Galien
Short-term & long-term rental regulations, fees, and investor resources for Berrien County, Michigan.
Area Overview
The Village of Galien is a very small inland village in southern Berrien County, Michigan — 0.4 square miles and 513 residents at the 2020 census [3]. The Village sits entirely within Galien Township but is an independent General Law Village with its own council, clerk, and zoning ordinance. Housing stock is almost exclusively single-family homes on residential lots in the R-1 and R-2 districts, with a compact B-1 Central Business area along US-12 / Cleveland Avenue.
Galien operates with a very light regulatory footprint for rentals. The Village has no short-term rental ordinance, no rental-registration or rental-inspection program, and no dedicated landlord licensing. The Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 100) does not name “short-term rental” or “transient rental” as a permitted use in any district, and it explicitly distinguishes transient lodging (hotels, motels) from boarding/lodging houses [1]. Because zoning silence on STR is not the same as a blanket allowance under Michigan case law, operators should verify at the parcel level with the Village Clerk before advertising a short-term rental. Long-term residential leasing is permitted wherever residential dwelling use is permitted by the Zoning Ordinance.
Quick Status Summary
The Village has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance. Zoning Ordinance No. 100 does not list short-term or transient rental as a permitted or special use in any residential district. The ordinance does distinguish hotels and motels (which are permitted in the B-2 General Business District) from boarding or lodging houses (permitted in R-2 but explicitly not open to transient guests). Because zoning silence is not the same as an affirmative allowance, operators should verify at the parcel level with the Village Clerk and Building Official before advertising an STR in Galien. Galien Township (a separate jurisdiction that surrounds the Village) has its own zoning ordinance that may apply to properties outside Village limits.
Long-term rentals (30+ day leases) are permitted in the Village wherever residential dwelling use is permitted by the Zoning Ordinance — primarily the R-1 One-and-Two-Family Residential and R-2 Multiple-Family Residential districts. R-2 additionally permits boarding and lodging houses for non-transient occupants. There is no Village rental-registration program, no periodic rental-inspection requirement, and no Village-issued LTR permit. Michigan landlord-tenant law and Michigan Residential Code set the baseline standards; enforcement of Village-level property maintenance complaints is handled by the Village Code Enforcement Officer.
Rental Regulations
Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)
The Village of Galien Zoning Ordinance does not name short-term or transient rental as a permitted use in any residential district [1]. The Village divides into five districts: R-1 One-and-Two-Family Residential, R-2 Multiple-Family Residential, B-1 Central Business, B-2 General Business, and I-1 Light Industrial. R-1 lists permitted uses (single- and two-family dwellings, churches, parks, schools, home occupations, country clubs, accessory buildings, private clubs, mobile home parks) with no reference to transient or nightly rental. R-2 additionally allows multiple-family dwellings and “boarding or lodging houses,” but the ordinance defines a lodging house as explicitly not open to transient guests — the distinction is drawn against hotels, which are permitted only in the B-2 General Business District [1].
Under Michigan zoning practice, a use that is not expressly permitted is generally treated as not allowed — but this is exactly the kind of ambiguity that requires a parcel-level read with the Village. Until and unless the Village adopts a short-term rental ordinance, the practical answer for any specific parcel in Galien Village is: verify with the Village Clerk and Building Official in writing before you buy or list. Do not rely on a sold-as-STR listing from a broker without that written confirmation.
Registration & Permit Process
There is no Village of Galien short-term rental registration or permit program. The Village does not issue STR permits, collect STR application fees, or maintain an STR rental registry. Operators pursuing an STR in Galien should engage with the Village through the existing zoning framework:
None of these paths guarantee an STR approval; they are how you get a written answer from the Village instead of a verbal one. The Village Council meets the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at Village Hall, 121 S. Cleveland Ave.
Fees & Penalties
No STR-specific fees are published by the Village of Galien because there is no STR ordinance to fee-schedule against. The fees most likely to come into play if you pursue a written zoning answer, an appeal, or an ordinance change are the statutory Zoning Ordinance fees adopted inside Ordinance No. 100 [1]:
Criminal penalties under Zoning Ordinance 100.15 can include up to one month in jail per offense [1]. Enforcement of Village ordinance violations is handled by the Village Code Enforcer (Bob Middlebrook, 574-532-6613) working with the Village Building Official (David Rigozzi, 269-348-4394) [2].
Safety & Property Maintenance
The Village relies on Michigan Residential Code and its own Zoning Ordinance property-maintenance provisions as the baseline for rental properties. For a rental property of any duration, the practical baseline is:
- Working smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide detectors (per Michigan Residential Code).
- A Certificate of Zoning Compliance from the Village Building Official before any change in use of a building or land, including converting a primary residence to a rental use [1].
- No accessory buildings, signs, or structures erected without a Village Building Permit [1].
- Exterior upkeep, nuisance vegetation, and sign control per the Zoning Ordinance.
- Snow and ice removal consistent with Michigan landlord-tenant standards.
Code complaints are routed to the Village Code Enforcer at 574-532-6613 or to the Village Clerk at vofgalien@sbcglobal.net [2]. Serious building-safety issues go through the State of Michigan Building Inspector assigned to the Village (David Rigozzi, 269-348-4394).
State-Level & Tax Obligations
Even without a Village STR ordinance, Michigan state-level obligations still apply to any short-term rental operator in Galien Village:
- 6% State Use Tax on rentals of 30 days or less — collected and remitted to the Michigan Department of Treasury (Airbnb collects and remits automatically for bookings through its platform; direct bookings are the operator’s responsibility).
- Berrien County 5% Accommodations Excise Tax on transient (<30 day) lodging, administered by the Berrien County Treasurer [4].
- Michigan Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) — cannot be claimed on a property used primarily as an investor STR.
- Michigan sales tax license via the Department of Treasury if collecting use tax directly on non-platform bookings.
Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)
Long-term rentals (30+ day leases) are permitted anywhere residential dwelling use is permitted by the Village Zoning Ordinance [1]. The Village’s R-1 One-and-Two-Family Residential district permits single-family and two-family dwellings by right. The R-2 Multiple-Family Residential district permits everything R-1 allows, plus multiple-family dwellings and boarding or lodging houses (for non-transient occupants only) [1]. There is no Village-level distinction between an owner-occupied home and a long-term leased home for zoning purposes.
The B-1 Central Business District is primarily a retail/service/office district; residential units above storefronts are a common mixed-use configuration but should be confirmed parcel-by-parcel with the Village Building Official. The I-1 Light Industrial District expressly excludes new residential development [1].
Registration & Permit Process
There is no Village of Galien long-term rental registration program. The Village does not require landlords to register rental properties, submit a landlord affidavit, obtain a certificate of compliance, or schedule periodic rental inspections. This is different from neighboring Berrien County jurisdictions like Stevensville, Bridgman, and New Buffalo City that maintain active rental-registration regimes.
A Certificate of Zoning Compliance from the Village Building Official is required whenever the use of a building or land changes classification, including a change from owner-occupied to long-term rental — in practice, this is rarely enforced unless triggered by a building permit or complaint, but it is on the books [1]. Michigan state law governs the landlord/tenant relationship directly — see the Michigan Truth in Renting Act (Public Act 454 of 1978) and state security-deposit rules (Public Act 348 of 1972). These are enforced through the 5th District Court in Niles, not the Village.
Safety & Property Maintenance
The same Zoning Ordinance property-maintenance provisions that apply to any home in Galien Village apply to long-term rentals [1]. Because there is no Village rental inspection, compliance is enforced on a complaint basis by the Village’s Code Enforcer:
- Exterior upkeep — peeling paint, broken windows, damaged shutters must be repaired under the Zoning Ordinance.
- No accessory buildings, signs, or structures erected without a Village Building Permit [1].
- Vegetation and nuisance control per Zoning Ordinance 100.
- Snow/ice removal on sidewalks consistent with Michigan landlord-tenant standards.
- Smoke/CO alarms per Michigan Residential Code.
Complaints are routed to the Village Code Enforcer at 574-532-6613 or the Village Clerk at vofgalien@sbcglobal.net [2]. Building Inspection services are provided to the Village by the State of Michigan (David Rigozzi, 269-348-4394).
Utilities, Water & Public Safety
Rental properties inside Village limits rely on a mix of Village and private services. Confirm utility titling with the Village Clerk before closing — unpaid water balances can lien the property regardless of who occupies it.
- Public Safety: The Village maintains a part-time Galien Village Police Department (Chief Robert Krauss, 269-545-0050) with additional coverage by the Berrien County Sheriff. Fire service is through Galien Township Fire Department.
- Building Inspection: Provided to the Village by the State of Michigan (David Rigozzi, 269-348-4394). Electrical Inspection is also through the State (Bill Fox, 517-315-7344).
- Public Works: 269-545-0051 for water/sewer and streets issues.
- Libraries & Recycling: The Galien Township Public Library at 305 Kiley Drive serves Village residents; recycling is coordinated through the Township.
Official Resources
Property Tax Treatment
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Evaluating a property in or near Galien Village?
Galien's light regulatory footprint cuts both ways for investors — fewer hoops than New Buffalo or Stevensville, but less certainty about what a future STR ordinance might allow in a village of only 513 residents. I help buyers compare Galien parcels against Galien Township, Three Oaks, Buchanan, and the wider Berrien County market with a clear read on current rules and where they're likely to tighten.
Sources & Downloads
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1Village of Galien — Zoning Ordinance No. 100 (2022 archive)https://energyzoning.org/sites/default/files/PDF/2602131300_the%20Village%20of%20Galien_Berrien_20220603_0.pdfFull text of Ordinance No. 100 including district regulations for R-1, R-2, B-1, B-2, I-1; definitions of lodging house, hotel, motel; Board of Appeals ($10) and amendment petition ($20) fees; misdemeanor penalties $25-$200 + up to 1 month jail; $250 civil penalty for continuing violations. Archived by the MI State University / EGLE Energy Zoning research project; most recent verification 2023-07-20. The Village has not published a more recent version publicly online as of this guide.Verified: 2026-04-21
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2Village of Galien — Contact, Officials & Staff (Galien Township)https://www.galientownship.org/government/village-of-galienAuthoritative list of Village officials, office hours, Council meeting schedule (2nd Monday 7:00PM), Clerk (Chris Palmer), Treasurer (Sharee Swank), Council President (Steve Schmitz), Code Enforcer (Bob Middlebrook, 574-532-6613), Police Chief (Robert Krauss, 269-545-0050), and State-provided Building Inspector (David Rigozzi, 269-348-4394) and Electrical Inspector (Bill Fox, 517-315-7344).Verified: 2026-04-21
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3Berrien County — Village of Galien Profile (PDF)https://www.berriencounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/273/Galien-Village-PDFCounty-compiled profile including Village government structure, Council meeting day/time, incorporation history (1879), and demographics. 2020 Census population: 513; area 0.415 sq mi.Verified: 2026-04-21
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4Berrien County Treasurer — Accommodations Excise Taxhttps://www.berriencounty.org/819/TreasurerCounty-level 5% accommodations excise tax applies to transient (<30 day) lodging in Berrien County municipalities including the Village of Galien.Verified: 2026-04-21