Short term rentals have long been a point of contentious debate in the City of St. Joseph, but a current piece of legislation in Lansing that city officials say would deprive all local communities in Michigan of the ability to regulate short term rentals through zoning, by requiring that they be allowed in any residential area of any community renewed that fight at City Hall tonight.
The City Commission wasted little time in voicing opposition to such legislation for the third time in four years tonight, adopting a resolution opposing House Bill 4722 in the Michigan House of Representatives while directing city staff members to furnish copies of their resolution to elected representatives from the region and to the House Commerce & Tourism Committee, with Mayor Mike Garey commenting, “It’s silly season that we even have to contend with this again.”
In 2017 the State House tried to get the plan approved, but it expired in December of 2018 without a committee hearing. A month later it was reintroduced as House Bill 4046 in January of 2019, went through a committee hearing in May of that year, but expired at the end of 2020 once again with no further action. City Manager John Hodgson and Mayor Mike Garey attended the committee hearing in May of 2019, after the Commission passed a resolution in opposition.
One major difference this time out is that what had been a bill with a single sponsor now has 16 co-sponsors. The bill would require that short-term rental uses be a permitted use in all residential zones, not subject to a special use or conditional use permit or any procedure different from those required for other dwellings in the same zone.
City Manager John Hodgson cautions, “If approved as proposed, it would override the city’s current zoning ordinance, which allows new short-term rentals in the R3 Multiple-family Residence and W Water Recreation zoning districts, and would generally undermine the ability of local residents to exercise their right to determine the future form of their neighborhood and community.”
Hodgson reports that both the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Planning oppose the bills and are urging their members to oppose the bills as well.
The City’s resolution says, in part, “The City of St. Joseph has, through hard experience, learned from its residents the importance of thoughtful consideration of the impact of introduction of transient guests to residential neighborhoods, and that well-considered zoning regulations are important to protect the quality of life of our residents and the year-round character of our neighborhoods while still permitting these uses in appropriate locations in the community.”
