Mottville Township

The honest answer: it is unverified. Mottville Township’s Zoning Ordinance was adopted July 12, 2001 and contains no specific provisions for non-owner-occupied short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, transient vacation rentals under 30 days).^[3] The closest regulated use is a Bed & Breakfast Inn, which by definition requires owner-occupancy and caps any single guest stay at fourteen consecutive days (see Section 18.05).^[3]

Because the ordinance is silent on Airbnb-style STRs, two interpretations are possible: (1) the use is not a permitted residential use and therefore prohibited by omission in residential districts; or (2) it is allowed as an accessory residential use. Neither interpretation is binding without a written determination from the Zoning Administrator (Matt Jorgensen, swmizoning@gmail.com, 269-386-1110). Always get that determination in writing before purchasing or marketing a property as an STR.

The 2001 Zoning Ordinance divides Mottville Township into districts including A (Agricultural and Rural), R-1 (Single-Family Residential), R-2 (Single-Family and Duplexes), R-4 (Recreational), C (Commercial), and I (Industrial).^[3] Of these, the R-4 Recreational District is the only one that explicitly contemplates lodging-style uses: Section 8.02 permits “Multiple dwellings, hotels, motels, resorts and boarding and lodging houses” and “Cabins and summer resorts together with related facilities including boat rentals, marinas, bait shops, outdoor games and outdoor recreation areas primarily meant for the users of the cabin or summer resort.”^[3]

The C (Commercial) District also permits “Motels, hotels, boarding and lodging houses, tourist courts, clubs and fraternities” by-right (Section 9.02).^[3] In R-1 and R-2 residential districts, only single-family dwellings (and B&B Inns by Special Exception) are listed as residential uses; non-owner-occupied STRs are not enumerated.^[3] Confirm your parcel’s actual district on the FetchGIS parcel viewer before assuming what is permitted.^[4]

Section 18.05 of the Zoning Ordinance is the only formally regulated short-stay lodging use in Mottville Township and operates as a Special Exception (special land use) requiring Planning Commission approval.^[3] A qualifying Bed & Breakfast Inn must be a private residence owned by the innkeeper, who resides on-site while renting rooms and serves breakfast to guests at no extra cost. Key operating limits from Section 18.05:

• Maximum five (5) sleeping rooms rented to transient tenants. Minimum 100 sq ft per room for two lodgers, plus 50 sq ft for each additional lodger, capped at four occupants per room.
• Guests cannot stay longer than 14 consecutive days, or more than 30 days total in any one calendar year at the same B&B location.
• A guest register must be maintained on-site and is subject to inspection by the township building inspector during reasonable hours.
• The B&B operation must be conducted entirely within the principal dwelling — not in a garage or accessory building.
• Annual review of the B&B permit is required, with compliance to all state and local laws including fire safety inspections.
• No restaurant, gift shop, or other public retail operation is allowed on the premises.
• Site plan review and approval per Section 17.15 of the Zoning Ordinance is required for any new B&B.

If you are buying a property specifically to operate as a B&B, plan on a Planning Commission application, public hearing, and site plan submittal. Contact the Zoning Administrator before purchase to scope the path.^[3]

There is no township-level short-term-rental registration fee in Mottville Township because there is no STR ordinance.^[3] However, depending on the path you take, the following permit categories apply:

• Zoning Compliance Permit / Residential Zoning Permit: Required in all zoning classifications for any new use, structure, or change of use (Article XXIX, Section 29.06).^[3] Fees are set by Township Board resolution and are not published in the ordinance text; call the Zoning Administrator to confirm the current fee schedule.
• Special Exception (B&B Inn): A Planning Commission application with public hearing and site plan review. Fees are set by Township Board resolution.^[3]
• Building Permits: Any structural alteration, addition, or change of occupancy requires a building permit through the Township Building Official, Joe Wickey (269-816-4951, jwickey00@gmail.com).^[2]
• Septic Permits & Inspections (BHSJ): If the property is on a septic system, any new installation, repair, or change of use requires a permit from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency (St. Joseph County office: 269-273-2161 ext. 233).^[5]
• State 6% Use Tax on Lodging: Michigan applies a 6% state use tax to all rentals of less than 30 days. Platforms such as Airbnb typically collect and remit on the host’s behalf; private listings (Craigslist, direct) require the host to register with the Michigan Department of Treasury and remit themselves.^[6]

Zoning Ordinance penalties (Article XXV) apply to any violation — including operating an unpermitted use. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and the township may seek injunctive relief and fines through the District Court.^[3]

Even without a dedicated STR ordinance, several existing Mottville Township and county rules apply to any lodging-style use:

• Off-street parking: Section 23.04 of the Zoning Ordinance requires “One (1) parking space for each separate unit” for Motels and Tourist Homes, and parking sufficient to serve the use without spilling onto adjoining property.^[3]
• Septic capacity: Rental occupancy that exceeds the home’s design-load is the most common rural-MI STR violation. The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency regulates septic system design, installation, and operation for single- and two-family premises in St. Joseph County.^[5] If you are increasing guest occupancy beyond what the original system was sized for, expect to upsize the system.
• Building & fire safety: The Township Building Official enforces the Michigan Building Code. The Township Code Compliance Officer (Michael Haydon, ordinanceofficer@gmail.com, 269-435-8505) handles nuisance and exterior-condition complaints.^[2]
• Dangerous Structure Ordinance: Mottville Township has a Dangerous Structure Ordinance that allows the township to take enforcement action against unsafe buildings used for habitation.^[7]
• Noise & nuisance: The Zoning Ordinance prohibits any use that creates “noise, smoke, odor, electrical disturbance, lighting, or the creation of unreasonable traffic” that constitutes “an annoyance or nuisance to adjoining residents” (Section 18.05).^[3] This is the township’s main lever against problem rentals.

Every short-term rental in Mottville Township (any stay of less than 30 days) is subject to Michigan’s 6% state use tax on lodging, regardless of whether the township itself regulates STRs.^[6] Highlights:

• The 6% tax applies to the full rental charge including cleaning fees and any other mandatory fees.
• Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit the 6% state use tax directly to the Michigan Department of Treasury for hosts on those platforms.^[6]
• Private listings (Craigslist, direct booking, Facebook) require the host to register with the Michigan Department of Treasury and file the 6% use tax themselves.
• St. Joseph County does not impose a separate county-level lodging or accommodations excise tax. The state 6% is the only lodging tax in Mottville Township.
• Federal income tax: STR rental income is reportable on Schedule E (or Schedule C if you provide substantial services). The 14-day “Augusta Rule” applies — if you personally rent your residence for fewer than 15 days per year, that rental income is federally tax-free.