The Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association Announces Position On Lansing Short-Term Rental Zoning Ordinances

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Michigan Bed & Breakfast Association

Jul 30, 2024, 08:30 ET

With municipalities banning short-term rentals, vacation rental ordinances have initiated proposed changes that could impact bed and breakfast properties in Michigan.

LANSING, Mich., July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The city council and planning board are revisiting ordinances for short-term rentals in Lansing, MI. In small communities, ordinances are frequently outdated or inadequate for future growth or preservation. Lansing is not the only community facing this in the state; cities such as Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Park Township also face this. As the state of Michigan has deferred short-term rental (STR) laws to cities and towns, there are no cohesive rulings across the board.

Cartier Mansion Bed and Breakfast | Ludington, Michigan

The revisitation of ordinances is putting into question what defines a bed and breakfast with respect to proposed STR zoning laws. The Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association shares its sentiments on the Lansing debate, "requesting the city allows bed and breakfasts to operate without arbitrary room number restrictions and to be more in line with State definitions."

Members of the Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association are required to adhere to quality assurance standards, including:

Breakfast must be provided on-site and included in the room rate.
Guest rooms must be individually and personally decorated, appointed in a manner consistent with the style of the inn, and in a manner that is more home than hotel-like
The B&B must successfully complete the association's Quality Assurance Review Program requirements.
No more than two guest rooms or five people may share one full bath.

"In Lansing, as community leaders question STR rulings and enforcements, B&Bs are now in danger, which could potentially change historical properties that have been the fabric of communities for years," written in an article on Hospitality.Net. Michigan was named on the "Worst Short-Term Rental Growth" list in the next five years. "As a result, short-term rentals pose big questions for small towns in Michigan. Without a legislative road map, communities are patching together rules and navigating lingering legal questions," Lindsay Moore reported for MLIVE.com.

The Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association and its board of directors are committed to promoting quality lodging and personal hospitality in Pure Michigan. Bed and breakfasts play a crucial role in preserving historic buildings, positively impacting local communities, and offering the unique accommodations travelers seek. Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association properties are often one of the hallmark attractions in a community, where a standard rental home blends seamlessly without the regular presence of an owner or maintenance team.

As zoning and ordinance regulations are reviewed, the Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association would like the Lansing Planning Commission to reconsider restrictions on the number of rooms for a bed and breakfast establishment, as limiting the number of rooms does not align with the State of Michigan code 125.1504, and that Bed and Breakfast licenses be granted with hospitality and historic preservation in mind.

About Michigan Bed & Breakfast

An association supporting Michigan's best bed and breakfast, inns, and small, independent boutique hotels. All member properties are quality-assured and inspected. Visitors to Michigan can find detailed vacation itineraries, ideas, and accommodations for the state at MichBnB.com.

SOURCE Michigan Bed & Breakfast Association