🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Manistee, MI
Manistee Ramps Up Oversight as Year-End STR Registration Deadline Nears
Clock’s Ticking: Manistee STR Owners Face Dec. 31 Registration Deadline
With Dec. 31 marking the cutoff, homeowners have just weeks left to submit their paperwork, pay the $100 fee, and make sure their rental stays in good standing under the city’s new short-term rental ordinance.
Adopted on July 15, Manistee’s STR ordinance was crafted to create what city officials call a balance between residents, real-property owners, visitors, and local businesses. One of its key features is the establishment of an overlay district, an area where STRs are exempt from the citywide cap. Outside that zone, the number of permitted short-term rentals is limited to 165 units, or roughly 5% of all residential parcels. If your property is outside the overlay, registration is essential to secure your spot within that cap.
Registering isn’t difficult, but it does take a bit of preparation. Applications and required documents can be submitted in person at the Community Development Department on the second floor of City Hall, or emailed directly to the staff. The form itself is available at manisteemi.gov.
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Operators should also take special note of the city’s expectations once registered. Every STR must post a “Be a Good Neighbor” guide, which outlines rules on noise, pets, parking, and other common sticking points between rentals and nearby residents. Violating any portion of the ordinance is a civil infraction, and racking up three violations within two years can lead to a suspension or loss of your registration altogether.
Manistee isn’t relying on the honor system to ensure compliance, either. The city uses a combination of its longstanding rental registry, cooperation from property owners, and new tools from Granicus, a software platform the city contracted with earlier this year for STR data collection and address identification. That upgrade, approved by the City Council in September 2024, gives staff better insight into which properties are operating as STRs registered or not.
Every approved short-term rental in Manistee must also undergo a safety and code compliance inspection every three years, costing $150. The process mirrors the city’s residential rental program: register, schedule, inspect, and receive your certificate once the property meets both the ordinance and the International Property Maintenance Code.
If the ownership of your STR changes, don’t forget one final rule: the new owner has 30 days to apply for a registration transfer.
With Dec. 31 approaching quickly, STR owners should double-check that their paperwork is on track and their inspection plans are in order.
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