of loading or unloading persons or property.
No Kent County ordinance sets a size limit for parking oversized vehicles on local streets; cities and townships do, usually through the same rules that cover commercial vehicles and RVs. Communities like Kentwood and Grand Rapids restrict where large vehicles may be stored or left on the street.
2 cities in Kent County have their own parking rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Kent County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Kent County Ordinance Hub →