Dexter Township has a long-standing policy that short-term rentals are not allowed unless they are operated as a bed and breakfast. In checking with AirDNA, it’s estimated there were 20-30 short term rentals in Dexter Township in the past year.

This along with some other important factors, such as quality of life and property rights, has led Dexter Township to take a deeper look into short-term rentals within the township.

In lead up to the Oct. 22 Township planning commission meeting, Megan Masson-Minock, the township Planning Consultant, prepared a memo that looked at what amending the Dexter Township Zoning Ordinance to allow short-term rentals in the Lakefront Residential Zoning District might look like.

In her memo, it said in August that two property owners of a location on Dexter Pinckney Road submitted an application to Dexter Township requesting that the township amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow short-term rentals.

“In emails and conversations with the applicant, they have amended the application to allow short-term rentals in the Lake Residential Zoning District only and to use the short-term rental regulations in Hamburg Township,” Masson-Minock said. “As detailed in the application, the property owners purchased 8980 Dexter Pinckney Road, under the assumption that the short-term rental use of the property could continue. After their purchase, a code enforcement violation was filed with the Township. The Township has a long-standing policy that short-term rentals are not allowed unless they are operated as bed and breakfasts, a special land use in the AG, RR, LR and RC Districts.”

Masson-Minock said in late July, township staff contacted AirDNA, a provider of data and analytics for the short-term rental industry, when questions arose about whether the township should update its zoning to allow short-term rentals.

“At that time, AirDNA estimated that there had been 20-30 short term rentals in Dexter Township in the past year,” Masson-Minock said. “Using the free membership service available on AirDNA, we took a snapshot of the locations of short-term listings. While many of the short-term rental listings are in the Lake Residential District, some also appear to be located in the Rural Residential District.”

Since the township had not received complaints about short-term rentals at the time, Masson-Minock said it was decided to delay short-term rental zoning ordinance amendments until after the November election.  

The Sun Times News connected with township supervisor Karen Sikkenga to ask about the issue.

Explaining the situation, Sikkenga said, “A member of the public submitted a formal request to the Planning Commission to consider enacting a short-term rental policy similar to Hamburg Township’s. At present, the only short-term rentals allowed by our Zoning Ordinance are Bed & Breakfasts. After extensive public participation, the Planning Commission tabled the matter until its February 2025 meeting, and asked the Board of Trustees to establish a working group to consider the complexities of this matter. The Planning Commission recognizes that a new Board of Trustees will be in place effective November 20, and many Planning Commission appointments end in December.”

Sikkenga said the working group will be “considering policy options that balance quality of life for neighbors, Dexter Township’s residential housing supply, public safety concerns, and property owners’ rights.”

All of the meetings of the working group will be public.

Anyone interested in serving on the working group should contact the Dexter Township Supervisor at supervisor@dextertownship.org.

If you want to be informed about upcoming activities in Dexter Township, email info@dextertownship.org to be enrolled in our eNewsletter, In the Loop.