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Newaygo planning commission directs staff to draft short-term rental rules after review
Summary
City Manager Jon Schneider told the Planning Commission he drafted proposed short-term rental regulations after reviewing other communities; the commission discussed limits, occupancy, insurance, signage and enforcement and gave consensus to continue drafting and return with a proposal.
The Newaygo City Planning Commission on Jan. 9 directed City Manager Jon Schneider to continue drafting short-term rental regulations after reviewing ordinances from other communities and presenting a proposed draft to the board.
Schneider said a representative from Resonate Church had planned to attend to discuss using a house at 115 Penoyer St. as a short-term rental but did not appear. He told commissioners short-term rentals are currently not permitted in residential districts and that his draft addresses definitions, limits, location rules and operational standards.
The commission discussed several substantive elements Schneider had included in the packet: a clear definition of "short-term rental," caps on the number of short-term rentals in the city, limits on allowable locations, whether neighboring property-owner approval should be required, maximum occupancy standards, and a consensus that signage should not be allowed at short-term rentals in residential areas. Commissioners also discussed insurance requirements, a prohibition on tenants subletting a dwelling as a short-term rental, and operational requirements such as designating an on-call representative, prominently displaying the rental address for emergency responders, adopting "Good Neighbor Guidelines," fire-safety equipment standards, trash receptacle rules and parking regulations.
Schneider said enforcement mechanisms, a fee schedule and rules on motor homes/campers at short-term rental properties will also be considered; he will review existing camping regulations to inform that section. He told the commission he found most other communities place short-term rental rules under police-power ordinances rather than zoning chapters.
By consensus, commissioners asked Schneider to continue with next steps and return a formal ordinance proposal to a future Planning Commission meeting for further review and possible action.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to excuse absent member DeVries: mover Wight, second Williams; passed (AIF/MC). - Motion to approve the agenda: mover Faulkner, second Wight; passed (AIF/MC). - Motion to approve Nov. 7, 2024 minutes: mover Fedell, second Williams; passed (AIF/MC). - Motion to reappoint officers (Chambers as chair, Fedell as vice-chair, Williams as secretary): mover Fedell, second Wight; passed (AIF/MC). - Resolution P25-01 (2025 regular meeting dates): mover Faulkner, second Wight; passed (AIF/MC). - Motion to adjourn at 7:20 p.m.: mover Fedell, second Faulkner; passed (AIF/MC).
The commission packet and Schneider's draft are to be circulated to commissioners and returned to a future meeting for detailed ordinance drafting and potential formal action.
