Constantine Township

Constantine Township’s Zoning Ordinance No. 22 does not use the terms “short-term rental,” “vacation rental,” “Airbnb,” or “VRBO.” The closest analogue in the code is a Bed & Breakfast Facility, defined as an owner-occupied principal residence offering guest lodging for stays of no more than 7 consecutive days.^[3] B&Bs are listed as a Special Exception Use in the AG-1 (Agricultural), AG-2 (Agricultural), R-1 (Residential), and R-2 (Residential) districts, meaning each one requires Planning Commission approval after a site-plan review.^[3]

Whole-house, non-owner-occupied STRs are not expressly permitted or prohibited; they would be interpreted on a case-by-case basis by the Zoning Administrator. Because zoning is contracted to SWMI Zoning, written confirmation should come from Matthew Jorgensen (swmizoning@gmail.com / 269-386-1110) before any property is listed on Airbnb or VRBO.^[4]

There is no STR-specific registration or permit program at the township level. Constantine Township has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance, so there is no portal, no annual fee, and no inspection requirement aimed at vacation rentals.^[5] Operators of a true owner-occupied Bed & Breakfast must apply for Special Exception Use approval through the Planning Commission using the township’s Zoning & Building Application, then pass site-plan review.^[6]

For any other STR configuration, the practical path is: (1) email Zoning Administrator Matthew Jorgensen with the property address and intended rental pattern, (2) get a written interpretation, and (3) keep that interpretation on file before listing.

There is no STR permit fee in Constantine Township because there is no STR program. The township maintains a general Fee Schedule covering zoning, building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and demolition permits; B&B Special Exception Use applications are processed under the standard Special Exception fee in that schedule.^[7]

Penalties for operating in violation of the Zoning Ordinance fall under the general enforcement provisions and the Ordinance Enforcement Officer Ordinance No. 20, with the Code Compliance Officer empowered to issue notices and pursue municipal civil-infraction tickets through district court.^[8] Nuisance complaints (trash, junk, inoperable vehicles tied to a rental property) are enforced under Junk/Litter Ordinance No. 21.^[9]

The township does not conduct rental inspections. No life-safety or rental-specific inspection cycle applies because there is no STR ordinance. Standard Michigan building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits are required for any construction or alteration work and are handled through the township’s contracted inspectors using the permit applications below.^[6]

For Bed & Breakfast operations, the Zoning Ordinance specifically requires smoke detectors throughout the dwelling and one off-street parking space per sleeping room.^[3] On rural properties, septic and well systems are regulated by the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency (BHSJ); any change of use that increases bedroom count or occupancy may trigger a BHSJ septic review.^[10]

Constantine Township has no STR-specific occupancy cap, no posted quiet-hours ordinance, and no rental-specific parking standard. For Bed & Breakfast operations, the Zoning Ordinance limits guest stays to 7 consecutive days, requires the dwelling to remain the owner’s principal residence, requires one off-street parking space per sleeping room, and requires smoke detectors.^[3]

General nuisance behavior (junk, abandoned vehicles, screening failures, excessive noise treated as a public nuisance) is enforced under Junk/Litter Ordinance No. 21 by the Code Compliance Officer.^[9] There is no separate noise ordinance and no fireworks ordinance on the township books, so the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act (PA 256 of 2011) applies by default.

No STR ordinance is currently in the township’s pipeline. The two most recent zoning amendments addressed unrelated topics: Ord. 22-57 (adopted Sept 13, 2022) repealed kennel language and added “Keeping of Animals” definitions and special-use standards;^[11] Ord. 22-58 (adopted Oct 11, 2022) created an S-1 Solar Overlay District and added Large Solar Energy System standards.^[12]

The township News and Calendar pages show no posted public hearings or pending ordinance amendments as of mid-May 2026. Planning Commission minutes are posted to the township’s Google Drive for landlords who want to track future activity.