Spring Lake Township

General Information

In addition to members of the Sheriff’s Office who routinely patrol and serve Spring Lake Township and the surrounding area, Spring Lake Township has further enhanced policing efforts by contracting additional law enforcement services with the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Johnson is the School Liaison Deputy to Spring Lake Public Schools under a partnership with Spring Lake Township.  Deputy Johnson has an office located at the Spring Lake High School where he works with school staff and local youth.  Deputy Johnson also heads up education programs such as TEAM (Teaching Educating and Mentoring) and Boaters Safety.  Deputy Johnson is in charge of the Crime Free Multi-Housing program where he works closely with multi-housing managers in efforts to keep their communities safe.

Deputy Travis Schippers is the Enhanced Community Deputy for Spring Lake Township.  “Enhanced” Community Policing differs from traditional community policing in that additional protection services are provided by the deputy.  Deputy Schippers’ position is a combination of law enforcement, fire protection, and EMT medical response.  Deputy Schippers works with the Spring Lake Fire Department as a partnership and is a member of the Spring Lake Fire Department in his off duty time.  Deputy Schippers works with Spring Lake Township Ordinance and Zoning on enforcement efforts and ordinance writing.  Deputy Schippers is in charge of the property check program and works with area businesses.

Community Information

Ordinances

Spring Lake Township along with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office recommends residents familiarize themselves with the ordinances to be aware of the restrictions/rules of certain activities.

Some of the most commonly inquired ordinances are as follows:

Barking Dogs

No person shall keep, harbor, or have charge of any dog which, by loud barking, howling or yelping has become a nuisance in the vicinity where kept or harbored. A complaint regarding this subsection must be made by at least two persons in separate households in the vicinity where the dog is kept or harbored.

Burning

Open burning is not permitted without a burning permit.  Fires used for recreational purposes, such as campfires, are permitted and not to exceed five feet in width.  Recreational fires are limited to dry tree wood which is not rotted or construction wood which is not treated

Fireworks

Except on the first Saturday in August each year (Coast Guard Festival), and except on the day preceding, the day of, and the day after a holiday, in accordance with state and federal laws and applicable township ordinances, a person shall not ignite, discharge, or use consumer fireworks. On the first Saturday in August each year, and the day preceding, the day of, and the day after a holiday, a person shall not ignite, discharge, or use consumer fireworks between 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.  A minor (person under 18 years of age) shall not possess, ignite, discharge or use consumer fireworks.

Holiday means any of the following:

• New Year’s Day, January 1
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January
• President’s Day, the third Monday in February
• Memorial Day, the last Monday in May
• Independence Day, July 4
• Labor Day, the first Monday in September
• Columbus Day, the second Monday in October
• Veteran’s Day, November 11
• Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November
• Christmas Day, December 25

Noise

It shall be unlawful for any person to create, assist in creating, permit, or permit the continuation of any unreasonably loud noise which annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the limits of the township.  No person shall conduct or permit any activity that produces a dBA beyond the person’s property line exceeding the sound pressure levels specified in the table in this section. Where property is included within both residential and commercial areas, the residential sound levels shall be used only for measurements made on the portion of the property used solely for residential purposes.

Limits in the following table are expressed in dBA:

Solicitation Ordinance

Solicitation in Spring Lake Township requires a permit to be issued first by the township.  Solicit and soliciting mean any act related to or involving traveling from place to place, from dwelling to dwelling, from street to street; or any act to remain stationary in any place and use public streets, sidewalks, parks, or other public ways or places; if the act is to: (a) sell or offer for sale or display for sale any merchandise to any person; or (b) take orders for the purchase of merchandise by samples, lists, catalogs, or subscriptions for magazines and books from any person; or (c) sell or offer for sale or take orders for the sale of services (e.g., landscaping, painting, roofing, snow removal, utility connection, or any other services to be performed or utilized for those who wish to purchase them); or (d) collect or commit to collect monies or property or other goods from persons.

Exempted parties are as follows:

• Any person age 18 or younger, soliciting for the benefit of any public or private school, or for youth activities such as but not limited to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church youth groups, or youth athletic leagues, shall be exempt from the license provisions of this chapter. Such persons shall, however, be subject to the prohibitions and hours of operation.
• Any person engaged in canvassing, distributing printed material, or obtaining signatures for political candidates, ballot issues, or other political issues shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter. Such persons shall, however, be subject to the prohibitions and hours of operation.
• Any veteran licensed with Ottawa County under Public Act No. 359 of 1921 (MCL 35.441 et seq.) shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter. Such persons shall, however, be subject to the prohibitions and hours of operation.
• Any person selling the products of the person’s own farm, orchard, or garden shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter. Such persons shall, however, be subject to the prohibitions and hours of operation.
• Exemptions may be granted by the township board at its sole discretion, for specific reasons found by the township board, subject to such reasonable conditions that the township board may prescribe.
• Nothing in this chapter shall exempt any person from the licensing requirements described in Public Act No. 51 of 1925 (MCL 445.371).

Other Ordinances

View the above Spring Lake Township Ordinances in full length and all other ordinances.