Bridgman

9765 Maple Street, Bridgman, MI 49106

Directions

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City Website

www.bridgman.org

Area Overview

Bridgman is a small Lake Michigan beach city in southern Berrien County, approximately 90 minutes from downtown Chicago and 15 minutes south of St. Joseph. The city sits adjacent to Lake Township and is home to the Cook Nuclear Plant workforce in neighboring Lake Charter Township. Housing stock is a mix of single-family residences, small multi-family buildings, and a compact downtown along Lake Street.

Bridgman's rental posture is unusual for a Lake Michigan community: short-term rentals are effectively restricted in residential zones by the city's form-based zoning code ^[1]^[2], while long-term rentals are allowed in residential areas with no city-level permit, registration, or inspection requirement. Lease term must be 6 months or longer — mid-term leases of 1-5 months (the configuration often used for traveling nurses and Cook plant contractors) are not permitted under the city's interpretation ^[1].

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals RESTRICTED

Not allowed in residential zones. Short-term lodging uses (Hotel/Lodging, Bed & Breakfast) are confined to specific commercial, downtown, and industrial districts under the city's form-based zoning code. Grandfathered STRs in commercial/industrial zones may continue but cannot be rebuilt as a house if damaged — only as a code-compliant commercial structure.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Permitted in residential zones with no city permit, registration, or inspection required. Minimum lease term is 6 months. Mid-term leases (1-5 months) are not permitted under the city's interpretation. Standard Michigan landlord-tenant law applies.

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Short-term rentals are not allowed in Bridgman’s residential zoning districts. The city’s Amended Zoning Ordinance (effective 4/2/2021) does not create an explicit “short-term rental” use category — instead, transient lodging is handled through the Hotel/Lodging and Bed & Breakfast Operation use categories, which are limited to specific districts ^[2].

Hotel/Lodging is permitted in the Downtown Core (DC), Downtown Edge (DE), Commercial Gateway (CG), Transitional Industrial (TI), and Interstate Gateway (IG) districts. Bed & Breakfast Operations are permitted as a Special Use in Residential Suburban (RS), Residential Central (RC), Corridor Commercial (CC), and Downtown Edge (DE) — but the city’s definition requires the owner to reside permanently at the premises, so this does not create a path for investor-owned STRs ^[2].

The city’s Building Official / Zoning Administrator (Brad Mattner) has clarified that if a home in a commercial or industrial zone is currently operating as an STR, it may continue to operate as a legal nonconforming use, but if damaged (e.g. fire or structural failure) it cannot be rebuilt as a house — it must be rebuilt as a commercial structure meeting 2021 commercial building codes (fire suppression, ADA accessibility, retention ponds, landscaping, parking, and drainage) ^[1].

Click the map to open the full 11×17 Zoning Map PDF.

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance PDF 📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

There is no separate city STR permit or registration program in Bridgman. Because STRs are not a recognized use in residential districts, there is nothing to apply for in those zones.

In districts where transient lodging is permitted (Hotel/Lodging in DC/DE/CG/TI/IG, Special Use Bed & Breakfast in RS/RC/CC/DE), the applicant must go through the standard zoning/building process for that use:

Zoning Permit Application — required for new construction, signs, fences, swimming pools ^[8]
Site Plan Review — required for most commercial uses ^[8]
Special Land Use Application — required when the use is listed as Special Use (e.g. B&B in RS/RC) ^[8]
Building Permit — required for structural work under 2021 commercial code (fire suppression, ADA) ^[1]

📋 Forms & Applications 📄 Special Land Use Application 📄 Site Plan Review Application 📧 Ask Zoning Admin

3 Fees & Penalties

Bridgman does not publish a dedicated STR fee schedule because STRs are not a registered use. For applicants pursuing transient-lodging uses in the permitted districts, standard zoning and building fees apply per the city’s Building & Zoning Permit Fee Schedule ^[8].

STR-specific registration feeNone (no STR program)

Zoning permit feePer Building & Zoning Fee Schedule

Special Land Use applicationPer Building & Zoning Fee Schedule

Site Plan ReviewPer Building & Zoning Fee Schedule

Penalties for operating an STR in a residential zone are enforced through the zoning ordinance’s general penalty provisions and are handled through the Building Official. Contact inspector@bridgman.org before assuming any grandfather rights.

📄 Building & Zoning Fee Schedule 📄 2023 Building Permit Fee Schedule

4 Grandfathered Properties & Commercial Rebuild Requirement

Any home currently operating as an STR in a Bridgman commercial or industrial zone has significant rebuild risk. Per the Building Official ^[1]:

If the property is damaged by fire, structural failure, or natural disaster, it cannot be rebuilt as a single-family house.
The replacement structure must comply with 2021 commercial building codes, including:
- Fire suppression systems
- ADA accessibility
- Full site compliance: retention ponds, landscaping, parking, drainage
The combined cost of commercial-grade construction plus site compliance typically exceeds residential rebuild cost by a material margin — investors should underwrite this risk.

⚠ Investor takeaway: A STR in a commercial or industrial zone in Bridgman is a depreciating asset in a disaster scenario. Before acquiring, ask the Building Official in writing whether the specific parcel retains legal nonconforming status, and factor the commercial rebuild cost into your insurance/replacement-value analysis.

📧 Request Grandfather Verification 📞 Brad Mattner (269-208-1663)

5 Critical Dunes & Lake Michigan Shoreline

Portions of Bridgman fronting Lake Michigan fall within Michigan’s designated Critical Dune Areas, regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) ^[1]. Any construction, grading, or shoreline protection work on dune parcels requires state-level Critical Dune Area permits in addition to city zoning approval.

For rental investors, this matters in two ways:

Rebuild scenarios on dune parcels become even more constrained — state permitting runs in parallel with city zoning.
Lakefront homes carry higher maintenance and insurance risk from bluff erosion and dune migration.

🏖 EGLE Critical Dunes Program 🏛 Bridgman Building & Zoning

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals are permitted in Bridgman’s residential zoning districts (Residential Lake, Residential Suburban, Residential Central) wherever single-family detached or two-family residential dwelling use is permitted ^[2]. No special zoning approval is required when the use is an ordinary residential lease.

As with any parcel, verify the zoning district on the map below before acquiring — a handful of properties along Lake Street or Red Arrow Highway fall in form-generating commercial districts where residential use is either not permitted or only permitted on upper floors.

Click the map to open the full 11×17 Zoning Map PDF.

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance PDF 📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

There is no city-level rental registration, permit, or inspection requirement for long-term rentals in Bridgman. This is unusual compared with surrounding townships, which typically require annual registration and inspection ^[1].

What landlords should still do:

Use a written lease. The city provides a sample Landlord-Tenant Agreement template, though any state-law-compliant lease is acceptable ^[8].
Confirm utility transfers and water/sewer billing accounts for the rental property with city hall before a new tenant takes possession.
Obtain landlord insurance appropriate for the lease type.

📄 Landlord-Tenant Agreement (sample)📋 City Forms & Applications 📞 Call City Hall

3 Lease Term Rules (6-Month Minimum)

Lease terms must be 6 months or longer. Per the city’s interpretation relayed through the Zoning Administrator, mid-term leases of 1-5 months (the configuration commonly used for traveling nurses, Cook Nuclear Plant contractors, and temporary corporate relocations) are not permitted in Bridgman’s residential zones ^[1].

This is a meaningful constraint for investors targeting the Cook plant workforce in the area — mid-term corporate housing demand that can be served in Lake Charter Township, Baroda, or other nearby jurisdictions cannot be legally operated inside Bridgman city limits.

Minimum lease term6 months

Mid-term (1-5 month) leasesNot permitted

Short-term (< 30 day) staysNot permitted in residential zones

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Bridgman does not conduct city-level rental inspections for long-term rentals. However, state-level safety baselines still apply:

Working smoke detectors on every floor and inside each sleeping room (Michigan Building Code).
Carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of each sleeping area in units with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages.
Section 8 / HCV units, if applicable, are inspected by the Berrien County Housing Commission on a separate cycle.
Septic systems on unsewered parcels are regulated by the Berrien County Health Department — request the most recent inspection before closing ^[6].

🏥 County Septic Program 🏛 Bridgman Building & Zoning

5 Tenant Rights & Eviction Resources

Michigan landlord-tenant relationships are governed by state law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) and the summary proceedings act for evictions. The State Bar of Michigan publishes a free Practical Guide for Tenants and Landlords covering leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process ^[5]. These rules apply equally in Bridgman and are not modified by local ordinance.

📄 MI Tenant & Landlord Guide (PDF)

Official Resources

Ordinances

Amended Zoning Ordinance (04/02/2021)

Form-based code; B&B and Hotel/Lodging use chart

Planned Unit Development framework

Ordinance 2022-214 — PUD

Ordinance 2022-210 — Zoning Amendment

Zoning ordinance amendment (2022)

General & Zoning Ordinances Index

All adopted ordinances

Forms & Applications

Zoning Permit Application

Signs, fences, swimming pools, new construction

Special Land Use Application

For B&B and other Special Uses

Site Plan Review Application

Required for most commercial uses

Landlord-Tenant Agreement (sample)

Optional city template for LTR leases

Building Permit Application

For rebuilds / structural work

Building & Zoning Permit Fee Schedule

Current zoning fee schedule

2023 Building Permit Fee Schedule

Updated building-specific fees

Maps

Bridgman Zoning Map (11×17)

District boundaries — use for zoning questions

Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info

Berrien County GIS

Bridgman Master Plan (2020)

Long-range land use context

Portals & Lookups

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Building & Zoning Department

Brad Mattner, Building Official / Zoning Administrator

Forms & Applications Index

Complete list of city forms

Contact & Directions

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City Hall

269-465-5144 (M-Th 8-4, F 8-3)

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Building Official (Cell)

Brad Mattner — 269-208-1663

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Building / Zoning Email

inspector@bridgman.org