Dexter Township is taking the next step with short-term rentals as it looks to form a committee to research these rentals with a goal of amending the Zoning Ordinance regarding their legal establishment, regulation, and/or prohibition.

On the Nov. 19 meeting agenda for the Dexter Township Board of Trustees, the board reviewed the proposal to establish a Committee to Study Short-Term Rentals and Suspend Code Enforcement for Short-Term Rentals. The Sun Times News (STN) followed up with newly elected township supervisor Lonnie Scott to ask about this.

Scott said the board did approve establishing the committee to study short-term rentals and the moratorium on enforcement actions for operating a short-term rental until the policy has been thoroughly reviewed.

Because of the time constraints on the issue, Scott said the board approved the township supervisor appointing the committee without further board approval of membership, within the guidelines established in the motion: membership to consist of one Township Board Member, one Planning Commission Member, one member who is an established resident or non-resident operator of a short term rental and two members of the community who are Dexter Township residents.

“There was thorough discussion about whether or not to suspend enforcement action and I think it’s important to note that ‘nuisance’ enforcement was not paused, if someone is in violation of other portions of the township ordinance those complaints will still be processed as normal,” Scott said.

As some background to this, the township meeting packet said, “Over 50 members of the Dexter Township community attended the planning commission meeting on October 22, 2024.They were there in response to the public hearing on short term rentals that was on the planning commission agenda. This item was generated by a local resident who had bought a home as a short-term rental (it had been used for that purpose historically). A complaint had been generated by a neighbor and therefore was brought to the township’s attention. The Township’s Zoning Ordinance does not permit short-term rentals except for bed & breakfasts.”

In his report, township zoning administrator Michael Boettcher said “After public comment from more than two dozen residents in person and in writing, the Commission determined that the subject needs more thorough consideration. Public input at the meeting was quite evenly split between those in favor of and those opposed to allowing short-term rentals.”

In their discussion, Boettcher said “the Planning Commission wanted review of additional ordinances from other jurisdictions, more thorough community engagement, and interviews with short-term rental owners for a full picture of how short-term rentals might be allowed in the Township. The Planning Commission made a motion to request that the Board of Trustees establish, appoint, and fund a working group or task force to research short-term rentals with a goal of amending the Zoning Ordinance with regard to their legal establishment, regulation, and/or prohibition.”

STN asked Scott what the committee will do.

“As to what the committee will look at, the Township Board is committed to finding a policy solution that reflects our unique community and balances private property rights with the emerging trends in property use, such as short-term rentals,” Scott said. “To accomplish this goal, we supported the unanimous recommendation of Planning Commission to have a committee of folks dig into the specific policies of other localities, along with the concerns and questions raised by members of our community at the Planning Commission meeting earlier this month.”