Van Buren Township Planning Commission wants input on airbnb

Chris Madigan, a graduate student who has been serving as an intern in the Van Buren Township Building and Planning Department, gave a presentation on short-term rentals to the VBT Planning Commission at its regular meeting Aug. 16.
His focus was airbnb, an internet-based incarnation of a bed and breakfast that allows occupants of a housing unit to advertise their willingness to rent an entire residence or room or space for fewer than 30 days.
He said he checked and there are several in this area already listed on airbnb: one on the lake for six people in a basement; two on Rawsonville and Ecorse roads; and two more in the City of Belleville.
“It doesn’t seem to be a problem in Van Buren Township now,” he said, noting that the biggest problems seem to be parking and noise.
He said sometimes people will buy homes on the lake for short-term rentals and the owners are never here. The township would need a person to contact for that home.
Madigan said there are separate Michigan House and Senate bills in progress that are the same and permit short-term rentals in any municipality as a permitted use. It hasn’t yet been voted on.
He said the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Township Association are both strongly against it.
“This would allow commercial use in a residential zoning,” said Carol Thompson, commission chairperson.
Madigan passed out a sample ordinance to look at from another community.
Ron Akers, director of the planning and economic development department, said Madigan has done a lot of research and a lot of work on this.
Akers said there is a housing shortage in Northwestern Michigan and a short-term rental takes a house off the market. It’s more lucrative for the owner, he said.
Akers said he is not aware of any complaints in VBT, so maybe the timing is not quite right for an ordinance. He said they could hold off until it becomes an issue.
Township Treasurer Sharry Budd said if the township passed an ordinance and then the state passed legislation it could be a problem.
“I don’t know the answer,” she said.
Commission vice chairman Donald Boynton said there was a seminar he attended on this subject at a conference in Kalamazoo.
He said if several airbnb sites are clustered together it becomes a problem, especially with parking. He suggested the commission put something together so if the state doesn’t do something, the township can.
“We have an ordinance now that prohibits commercial use in a residential zoning and a noise ordinance,” Thompson said.
Akers said the township also prohibits parking on front lawns and grassy areas. He said a group might lease a house for 10-12 people for a meeting together and that would mean six or eight cars for one property.
“No commercial in a residential zoning,” Budd said.
Akers said technically it’s still residential use in the township’s ordinance and the ordinance would have to be amended.
“We could look at the ordinance from Spring Lake,” Thompson said. Spring Lake promotes regulation, so if there are issues the township has contact information.
“We would need more public input,” Thompson said.
Commissioner Medina Atchinson recommended working with the City of Belleville on this.
Akers said they have never regulated an ordinance with the city, but it’s possible.
“There’s a lot of homes on the lake in the city,” Atchinson said, noting her VBT subdivision on the lake, Mission Pointe, doesn’t allow commercial in residential.
“Harmony Lane doesn’t hasn’t had a homeowners’ association in 30 years and they can do whatever they want with their homes,” she said.
“I’m not sure what to do,” Thompson said. “We can look at the ordinance, but we need to get input from the community.”
Akers said he isn’t sure what’s appropriate, but they should reach out to the community.
Thompson said they could do an online survey and Akers suggested Survey Monkey.
Madigan also presented each commissioner with large Orientation Packets that he prepared with each packet containing a township master plan, bylaws, permitting process, parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order, a handbook on the Open Meetings Act, the zoning ordinance, the Michigan Planning Enabling Act and the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.
Akers said Madigan is making sure the planning commissioners have the tools to do the job. It is also a good Orientation Packet for a new commissioner. Akers said a new planning commissioner will be appointed soon to replace Ron Jackson.
Madigan is on the planning commission in the City of Ypsilanti and is a graduate students in Urban Planning at Eastern Michigan University and will graduate in April.
Akers said that while Madigan was working on a six-month internship, he is welcome to stay as long as he likes. He said in his graduate courses he is hearing lectures from leaders on the cutting edge of planning and he shares this information with VBT.
Also, at the 45-minute meeting on Aug. 9, the board voted to postpone consideration of elevation modifications being sought by Allen Edwin Homes for Country Walk houses. No one showed up for the meeting and the commission never acts on a request unless the requestor is present.
Akers had recommended that the changes sought by Allen Edwin not be approved until three requirements are met. After they resubmit their request, a new place on an a