Ontwa Township

STRs are allowed in single-family dwellings only, township-wide, regardless of zoning district ^[2]. The Short Term Rental Ordinance regulates use, not district — so a single-family dwelling in the AR (Agricultural/Residential), R-1A, R-1, L-R (Lake Residential), or R-2 districts can be registered as a short-term rental as long as it complies with the operating rules ^[7].

What’s NOT eligible:

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — explicitly excluded by both the Zoning Ordinance Section 3.16 and the STR Ordinance Section 5(b)(4) ^[2][3].
• Two-family or multi-family dwellings in the MFR district — the STR Ordinance applies only to single-family dwellings ^[2].
• Manufactured-home park units (M-H district) — only single-family dwellings count under the ordinance ^[2].

For any specific property, confirm the parcel’s zoning district on the official map below, then verify single-family dwelling status with the Zoning Administrator before applying.

Click to open the official Zoning Map (effective 2/1/2026) PDF.

Submit the Short-Term Rental Registration Form by mail or in person to the Township Office at 26225 U.S. 12, Edwardsburg, MI 49112, with the registration fee, a sketch of the floor plan, and a copy of the rental agreement ^[4]. Online submission is not currently offered; the form is a fillable PDF that must be printed and signed.

Registration is required at least 15 days before the first rental of each calendar year ^[4]. The ordinance treats registration as annual — even if your property was registered the prior year, a new form and fee are required each calendar year ^[2].

The annual STR registration fee is set by Township Board resolution rather than fixed in the ordinance. The publicly posted Township Approved Fees schedule (last revised July 2019) predates the 2021 STR ordinance and does not list a specific STR amount ^[10]. Confirm the current fee with the Township Office at 269-663-2347 before mailing your application — the form requires payment to accompany submission ^[4].

Each day a violation continues constitutes a separate violation under Section 6(a) of the ordinance ^[2]. Two separate violation incidents within a calendar year can trigger a revocation hearing before the Township Board, with a 1-year ban on re-registration if revocation is upheld ^[2].

STR operators must consent to township inspections of the dwelling on at least 48 hours’ notice ^[2]. The township does not run a routine recurring inspection cycle written into the ordinance — inspections are discretionary by the official charged with enforcement, typically triggered by complaints or registration review ^[2].

Mandatory equipment and disclosures (Section 5(c) and 5(j) of the ordinance) ^[2]:

• Operational smoke detector in each bedroom, tested per manufacturer guidelines at least every 90 days.
• Operational fire extinguisher in the kitchen area.
• Operational carbon monoxide detector on each floor, tested every 90 days.
• $1,000,000 liability insurance policy, with proof submitted at every annual registration.
• Street address visible from the road, plus posted in at least two prominent interior locations (typically near the kitchen and any telephone or pool).

Well/septic inspections for STRs: The Van Buren/Cass District Health Department offers a Short-Term Rental Inspection Application as a separate service. If your local zoning or financing requires a current well/septic inspection, apply through the health department directly ^[11].

Occupancy is capped at the IPMC maximum, with day-time visitors (8 AM–10 PM) allowed up to 2× the maximum overnight occupancy ^[2]. Section 5(b) of the STR ordinance imposes the following ^[2]:

• Occupancy: Maximum overnight occupancy = whatever the adopted IPMC permits for the dwelling. Day-time guests (8 AM–10 PM only) may bring total on-site count up to 2× the overnight max.
• Sleeping arrangements: Traditional bedrooms with proper egress only — no campers, tents, floors, or couches counted toward occupancy.
• Booking cadence: Only one rental term per Sunday-to-Saturday calendar week. Back-to-back weekend bookings are prohibited.
• Quiet hours: 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, enforced through the township’s Noise Ordinance (Ord. 70-2, as amended) ^[8].
• Parking minimums: 2 off-street spaces per unit (covers up to 6 occupants), plus 1 additional space for every 3 occupants beyond 6. Parking on grass, lawn areas, or the public street is prohibited.
• Trash: Adequate closed-container trash service must handle all renter output; weekly disposal required.
• Renter notice packet: Renters must receive copies of the ordinance, parking/trash/occupancy/quiet-hours rules, and any applicable lake-use customary practices ^[2].

If the owner does not live within 20 miles of the rental property, a local agent must be designated in writing on the registration form ^[4]. The agent must live or maintain a physical place of business within 20 miles of the dwelling ^[2].

Operating obligations on the owner or local agent (Section 5(g) of the ordinance) ^[2]:

• Be available to accept telephone calls at all times the property is rented.
• Hold a key to the unit.
• Be capable of being physically present at the unit within 30 minutes when contacted by the township or law enforcement, or arrange for an equivalent substitute.

Complaint and emergency contacts:

• Ontwa-Edwardsburg Police (non-emergency): (269) 663-8444
• Township Office: (269) 663-2347
• Building Inspector (Richard Yoder): cell 269-228-0145 or building@ontwatwp.org

There is no permit cap and no moratorium in effect as of May 2026 ^[2][4]. Ontwa Township operates a registration-and-compliance model rather than a numerical cap, so any qualifying single-family dwelling can register provided it meets the operating rules.

Recent changes that affect rental operators:

• Zoning Ordinance amended January 12, 2026, effective February 1, 2026. The amended ordinance reaffirmed the township-wide ban on STR use of accessory dwelling units (Section 3.16(F)) ^[7]. If you were planning an ADU build with rental income in mind, the ADU itself cannot be the STR — though the principal dwelling on the same parcel still can.
• STR Ordinance unchanged since 7/19/2021. Ordinance 2021-06-14.2 remains the controlling text ^[2]; check the Township Board agendas for any future amendments.
• Cap status: No cap discussion currently on the public agendas reviewed for this guide. The closest cap-style townships in the broader region (Chikaming, New Buffalo) are in Berrien County and serve different markets.

The township board meets at 7:00 PM on the second Monday of each month at the township hall. Agenda packets and minutes are posted at the link below.