Grand Rapids, MI Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking per guest room
- 1 additional on-site space
- Street parking
- Does not count
- Max guest rooms
- 5 rooms as a B&B
- Governing section
- Zoning Sec. 5.9.08.G
Summary
Grand Rapids treats a bed and breakfast as short-term lodging and requires one extra on-site parking space per guest room beyond what the home already needs: street parking cannot be counted.
G.Parking. One (1) additional on-site parking space shall be provided for each guest room in addition to the parking required for the principal residence. On-street parking shall not be used to fulfill this requirement.H.Proximity. In order to avoid the concentration of intensive, non-residential land uses in residential neighborhoods, maintain residential character, and compatibility with adjacent residential uses, no bed and breakfast shall be within a five hundred (500) foot radius of another existing bed and breakfast, as measured from the perimeter of the parcel.I.Special Events.1.A bed and breakfast establishment may hold up to four (4) events within a calendar year where non-guests of the bed and breakfast are allowed to use the premises. Events shall have a maximum duration of two (2) days per occurrence.2.Food and drink may be served to non-guests at an approved event.3.Sufficient parking shall be provided for each event and occupancy limits shall be determined by the Fire Department and/or Building Official with proper safeguards in force for places of assembly.4.A temporary use permit shall be obtained in compliance with Sections 5.9.35.A-B. and H., except that maximum duration of each occurrence as specified in I.1. above shall apply.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Grand Rapids' Zoning Ordinance classifies a bed and breakfast as one of three forms of 'short-term lodging' (along with one-room rentals and hotels/motels), and Section 5.9.08.G sets its parking standard: one additional on-site parking space is required for every guest room, on top of the parking already required for the owner's principal residence. On-street parking cannot be used to satisfy this requirement, the space must be provided on the property itself. The city caps a bed and breakfast at five guest rooms; beyond that, the use is reclassified as short-term lodging under the hotel/motel table instead.
Violations & Fines
Operating a Grand Rapids bed and breakfast without the required on-site guest-room parking, or relying on street parking to meet it, violates Section 5.9.08.G and can jeopardize the underlying Home Occupation license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does street parking count toward a Grand Rapids B&B's parking requirement?
How many parking spaces does a 4-room bed and breakfast need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
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