Howard Charter Township

Short-term rentals are permitted township-wide as a registered use under Ordinance #235 ^[1] — the ordinance does not restrict STRs to any particular zoning district. However, the dwelling itself must comply with the underlying zoning district’s residential-use rules, which are set out in the Howard Township Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map ^[4].

The published Zoning Map is a single full-township PDF; specific by-district permissions need to be read off the map and confirmed with the Zoning Administrator. For any specific property, verify the zoning district on the map below, then confirm residential dwelling use is permitted with the Zoning Administrator.

🗺 Open the Howard Township Zoning Map (PDF)

STR registration is filed on a paper form with the Township Office at 1345 Barron Lake Road, Niles, MI 49120 ^[1]. There is no online portal. Howard does not maintain a Deckard or Granicus-style third-party intake. Call the Clerk at 269-684-0072 to request the current registration form and current fee schedule.

Required attachments per Ordinance #235 §1.04: owner contact info, local agent if owner is not within 30 minutes, off-street parking count, maximum occupants & visitors, intended rental days/months, copy of the rental agreement, and a certification of compliance ^[1].

The annual STR registration fee is set by Township Board resolution rather than fixed in the ordinance text ^[1]. The current dollar amount is not published online — confirm with the Clerk at 269-684-0072 before underwriting. Civil-infraction fines are fixed by the ordinance:

Three separate violation findings within a calendar year (each on a separate day) trigger registration revocation under §1.06(1)(a). Following revocation, the dwelling cannot be re-registered as an STR for one year ^[1].

Owners must consent to and pay for any Township-requested inspection of the dwelling, plus a Cass County / Van Buren District Health Department septic inspection (renewed every 3 years) for properties not on public sewer ^{[1] [7]}. Required safety equipment per §1.05(9) ^[1]:

• Smoke detectors on every floor, tested at least every 90 days.
• Carbon monoxide detector on every floor (MCL 125.1504d / 125.1504e compliant), tested at least every 90 days.
• Working fire extinguisher in the kitchen and one near any outdoor cooking device.
• Posted evacuation routes in each bedroom and the main gathering space.
• No fireworks on premises.
• Street address posted in at least two prominent interior locations (near the kitchen and near any phone or pool) so guests can direct emergency responders ^[1].

Attics and basements cannot be used as bedrooms in an STR — even if they meet typical egress standards, the ordinance disallows them outright ^[1].

Ordinance #235 lays out the operating standards in §1.05 ^[1]:

• Whole-house only. Renting individual rooms within an occupied dwelling is prohibited.
• Tenant age ≥ 25. The lessee must be at least 25 years old AND must be present during the rental period.
• Occupancy: 2 per bedroom, max 10. Children under 13 do not count. Garages, accessory buildings, attics, and porches do not count as sleeping areas.
• Guests. Daytime guests up to the occupancy limit are allowed only outside quiet hours.
• Quiet hours. 10 PM – 8 AM Sunday–Thursday; 11 PM – 8 AM Friday & Saturday.
• No special events. Weddings, family reunions, outdoor parties, or any gathering exceeding the registered occupancy are prohibited.
• Parking. Street parking is forbidden for occupants and guests. All parking must fit within the lot’s off-street spaces; overflow must use public lots or other permitted off-site parking.
• Signs. Only the street-number marker is allowed — no exterior STR-advertising signage of any kind.
• Trash. Tight-lid containers sized to occupancy, picked up by a licensed waste hauler.
• Pets. If allowed, must be secured on the premises or leashed at all times.

If the owner does not reside within 30 minutes of the rental, the owner must designate a local agent in the registration form ^[1]. The owner, the local agent, or a designee must be on-site within 1 hour of being contacted by the Township or law enforcement about an issue at the rental.

Renters must also be provided copies of (or information about) the STR Ordinance #235, the Howard Charter Township Anti-Noise and Nuisance Ordinance, and the Safe Burning Ordinance at the start of every stay ^[1]. Howard does not currently publish a public-facing STR complaint portal — complaints are routed through the Township Office or via the Ordinance Complaint Form below:

• Township Office: 269-684-0072 (Tue–Fri 9 AM–5 PM)
• Ordinance Complaint Form: PDF complaint form
• Cass County Sheriff (non-emergency): 269-445-0500

Howard’s STR framework is brand new — and the township’s governance structure may change in 2026.

• August 21, 2025: Howard introduced the proposed STR Ordinance #235 at a Board meeting ^[1].
• September 16, 2025: Township Board adopted Ordinance #235 ^[1]. The ordinance becomes effective 30 days after newspaper publication of its contents or summary.
• January 1, 2026: Increased-fee penalty kicks in for owners who rent or advertise an unregistered dwelling ^[1].
• April 21, 2026: Approximately 500 Township electors filed a petition to disincorporate the charter township ^[5].
• May 12, 2026: Board adopted Resolution 2026-9 placing the disincorporation question on the August 4, 2026 ballot ^[5].
• August 4, 2026 (upcoming): Voters decide whether to revert to a general-law township under MCL 41.1 et seq. ^[5].