Whitewater Township caps junk and parking ordinance fines at $500

Whitewater Township Board voted to cap fines for junk and parking-of-vehicles ordinance violations at not more than $500. The special meeting was moved to the Village of Elk Rapids Governmental Center because officials expected a large turnout, and residents pressed the board over what belongs on private property and how far township enforcement should go.

The board met June 30 at 6:00 p.m. at 315 Bridge Street in Elk Rapids and also livestreamed the session on its YouTube channel. Attorney Peter Wendling gave a presentation on civil infractions, and the board considered enforcement language for both zoning and general ordinances before approving the fine cap for General Ordinance 38, Junk, and General Ordinance 63, Parking of Vehicles. A staff memo in the meeting packet called for standardizing the penalty language to “not more than $500,” and sheriff support for the enforcement changes was confirmed.

The zoning piece remains separate. The board asked the Whitewater Township Planning Commission to review and amend the zoning ordinance, hold a public hearing and send back a recommendation before the board takes further action. The zoning change would move ordinance violations from misdemeanors to civil infractions.

Public comment turned heated as several residents objected to the junk ordinance itself. One resident told the board, “You work for us, we don't work for you. You need to listen,” while another said, “Junk isn’t junk” and argued that items on private land can hold real value for families.

Whitewater Township’s broader code book already includes ordinances on junk, noise, property identification and abandoned buildings. Short-term rentals of a residential dwelling for fewer than 30 days are not allowed, and its zoning ordinance took effect Oct. 23, 2025.