"Not on my dune, you don't," a Northwest Indiana town is telling city folk out looking for a frolick on Lake Michigan.
Renting a home in an Indiana/Michigan lakeshore community is a popular summer vacation plan for many Chicago-area residents. In a matter of only an hour or two, local families can transport themselves to nearby beach communities to kick-back, relax and enjoy the lake and the dunes.
But, not all of those communities are welcoming short-term visitors.
In Ogden Dunes, a lakeside town located about an hour away from Chicago, residents have said "No" to neighbors who want to rent out their homes to vacationers.
"This beachfront town is a residential community and short-term home rentals violate town code," the Times of Northwest Indiana reports.
It's what town administrators have been saying for years, but apparently, "Some people thumbed their noses at it," Town Council President Brad Wood said.
But a ruling by the Porter County Superior Court has left no doubt about the seriousness of the offense.
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"Violators face steep fines if they want to turn their homes into hotels," the paper says.
Such offenders will be fined up to $10,000 for each separate incident and any rental of less than 30 days will be a violation.
