Keeler Township

STRs are permitted as a residential dwelling use in every Keeler Township district that allows single-family dwellings: AG (Agricultural), R-R (Rural Residential), R-1 (Residential), LR (Lakeshore Residential), and R-2 (Residential)^[2]. The 2025 Zoning Ordinance, adopted May 1, 2025, does not separately classify short-term rentals — they fall under the same residential dwelling category as owner-occupied homes and long-term rentals.

Bed & Breakfast establishments are treated differently: they require a Special Land Use approval from the Planning Commission and are permitted only in the R-1, LR, R-2, AG, and R-R districts (see Sections 7.02, 8.02, and 9.02 of the zoning ordinance)^[2]. If you plan to operate a property as a B&B (owner-occupied with breakfast service), that requires Planning Commission approval, not the regular registration path.

For any specific property, verify the zoning district on the township map below and confirm residential dwelling use with the Zoning Administrator before listing.

Every rental dwelling in Keeler Township — short-term or long-term — must register with the Township Clerk under Ordinance #27 (Township Business/Rental Property Registration)^[1]. There is no separate STR application or online portal; registration is on paper forms provided by the Clerk’s office.

The registration form requires: parcel address and tax ID, number of dwelling units, owner name and address, applicant name and address, the name and contact of the local agent responsible for collecting rent and maintaining the structure, and confirmation of new construction status (less than 3 years).

Keeler Township’s rental program uses a simple flat-fee structure^[1]. There is no per-bedroom escalator and no separate STR fee tier.

Fees as published in Ordinance #27 (adopted 1992). Operators should confirm the current schedule with the Clerk’s office before submitting, since fees may have been updated by board resolution since the ordinance’s adoption.

One-third of all registered rental properties are inspected each year on a rotating schedule^[1]. Properties with six or fewer dwelling units are fully inspected; larger properties have 10% of additional units inspected.

Inspections are conducted by the Code Official against the BOCA National Property Maintenance Code (as adopted by the Township Board)^[1]. The township also enforces the State of Michigan’s adopted Residential Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, and Property Maintenance Code on rental dwellings.

If a change in business use occurs (for example, converting an owner-occupied home into a rental, or converting a long-term rental to short-term use), the owner must request and pay for a new inspection before the use changes^[1].

Keeler Township does not have a dedicated STR “good neighbor” ordinance, but several existing ordinances apply directly to rental operations and should be shared with every guest:

• Fireworks Ordinance restricts when consumer fireworks may be used in the township^[3]. Several lakefront communities in Michigan have tightened these rules in recent years; STR operators should brief guests before holiday weekends.
• Watercraft Ordinance governs use on the Sister Lakes chain^[4]. Investors near Round Lake, Big Crooked Lake, Magician Lake, or Keeler Lake should review specific lake rules before marketing boat use as an amenity.
• Burning Ordinance (as amended) limits open burning and recreational fires^[5][6]. Particularly relevant for properties marketing fire-pit amenities.
• Anti-Funnel Ordinance prevents non-riparian lots from funneling lake access through a single keyhole parcel^[7]. Relevant if you’re evaluating back-lots or off-lake parcels that advertise lake access through deeded or association rights.
• Public Access Parking Ordinance regulates parking at public access points along the lakes^[8].

Ordinance #27 requires every rental property registration to name a “local agent charged with collecting rent and/or maintaining the structure”^[1]. The form captures the agent’s name, address, and phone number. This is critical for absentee Chicago- or South-Bend-based STR investors — Keeler will hold someone responsible for property condition and complaints, and that someone is the registered local agent.

The Zoning Administrator (Ryan Laylin) is the primary contact for zoning verifications and rental compliance questions. Code enforcement and property maintenance complaints are handled by the Building Inspector and the Township Office.

Keeler’s regulatory environment has shifted on the zoning side, not on the rental-licensing side.

• May 1, 2025: Township Board adopted an entirely new Zoning Ordinance, replacing the 2004 ordinance^[2]. The new ordinance retains the LR Lakeshore Residential District and the same set of permitted/special uses for residential dwellings — STRs remain permitted by right as residential dwellings.
• 2023 Master Plan: The Planning Commission’s 2023 Master Plan provides the policy backdrop for the 2025 rewrite^[9]. It does not call for STR-specific regulation, but lakefront preservation is a stated priority.
• Ordinance #27 (1992) remains the rental-program backbone^[1]. The township has not adopted a dedicated STR ordinance as of this guide’s verification date.