Three Oaks

STRs are permitted village-wide under Ordinance 210, except that the R-1 Single Family Residential District is capped at 10% of developed parcels per Ordinance 228 (effective March 29, 2023) ^[2]. Once that threshold is reached, no new STR registration will be accepted or processed for any R-1 property until a permit is relinquished.

Ordinance 210 itself does not carve out districts — the cap is the only zoning-specific STR restriction currently in the code. For any specific parcel, verify the underlying zoning district on the map below, then confirm the R-1 count status with the Village Clerk before underwriting.

Click the map to open the full Zoning Map PDF.

Submit the STR Registration form and STR Permit Application to the Village Clerk at 21 N. Elm Street, with payment payable to the Village Treasurer ^[4]. The Village has no online STR portal — applications are paper.

Ordinance 210 sets STR administrative fees by separate resolution of the Village Council — the fee schedule is not printed in the ordinance text ^[5]. Current fees should be confirmed with the Village Treasurer before submitting an application.

A “repeat offense” means a second or subsequent violation within any 3-month period where the person admits or is found responsible ^[6]. Triggers include this ordinance, the Village Noise & Nuisance Ordinance, and the Zoning Ordinance.

Before issuing any STR permit, the Village inspects the unit for compliance with the housing and property maintenance code and the fire code ^[5]. For renewals, the owner must schedule the inspection no later than 30 days before the permit expires.

Required safety equipment per Ordinance 210:

• Smoke alarms — UL-approved, installed and working in every bedroom.
• Carbon monoxide detectors — working unit on each floor.
• Fire extinguishers — working unit in each kitchen and near each outdoor cooking device.
• Local agent turnover inspection — between each rental to a different tenant, the local agent must inspect smoke/CO detectors, common-area lighting, egress doors, and railings; sign and date a Village-designated checklist; and retain it for at least two years ^[5].

Ordinance 210 sets specific operating conditions on every STR ^[5]:

• Maximum occupancy — stated on the permit and must also appear in the lease; no more than four (4) occupants per bedroom count toward the max, regardless of bedroom size.
• Advertising — the owner may not advertise an occupancy load greater than the permit maximum.
• Off-street parking — minimum one (1) space per occupant’s vehicle, in addition to any spaces required for other uses on the premises.
• Landline telephone — each unit must have a landline with free local calls that reaches the 911 dispatch center; the unit’s street address and emergency information must be prominently displayed.
• Permit display — a full-sized copy of the STR permit must be prominently displayed inside the unit.
• Taxes current — no permit will issue while the owner is delinquent on property taxes, utilities, or any amount owed to the Village.

If the owner does not qualify as the local agent, the owner must designate one in writing ^[5]. Under Ordinance 210, the local agent must live or maintain a physical place of business within 45 miles of the rental unit, respond to calls from renters, neighbors, and Village representatives, and accept service of legal papers on the owner’s behalf.

• Village Hall: 269-756-9221 (21 N. Elm St)
• Three Oaks Police Department: non-emergency 269-756-9500
• Berrien County Non-Emergency Dispatch: 866-630-7679

Three Oaks has adjusted its STR framework twice since Ordinance 210 was first adopted:

• Ordinance 215 (2023): Restructured the violations/penalties section — civil infractions $50–$500, with escalating fines for repeat offenses and a revocation trigger at 3 incidents per calendar year ^[6].
• Ordinance 228 (adopted March 8, 2023; effective March 29, 2023): Added a cap so that no new STR registration will be accepted in the R-1 Single Family Residential District once issued permits exceed 10% of developed R-1 parcels ^[2].