Leelanau Township requires permits for short-term rentals. The township says allowed occupancy is tied to approved bedrooms, with a maximum occupancy of 15 guests over five years old, and that this rule is meant to prevent over-occupancy and over-use of septic systems. Short-term rentals can support tourism income and help owners afford property costs. They can also create concerns about crowding, noise, parking, wastewater load, and whether homes are being used beyond what their septic approvals assumed. The debate is whether the township should keep current rules, tighten enforcement, lower caps, or give owners more flexibility. The STR issue is not just who rents a house. It is whether occupancy matches the septic, road, parking, and neighborhood limits around that house.