Lawrence

157 N. Paw Paw Street, Lawrence, MI 49064

Directions

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Village Website

www.lawrencemi.org

Area Overview

The Village of Lawrence is a small incorporated general-law village near the center of Van Buren County, Michigan, situated within Lawrence Township roughly halfway between Kalamazoo and Lake Michigan along M-152 and US-12 corridors. The Village operates its own water and sewer utilities, a part-time police department, and contracts with Lawrence Township Emergency Services for fire and EMS. Building permits and occupancy inspections are administered through Municipal Consulting & Inspection LLC (MCILLC) under contract with the Village ^[1].

Rental activity in Lawrence is governed primarily by the Village’s Rental Property Registration Policy, which requires every commercial and residential rental dwelling unit to be registered with the Village and inspected upon any change in occupants ^[2]^[3]. The Village has not adopted a separate short-term rental ordinance as of May 2026, so STRs are subject to the same registration requirement, the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 32, 2024), and the Village’s Anti-Noise Ordinance and adopted International Property Maintenance Code ^[4]^[5]^[6]. Investors and landlords should plan around the one-time $25 per-unit registration fee and confirm parcel-level zoning before listing or signing a lease.

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals REGISTRATION REQUIRED

The Village has not adopted a standalone short-term rental ordinance. STRs (rentals shorter than a long-term lease) are subject to the Village’s general Rental Property Registration Policy: every commercial and residential rental dwelling unit must be registered at Village Hall, and code inspections are conducted upon any change in occupants ^[2]^[3]. Underlying parcel zoning under Chapter 32 must permit dwelling use ^[4]. One-time registration fee is $25 per unit ^[7]. Confirm current STR-specific guidance with the Village Manager before listing.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals are permitted village-wide where Chapter 32 zoning permits dwelling use ^[4]. Owners must register every rental dwelling unit with Village Hall and pay a one-time $25 per-unit registration fee ^[2]^[3]^[7]. Code inspections are conducted upon any change in occupants. Owners may shift water/sewer billing responsibility to the tenant by filing a PA 178 affidavit and paying the corresponding deposit ^[2].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Short-term rentals follow the Village’s standard Chapter 32 Zoning Ordinance use rules: where the underlying parcel is zoned for residential dwelling use, a dwelling rented short-term is treated as a residential dwelling for zoning purposes ^[4]. The Village has not adopted a separate STR overlay or banned STRs in any district as of May 2026.

The Chapter 32 Zoning Ordinance and the 2024 Zoning Map are the authoritative documents for parcel-by-parcel use determination. The PDFs available from the Village’s Ordinance page are scanned images, so machine-readable district boundaries are not available online — verify your parcel’s zoning district on the 2024 Zoning Map and confirm dwelling use with the Zoning Administrator before listing.

📄 Open the 2024 Zoning Map (PDF)

🗺 2024 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance Chapter 32 📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

Submit the Rental Property Registration form at Village Hall, 157 N. Paw Paw Street, Lawrence MI 49064, with the one-time $25 per-unit registration fee ^[7]. The form requires the property address and parcel ID, owner name and address, owner phone and driver’s license number, number of units, and the name and address of any local agent collecting rent or maintaining the structure on behalf of the owner ^[3].

FormRental Property Registration form (PDF)

SubmissionIn person or by mail to Village Hall

Registration fee$25 per unit (one-time)

Re-inspection triggerPromptly upon any change in occupants ^[2]

Building or occupancy permit needed? Building permits and occupancy permits are administered by Municipal Consulting & Inspection LLC (MCILLC), the Village’s contract building authority. Submit at mcillc.us/permits/ or email permits.mcillc@gmail.com; phone 269-539-8747 ^[1].

📄 Registration Form 📜 Registration Policy 📞 Call Village Hall

3 Fees & Penalties

Per the Village’s published Permits & Applications fee schedule ^[7]:

Rental property registration$25 per unit (one-time)

Sanitary permit$300

Special use permit$250

Zoning permit$75

Zoning variance$300

Zoning Board of Appeals hearing$1,000

Zoning violation — 1st$150

Zoning violation — 2nd$250

Zoning violation — 3rd$350

Zoning violation — subsequent$500 each occurrence

Blight — 1st / 2nd / 3rd notice$150 / $250 / $300

Civil infraction (general)Per Civil Infraction Fee List ^[7]

The Village’s general civil-infraction schedule applies a 1-year limitation: if no additional offenses occur within 1 year, the violation count rolls back to a 1st offense ^[7].

📄 Civil Infraction Fee List 📄 Zoning Violation Procedure 🔗 Full Fee Schedule

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

The Village’s registration policy requires code inspections promptly upon any change in occupants ^[2]. Inspections are conducted under the International Property Maintenance Code, which the Village has formally adopted ^[6]. Building official services are provided by MCILLC; occupancy permits are issued by MCILLC at 269-539-8747 ^[1].

For STR operators, the practical implication is that turnover between guests does not trigger a Village inspection (each rental term is not a “change in occupants” for registration purposes), but a change of tenant on the underlying lease, a change of operator, or a sale of the rental property does. New construction less than 3 years old is flagged on the registration form ^[3].

📜 IPMC Adoption Ordinance 🏗 MCILLC Permit Portal 📞 MCILLC: 269-539-8747

5 Operating Rules (Noise, Parking, Property Maintenance)

Beyond rental registration and zoning, STR operators in Lawrence are bound by the Village’s general operating ordinances:

Anti-Noise Ordinance ^[8] — governs unreasonable noise village-wide. The published PDF is a scanned image; for complaint thresholds and quiet hours, contact the Ordinance Enforcement Officer directly.
Property Maintenance — IPMC ^[6] — governs structural condition, exterior upkeep, and habitability standards.
Parking — Snow rotation rule: From November 1 through April 1, vehicles parked in the Village parking lot from 2 AM to 6 AM must rotate by date (center area on even days, west area on odd days) for snow removal ^[1].
Animals (Chapter 4) ^[9] and Golf Cart Ordinance are pending amendments; verify current text with Village Hall.

Complaints, ordinance violations: Ordinance Enforcement Officer Christopher Mihelich, 269-674-3226, ordinance@lawrencemi.org. Police non-emergency: Van Buren County central dispatch, 269-657-3101 ^[1].

📜 Anti-Noise Ordinance 📧 Ordinance Officer 📞 Non-Emergency Dispatch

6 Local Agent / Responsible-Party Requirement

The Rental Property Registration form requires owners to designate a local agent charged with collecting rent and/or maintaining the structure if anyone other than the owner serves that role ^[3]. The agent’s name, address, and phone number must be provided at registration.

For absentee STR owners, the agent functions as the practical 24-hour contact for guest issues, neighbor complaints, and code-compliance correspondence. Updating the agent of record requires re-filing the registration form per Village policy ^[2].

Owners assigning water and sewer billing responsibility to a tenant must additionally file a PA 178 affidavit (“Responsible Party Form: Water & Sewer Payment”), pay the deposit per the fee schedule, and notify the Village 20 days in advance of any change or termination of the lease ^[2].

📜 Registration Policy (PA 178)💧 Water & Sewer Page 📧 Update Agent

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals are permitted village-wide wherever the underlying parcel is zoned for residential dwelling use under Chapter 32 of the Village Code ^[4]. There is no separate zoning category for long-term rentals — they follow the same residential-dwelling rules as owner-occupied homes.

For commercial, mixed-use, or non-residential-zoned parcels, confirm dwelling use is permitted by right (or grandfathered) with the Village Manager / Zoning Administrator before signing a lease commitment. The Chapter 32 Zoning Ordinance PDF is available below; the 2024 Zoning Map shows district boundaries.

📄 Open the 2024 Zoning Map (PDF)

🗺 2024 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance Chapter 32 📧 Ask Zoning Admin

2 Registration & Permit Process

File the Rental Property Registration form at Village Hall, 157 N. Paw Paw Street, with the one-time $25 per-unit registration fee ^[3]^[7]. Registration is required for every commercial and residential rental dwelling unit; updates are required when the property owner or local agent changes ^[2].

The registration form requires:

Type of unit (residential / commercial / combined)
Property address and tax parcel ID
Number of units
Owner name, address, phone, driver’s license number
Local agent name, address, phone (if other than owner)
Whether the property is new construction less than 3 years old

FormRental Property Registration form (PDF)

PolicyRegistration & Responsible Party Policy (PDF)

SubmissionIn person or by mail to Village Hall

Office hoursMon-Thu 9 AM-12 PM & 1-4 PM; Fri 9 AM-12 PM

📄 Registration Form 🗺 Directions to Village Hall 📧 Email Village Office

3 Fees & Penalties

From the Village’s published Permits & Applications fee schedule ^[7]:

Rental property registration$25 per unit (one-time)

NSF returned check$45

Copy / fax fee$1.00 per copy

FOIA records request$0.10 per page plus labor

Grass / noxious weed violation$25 if notice sent; $25 plus mowing costs if Village mows ^[7]^[10]

Blight — 1st / 2nd / 3rd / subsequent$150 / $250 / $300 / $500

Zoning violation — 1st through subsequent$150 → $500

Right-of-way permit — one-time / annual$25 / $200

Vacant property registrationPer Vacant Property Ordinance ^[11]

Lawrence does not impose a recurring annual rental fee or biennial inspection charge — the $25 registration is a one-time per-unit fee. Reinspection costs are billed only when triggered by a change of occupants or a code complaint ^[2].

🔗 Permits & Fee Schedule 📄 Civil Infraction Fee List

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Code inspections are conducted promptly upon any change in occupants per Village policy ^[2]. Inspections are performed under the International Property Maintenance Code ^[6], administered by the Village’s contract building official MCILLC ^[1].

The Vacant Property Ordinance imposes additional registration and maintenance obligations on properties that fall vacant; LTR owners between tenants for extended periods should review it ^[11].

Septic and well inspections (for parcels not on Village water/sewer) are administered by the Van Buren / Cass District Health Department, with a local office at 260 South Street, Lawrence MI 49064; phone 269-621-3143 ^[12].

📜 IPMC Adoption Ordinance 📜 Vacant Property Ordinance 🏥 VB/Cass Health Dept

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 ^[13]. These rules apply equally in the Village of Lawrence and are not modified by local ordinance.

Eviction cases involving Lawrence Village properties are heard at the Van Buren County Trial Court (7th Probate / 36th Circuit). Michigan’s statewide eviction-diversion and rental-assistance programs are administered through MDHHS ^[14].

📄 Tenants & Landlords Practical Guide 🏛 Van Buren County

Official Resources

Ordinances

Rental Property Registration Policy

Adopted 7/14/2009

Zoning Ordinance — Chapter 32 (2024)

Final adopted version

Adoption of International Property Maintenance Code

Property maintenance standards

Pending amendments — Chapter ordinance

Anti-Noise Ordinance

Vacant Property Ordinance

Registration & maintenance for vacant rentals

Ordinance 2024-02 — Non-Conforming Lots

Zoning amendment

Chapter 4 — Animals Ordinance

Pending amendments

Codified Ordinances (Municode)

Searchable Village code library

Forms & Applications

Rental Property Registration Form

PDF — submit at Village Hall

Vacant Property Registration Affidavit

PDF — file with Village Hall

Civil Infraction Fee List

Comprehensive penalties schedule

Zoning Violation Procedure

Enforcement steps

PDF — $25 one-time / $200 annual

Right-of-Way Permit

Maps

Lawrence Village Zoning Map (2024)

District boundaries — use for zoning questions

Van Buren County GIS Parcel Viewer

Parcels, ownership, taxes, aerials

Portals & Lookups

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MCILLC Permit Portal

Building & occupancy permits

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BS&A Online — Pay Water/Sewer Bill

Online utility payment

Contact & Directions

Ordinance Enforcement Officer

Christopher Mihelich — 269-674-3226

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DPW Emergency Line

Water/sewer emergencies — 269-312-4040

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MCILLC — Building Permits

269-539-8747

Village Office Email

office@lawrencemi.org

Village Manager / Zoning Admin

Amy Cordes — manager@lawrencemi.org

Ordinance Officer Email

ordinance@lawrencemi.org

MCILLC Permits Email

permits.mcillc@gmail.com