Fennville

Short-term rentals are a Special Land Use in the R-1, R-2, RM, RMH, and CBD zoning districts under Section 13.25 of the Fennville Zoning Ordinance — meaning Planning Commission approval is required before you can list one ^[1]. The use chart in Article 6 marks STRs with an ‘S’ in those five districts; they are not a permitted use anywhere else.

The five districts where an STR application is even possible:

• R-1 — Single-family residential (lower density; 7,000 sq ft minimum lot for single-family)
• R-2 — Single/two/three/four-family residential (5,000 sq ft minimum for single-family)
• RM — Multi-family residential (1-4 family at 35 ft height; 5+ family up to 60 ft)
• RMH — Manufactured housing community
• CBD — Central Business District (downtown, where dwelling units sit above commercial)

SLU criteria the Planning Commission applies under Articles 23 and 24 include compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, off-street parking adequacy, and the property’s ability to meet Section 13.25’s specific STR standards (occupancy, parking ratio, designated local contact, posted house rules) ^[1].

For any specific property: pull the parcel’s zoning district from the city map below, then confirm with Katie Beemer (Zoning Administrator) before underwriting on STR cashflow assumptions. SLU approval is discretionary, not ministerial.

Two parallel approvals are needed: (1) a Special Land Use permit from the Planning Commission for the STR use itself ^[1], and (2) registration plus a Certificate of Compliance under the citywide rental inspection program ^[2]. Submit both through Fennville City Hall at 125 S Maple Street; building inspections are routed to PCI’s Dorr office.

Fennville does not publish a single consolidated rental fee schedule online; SLU and rental-inspection fees are set by Council resolution and quoted by City Hall or PCI on application. Always call for a current quote before submitting.

If Fennville Council adopts a published fee schedule (e.g. via a budget amendment), this row will reflect actual dollar amounts. Until then, treat the line items above as ‘call for current quote.’

All rental dwellings in Fennville — long-term or short-term — must pass a city-administered inspection every three years ^[2]. The inspection is performed by PCI on the city’s behalf ^[3] and uses Michigan Building Code plus IPMC/ICC standards as the baseline.

Common pass/fail items the building inspector checks:

• Working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms in required locations
• Egress windows in every bedroom (size, sill height, openability)
• Functional handrails and guardrails on stairs and decks
• No exposed electrical wiring; all junction boxes covered
• Functional heating, hot water, and weatherproofing
• No open or expired building permits on the parcel
• If a pool is on the property, pool fencing per Michigan Building Code
• Off-street parking adequate to the unit’s bedroom count and the zoning district minimum

Failed inspections: PCI issues a notice of violation with a correction timeframe. The Certificate of Compliance can be suspended or revoked, and if conditions are unsafe the unit may be required to be vacated until repairs are completed and re-inspected.

For STRs specifically: Section 13.25 of the Zoning Ordinance also imposes operating standards (max occupancy formulas, posted house rules, designated local contact, parking ratio) that the Zoning Administrator can enforce via the SLU approval ^[1]. Failure to meet those standards is grounds to revoke the SLU separately from any building-code issue.

Section 13.25 of the Zoning Ordinance imposes STR-specific operating standards on top of the citywide noise, parking, and nuisance ordinances ^[1]. Typical Fennville STR conditions of approval include:

• Occupancy. Maximum overnight occupancy is set during SLU approval, generally tied to bedroom count plus the IPMC area-per-occupant minimums (70 sq ft per habitable room minimum; additional area per occupant in shared bedrooms).
• Parking. Off-street parking adequate for occupancy is required; on-street guest parking can be a denial point for the SLU if neighborhood capacity is tight.
• Designated local contact. A 24/7 reachable contact must be on file with the city — the operator if local, otherwise a property manager. Required to respond to complaints within a defined window (commonly 1-2 hours).
• Posted house rules. Quiet hours, occupancy limit, parking instructions, and emergency contacts must be posted inside the unit and provided to renters.
• Trash & refuse. Containers must comply with the citywide trash collection ordinance — no overflow, no early/late curbside placement.
• Noise. The general city noise ordinance applies; complaints route through the Allegan County Sheriff (the Fennville Police Department’s dispatcher) or the city’s Report a Concern channel.

Specific dollar fines and quiet-hour windows are set by ordinance and can be confirmed with the City Clerk. The Michigan Short-Term Rental Promotion Act (PA 2017) prohibits cities from banning STRs outright, but expressly allows local regulation of noise, advertising, occupancy, and parking — which is the legal hook Fennville’s SLU regime hangs on ^[4].

Every short-term rental in Fennville must have a designated local contact person on file with the city — name, address, and 24/7 reachable phone number ^{[1] [4]}. If the property owner does not personally manage the unit and live in or near Fennville, a property manager or agent must be designated in writing.

• The local contact must be reachable around the clock and able to respond to a call from a renter, neighbor, or city official within a reasonable timeframe (commonly 1-2 hours per Section 13.25).
• For out-of-state owners, this is the practical constraint: a long-distance whole-home STR is not realistic in Fennville without a local agent in place before SLU approval.
• The contact information must be kept current with the city; changes should be reported within 30 days.

Allegan County non-emergency dispatch (covering Fennville Police Department) is the route for nuisance complaints when a renter or neighbor cannot reach the local contact directly.

In addition to Fennville’s local rules, every STR operator in Michigan must register with state tax authorities and collect/remit the 6% state Use Tax on bookings ^[4]. Fennville does not impose its own local lodging or hotel tax on top of the state rate.

Michigan’s Short-Term Rental Promotion Act (PA 2017) prohibits cities from banning STRs in all residential zones but expressly preserves local zoning, licensing, occupancy, noise, and parking authority — the legal basis for Fennville’s SLU regime.