South Haven Township

STRs are permitted township-wide on Single-Family Dwellings, with two important exceptions: they are not allowed in the Agricultural District, and they must still comply with the underlying zoning of any specific parcel ^[2]. Bed-and-breakfasts, motels, resorts, campgrounds, and certain health-care facilities are regulated separately and are not classified as STRs.

The Community Service Commercial District received a specific carve-out in Ordinance 169 (August 2025): STRs in that district are exempt from the one-rental-per-calendar-week limit that applies elsewhere ^[3].

The Township’s zoning ordinance is large and is distributed through Michigan Township Services rather than a single short PDF. For any specific property, verify the zoning district on the Van Buren County GIS Parcel Viewer, then confirm STR eligibility with the Township Office before purchasing or listing.

Submit by mail or in person to the Township Clerk at 09761 Blue Star Memorial Highway, South Haven, MI 49090 ^[2]. The Township does not use an online portal — paper forms only. Download the registration form, sign the Good Neighbor Policy, and return both with payment.

The registration form requires owner contact information, the dwelling address, number of bedrooms, number of off-street parking spaces, maximum occupancy, the rental agreement, and a copy of the $1,000,000 minimum comprehensive rental dwelling insurance policy ^[2]. If the owner lives more than 45 miles from the property, a local agent must be named who can respond within one hour of being contacted by the Township or law enforcement.

Annual administrative fee is set by motion or resolution of the Township Board rather than being fixed in the ordinance, so the dollar amount can change year to year ^[2]. The current Township fee schedule is published as a PDF; verify the current STR fee with the Clerk’s office before sending payment.

Each day a violation continues is a separate municipal civil infraction ^[2]. Three separate violation incidents on three separate days within a calendar year can trigger revocation of the STR registration, with a one-year ban on re-registering the dwelling.

Owners must consent to inspection by South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) upon request, plus a SHAES-installed street-number marker on the property ^[2]. The ordinance does not set a fixed inspection cycle for fire/life-safety — inspections are conducted on request by SHAES — but several non-negotiable equipment and signage standards apply.

• Smoke detectors in every bedroom, tested at least every 90 days.
• Carbon monoxide detectors on each floor (type per MCL 125.1504), tested at least every 90 days.
• Reflective address sign mounted to a post or mailbox, at least 5 feet above road grade, with white reflective numbers at least 3 inches tall, visible from both approach directions.
• Street address posted in at least two prominent interior locations, including near the kitchen and any telephone or pool, to assist 911 callers.
• Comprehensive rental dwelling insurance with at least $1,000,000 coverage — proof required at each registration.

Septic: Properties without public water or public sewer must consent to and pay for a septic inspection by the Van Buren / Cass County District Health Department, with a renewed adequacy certificate every three years ^[6].

Attic/basement occupancy: Attics and basements cannot count toward maximum occupancy unless the owner consents in writing to a Township inspection verifying egress under the Michigan Construction Code, Residential Code, and applicable fire codes ^[2].

Quiet hours run 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM daily per the Township’s Anti-Noise Ordinance (Ord. 29), which must be provided to every renter ^[7]. Maximum occupancy is the lesser of (i) 12 total occupants, or (ii) 2 occupants per bedroom plus 2 additional per finished story meeting Michigan Construction Code egress requirements ^[2].

• Day-time guests: Total people on site (occupants + day guests, sunrise to sunset only) may be up to 1.5× max occupancy ^[2].
• One rental per calendar week (Sun–Sat) per dwelling — except in the Community Service Commercial District, which was exempted by Ordinance 169 (Aug 13, 2025) ^[3].
• Off-street parking count must match what’s stated in the registration, rental agreement, and any online advertising ^[2].
• Trash: Minimum one container of at least 90 gallons per every four occupants.
• Required renter notices: The STR ordinance, zoning ordinance, anti-noise ordinance, water-safety info (South Haven beach flags), the City of South Haven Golf Cart Ordinance (Ord. 1083) and the rule that golf carts are not permitted on county roads within the Township ^[2].
• Nearest hospital info posted in an easily accessible location and disclosed to renters on arrival.

If the owner does not reside within 45 miles of the rental property, a local agent must be designated who can be physically on site within one hour of being contacted by the Township or law enforcement ^[2]. This is a hard requirement — not satisfied by a remote property-management company without a local presence.

• Township Office: (269) 637-3305 — Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30 PM–4:00 PM ^[8].
• South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES): Inspects and installs the required street-number marker on each registered STR ^[2].
• Van Buren County Sheriff non-emergency: (269) 657-0241 for after-hours noise or nuisance complaints.

South Haven Township does not impose a numerical cap on STR registrations. Anyone meeting the ordinance requirements can register annually ^[2]. The Township’s recent regulatory activity has focused on refinement rather than restriction.

• October 11, 2023: Township Board adopted Ordinance 157, establishing the modern STR registration framework with annual renewal, $1M insurance, occupancy caps, reflective signage, and the one-rental-per-week limit ^[2].
• April 1, 2024: Higher late fee for any STR rented or advertised without current-year registration took effect ^[2].
• August 13, 2025: Township Board adopted Ordinance 169 (Resolution 25-19), amending Sec. 01-02(d) to exempt the Community Service Commercial District from the one-rental-per-calendar-week limit. Effective on publication ^[3].
• December 31, 2024: Statutory implementation-review deadline for Ord. 157 — the Board is required to compare program costs against registration fee revenue and consider further amendments ^[2].

Investor takeaway: No cap risk, but verify (a) the parcel is not in the Agricultural District, (b) any local-agent requirement is met before underwriting cash flow, and (c) the current fee with the Clerk’s office before closing.