Kent County, MI Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Camping without permit
- Banned, Section 21(a)
- Permit-violation penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500/90 days
- Daily site cleanup
- Required, Section 21(e)
- Sanitation penalty
- Civil infraction, $25-$500
- Checkout time
- 3:00 p.m. on permit's last day
- Enforced by
- Kent County Sheriff's Department
Summary
Kent County's Parks Ordinance bars camping or overnight lodging in a county park without a written Parks Department permit, Section 21(a), a misdemeanor fined up to $500 or 90 days in jail. Permit holders must clean campsites daily and dump wastewater only in designated stations, Section 21(e), a civil infraction.
It shall be unlawful for any person to establish a camp or other lodging place, or erect a tent, shelter, shack, or other temporary lodging in any County park, or to remain in any County park overnight or any time outside the posted hours of operation, unless authorized to do so by written permit from the Parks Department. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to clean camp sites daily, or to discharge wastewater or other wastes except in designated containers, drains, or dumping stations.
Full Breakdown
Section 21 of the Kent County Parks Ordinance regulates camping and overnight stays. Section 21(a) makes it unlawful for any person to establish a camp or other lodging place, or erect a tent, shelter, shack, or other temporary lodging in any County park, or to remain in any County park overnight or any time outside the posted hours of operation, unless authorized to do so by written permit from the Parks Department. on the last day of said permit, is likewise prohibited. 00 or up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both.
Sanitation duties fall on every permitted camper: Section 21(e) requires campers to clean camp sites daily and to discharge wastewater or other wastes except in designated containers, drains, or dumping stations, a municipal civil infraction under Section 37(b) fined $25 to $500. Section 21(d) separately bars washing dishes at park pumps, sinks, or drinking fountains, and Section 21(b) bars anyone under 18 from camping unsupervised. The Kent County Sheriff's Department enforces the whole Ordinance under Section 36, and the Parks Department itself can decline or revoke a camping permit for noncompliance.
Violations & Fines
Camping without a Parks Department permit, or overstaying one past 3:00 p.m. on its last day, is a misdemeanor under Section 21(a)/(g), fined up to $500 or 90 days in jail, or both (Section 37(a)). Failing to clean a campsite daily or dumping wastewater outside a designated station (Section 21(e)) is a lesser civil infraction, $25 to $500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up a tent overnight in a Kent County park without a permit?
What sanitation rules apply once I have a camping permit?
What happens if I stay past checkout on my camping permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent County
Compare Kent County to another location·View the Michigan homelessness & encampment rules overview
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