Mattawan

offices@mattawanmi.com

24221 Front Ave., Mattawan, MI 49071

Directions

🌐

Village Website

www.mattawanmi.org

Area Overview

The Village of Mattawan is a small incorporated village (population roughly 1,800) on the eastern edge of Van Buren County, surrounded by Antwerp Charter Township and just seven miles west of Kalamazoo via I-94 ^[1]. The local economy leans on a manufacturing and pharmaceutical R&D base, and the housing stock is overwhelmingly single-family residential along with a small multi-family inventory and a downtown core on Front Avenue.

The Village does not operate a dedicated short-term rental ordinance or a separate rental registration / licensing program ^[2]. Whether a parcel can be rented — short-term or long-term — is governed by the underlying Mattawan Zoning Ordinance (2004) and its district use rules ^[3]. Building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are administered by independent inspectors who file paperwork with the Village Office ^[4]. Rental housing condition complaints are handled by the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department’s Housing program ^[5].

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals VERIFY BY PARCEL

The Village of Mattawan has no standalone short-term rental ordinance and no STR registration program ^[2]. Whether a specific parcel can host an STR depends on its zoning district under the 2004 Zoning Ordinance, the General Standards in Article 14, and the Special Use Requirements in Article 21 ^[3]. Verify the parcel’s district on the updated zoning map and confirm intended use directly with the Village Office before listing on Airbnb / Vrbo.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals (lease term 30+ days) are permitted in residential zoning districts as a by-right residential use under the 2004 Zoning Ordinance ^[3]. The Village does not operate a separate landlord registration or rental-license program ^[2]. Rental housing condition is enforced by the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department ^[5] and statewide landlord-tenant law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) ^[6].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

The Village of Mattawan does not have a separate short-term rental ordinance — STR permission is decided parcel-by-parcel under the underlying Mattawan Zoning Ordinance (2004) ^[3]. Verify the zoning district on the map below, then confirm intended STR use directly with the Village Office before listing.

The Village’s residential districts are R1 (Medium Density), R1A (Low Density), R2 (Single-Family Medium Density), R3 (Multiple Family), and R4 (Manufactured Housing Park). Commercial-lodging-style uses (motels, hotels, bed-and-breakfast) historically appear in HBD (Highway Business) and VGBD (Village General Business) ^[3]. Whether a transient rental of a single-family dwelling is treated as a residential use or a commercial-lodging use is a judgment call by the Village; older zoning ordinances written before STR platforms existed often do not address this directly.

The current zoning ordinance PDFs are scanned images and are not machine-readable ^[7] — we cannot reliably extract a use chart by district. For any specific property, verify the zoning district on the map below and email the Village Office to confirm STR permission in writing before underwriting.

📄 Open the updated Mattawan Zoning Map (Aug 2025 PDF)

🗺 Updated Zoning Map (PDF)📜 Zoning Articles 1–25 📧 Ask Village Office

2 Registration & Permit Process

There is no Village-level STR registration or licensing program in Mattawan ^[2]. The Village does not maintain an STR application, an STR portal, or a public STR registry. Operators are still subject to:

Zoning compliance. Confirm the parcel’s zoning district allows the intended use — see the “Where STRs Are Allowed” accordion above.
Special Land Use approval (if required). If the Village determines the use is not permitted by-right in the parcel’s district, a Special Land Use application must be reviewed by the Planning Commission ^[8].
Building / construction permits for any work needed to bring the unit up to code (see below).
Michigan 6% Use Tax on stays under 30 days, plus federal income tax — these are state and federal obligations, independent of any Village rule.

STR portalNone — no Village-level STR program

Special Land Use formSpecial Land Use Application (PDF)

Where to ask firstVillage Office — (269) 668-2128 / offices@mattawanmi.com

Investor takeaway: The absence of a registration program does not mean STRs are open by default. A future ordinance could be enacted, and the Village retains zoning enforcement authority today. Get the zoning verification and Special Land Use determination in writing before closing.

📄 Special Land Use Application 📞 Call Village Office 📧 Email Village Office

3 Fees & Penalties

No Village-level STR registration fee exists — because no STR registration program exists ^[2]. The fees an STR operator may encounter in Mattawan are use- and construction-related:

STR registration fee$0 — no Village program

Special Land Use applicationPer the Village fee schedule — confirm with Village Office ^[8]

Building permit (new STR conversions, additions)Per the 6/2024 Mattawan Building Permit Fee Scale ^[9]

Zoning Ordinance violationCivil infraction enforcement under Article 24 of the Zoning Ordinance ^[3]

Noise Ordinance violationCivil infraction under Chapter 6 — Noise Ordinance ^[10]

Penalties for operating a use not permitted by zoning typically run as municipal civil infractions, with each day a separate violation. Confirm exact fine amounts with the Village Office.

📄 Building Permit Fee Scale (2024)📄 Noise Ordinance

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

The Village of Mattawan does not run an STR-specific inspection program ^[2]. The inspections that do apply to a Mattawan rental property are:

Building / electrical / plumbing / mechanical inspections for any new construction, conversion, or remodel — administered by independent inspectors filing with the Village ^[4]:
- Building: Rich McGrew — (269) 228-3234
- Electrical: Artie Wilcox — (269) 998-4458
- Plumbing: Rich Goris — (269) 207-1543
- Mechanical: Scott Paddock — (269) 998-8117
Septic / well inspections (homes not on Village water/sewer) — Van Buren/Cass District Health Department ^[5]. Buyers should request the most recent septic evaluation before closing.
Smoke / CO alarms. Required statewide under the Michigan Building Code — outside-the-Village rule but enforced by the Building Inspector during any permitted work.
Pool fencing. Required by the Michigan Building Code for in-ground pools.

📄 Mattawan Permits Page 📄 Inspections Required by Project Type 🏥 VB/Cass DHD — Water & Septic

5 Operating Rules (Noise, Fireworks, Parking)

STR operators in Mattawan are bound by the same Village ordinances as any other resident:

Noise Ordinance (Chapter 6). Prohibits unreasonably loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise; specific quiet hours and decibel limits are defined in the ordinance ^[10].
Fireworks Ordinance (Ord. 244, 2025). Limits consumer fireworks to the days authorized by Michigan’s Fireworks Safety Act and adds local quiet-hour restrictions ^[11]. Critical for STR guests during summer holiday rentals.
Parking and traffic. Chapter 5 — Parking and Traffic Code controls on-street parking; STR guests parking on lawns or blocking sidewalks risks Village citation ^[12].
Disorderly conduct (Chapter 6). Standard public-disturbance enforcement applies to STR-driven parties ^[13].
Burning / outdoor fires. Chapter 6 — Burning Ordinance ^[14] and Chapter 8 — Outdoor Burning ^[15] regulate recreational and yard-waste fires.
Trash, blight, junk vehicles. Chapter 7 — Blight, Cars on Lawn, Grass ^[16]^[17]^[18].

House-rules tip: Bake the noise, fireworks, and parking rules into the listing’s house rules and check-in instructions — Mattawan’s police department investigates complaints and can issue civil infraction tickets directly to guests or hold the operator accountable for repeat violations.

📄 Noise Ordinance 📄 Fireworks Ordinance 👮 Mattawan Police Dept

6 Recent Changes & Watch List

As of May 2026, the Village of Mattawan has not enacted a short-term rental ordinance, registration program, or moratorium ^[2]. The picture nonetheless is worth watching:

2025 Solar Energy Ordinance, Fireworks Ordinance, and Food Truck / Yard Fowl ordinances show the Village is actively updating its code in 2025–2026 ^[11]^[19]. STR operators should monitor Council agendas (2nd and 4th Monday each month) and the Public Notices page for any STR-related introduction.
Surrounding municipalities — Antwerp Charter Township (which surrounds Mattawan) and Van Buren County have not adopted countywide STR rules either, but Michigan-level legislation around STRs has been debated repeatedly and could shift local authority quickly.
Mattawan Comprehensive Plan is the policy document most likely to flag a future ordinance — it is available for viewing at the Village Hall and excerpts at the link below.

📬 Public Notices 🗓 Council Calendar 📜 Comprehensive Plan

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals (30+ day leases) are permitted as a by-right residential use in Mattawan’s residential zoning districts — R1 (Medium Density), R1A (Low Density), R2 (Single-Family Medium Density), R3 (Multiple Family Residential), and R4 (Manufactured Housing Park) ^[3]. There is no separate “rental” zoning classification; if a dwelling unit is a permitted use, it can be leased.

For commercial, business, or mixed-use parcels (HCBD, HBD, VGBD, BPD, LID), the underlying residential dwelling use itself must be permitted by-right or grandfathered — verify the parcel’s district on the zoning map and confirm with the Village Office before assuming a residential lease is allowed.

LTRs are not subject to a permit cap, registration program, or rental license in the Village of Mattawan ^[2].

📄 Open the updated Mattawan Zoning Map (Aug 2025 PDF)

🗺 Updated Zoning Map (PDF)📜 Zoning Articles 1–25 📧 Ask Village Office

2 Registration & Permit Process

The Village of Mattawan does not maintain a long-term-rental registration or landlord-licensing program ^[2]. Landlords do not file a Village registration form, do not receive a rental license number, and do not have a routine Village inspection cycle.

The state-level landlord obligations that do apply in Mattawan:

Truth-in-Renting Act compliance. Written leases must comply with Michigan’s Truth in Renting Act (MCL 554.631 et seq.) ^[6].
Security deposit handling. Statutory limits, escrow, and inventory checklist requirements under MCL 554.601 et seq. ^[6].
Lead-based paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing under federal law.
Safe and sanitary housing. Tenants who believe a unit is unsafe can complain to the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department’s Housing program ^[5].

Village registrationNone required

Annual feeNone

Routine inspection cycleNone at Village level

Tenant complaint pathVB/Cass DHD Housing

📄 MI Tenant/Landlord Guide 🏥 VB/Cass DHD Housing 📞 Call Village Office

3 Fees & Penalties

$0 in Village rental-program fees — the Village does not charge an annual rental registration, license, or inspection fee ^[2]. The fees a Mattawan landlord may encounter are:

LTR registration fee$0 — no Village program

Annual rental license$0 — not required

Building permit (renovation, addition)Per Mattawan Building Permit Fee Scale (6/2024) ^[9]

Septic permit (replacement / new install)VB/Cass DHD 2026 Fee Schedule ^[20]

Zoning Ordinance violationCivil infraction under Article 24 ^[3]

📄 Building Permit Fee Scale 📄 VB/Cass DHD Fee Schedule

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

There is no Village-led routine LTR inspection program in Mattawan ^[2]. The inspection touch points that do apply:

Permitted work. Any renovation requiring a building permit triggers the relevant trade inspections (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) by the Village’s contracted inspectors ^[4].
Septic / well. For homes outside the Village water/sewer footprint, septic and well inspections are administered by the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department ^[5]. The Village’s water and sewer rate schedule and connection application sit on the homepage / Public Works pages.
Tenant complaint inspection. If a tenant files an environmental health complaint (sewage, unsafe water, unsanitary conditions), the VB/Cass DHD will investigate and can issue corrective orders ^[5].
Smoke / CO alarms. Required by the Michigan Building Code; verify before turning over a unit to a new tenant.

📄 Inspections by Project Type 🏥 VB/Cass DHD Housing 📄 Complaint Form

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 Village of Mattawan does not modify these rules locally ^[6]. Key resources:

State Bar of Michigan — Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords: covers leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process ^[6].
Habitability complaints: File with the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department’s Housing program ^[5].
Court venue: Eviction (summary proceedings) cases for Mattawan tenancies are filed in Van Buren County District Court (7th District). Both Antwerp Township and Almena Township sides of the Village fall within the same district court jurisdiction.
Free legal aid: Lakeshore Legal Aid serves Van Buren County; income-eligible tenants can call 1-888-783-8190 for representation in eviction matters.

📄 MI Tenant/Landlord Guide 🏥 VB/Cass DHD Housing

Official Resources

Ordinances

Zoning Ordinance — Article 1 (General Provisions & Definitions)

Foundation of all use determinations

Zoning Ordinance — Article 2 (Districts, Map & Amendments)

Designation and purpose of zoning districts

Zoning Ordinance — Article 21 (Special Use Requirements)

Path for uses not permitted by-right

Zoning Ordinance — Article 24 (Administration & Enforcement)

Penalties and enforcement

Noise Ordinance (Chapter 6)

Disturbing-noise rules apply to STR/LTR

Fireworks Ordinance (Ord. 244, 2025)

Days and quiet-hour limits

Disorderly Conduct (Chapter 6)

Public-disturbance enforcement

Parking & Traffic Code (Chapter 5)

On-street and front-yard parking rules

Outdoor Burning (Chapter 8)

Recreational and yard-waste fires

Blight Ordinance (Chapter 7)

Property-condition standards

Forms & Applications

Building Permit Application (June 2024)

PDF — submit to Village Office

Building Permit Fee Scale (6/2024)

Current fee schedule

Inspections Required by Project Type

Building inspector reference (6/2024)

Special Land Use Application

If a use is not permitted by-right

Variance Request Application

Zoning Board of Appeals

Site Plan Review Application

Required for many commercial conversions

Zoning Review Application

Fences, accessory buildings, above-ground pools

Water/Sewer Connection Application

Required for new connections

Maps

Mattawan Updated Zoning Map (Aug 2025)

District boundaries — use for zoning questions

Van Buren County GIS Parcel Viewer

Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info

Portals & Lookups

🔍

BS&A Tax & Parcel Lookup — Mattawan Village

Live property tax / parcel data

🔍

Mattawan Public Notices & Council Agendas

Watch for any STR ordinance proposal

Contact & Directions

offices@mattawanmi.com

Water / Sewer / Street Emergency

(269) 668-2300

Building Inspector — Rich McGrew

(269) 228-3234

Electrical Inspector — Artie Wilcox

(269) 998-4458

Plumbing Inspector — Rich Goris

(269) 207-1543

Mechanical Inspector — Scott Paddock

(269) 998-8117

🏥

Van Buren/Cass District Health Dept — Environmental Health

(269) 621-3143 — septic, well, housing