EAGLE HARBOR TOWNSHIP – A draft ordinance being considered by the Township Board has met with overwhelming opposition. The ordinance, No. 2202-01, pertains to restrictions short-term rental units.  

The topic seems to have been first mentioned at the May 2021 Planning Commission. Section 10 of the Planning Commission minutes state that Zoning Administrator Bill Eddy brought up the subject of short-term rentals in the township. After some discussion, it was decided to place it on the “Future Topics List.”  

Under New Business of the Planning Commission meeting minutes stated “Discuss and initiate Short Term Rental Policy/Ordinance.” Extensive discussion of the topic referred to the Keweenaw County Short Term Rental Ordinance, which defines short-term as anything less than 120 days and limits activities at those locations.

The minutes state that Mary Beyers forwarded two articles, which are not identified, to planning commission members prior to the June meeting. Beyers and Jeane Olson counted 24 rental units currently in Eagle Harbor.  

The topic was again addressed at the July Planning Commission meeting, with Mary Beyers distributing a letter addressing short-term rentals. Several articles on short-term rentals were also distributed. The minutes state that “There was general discussion on what he hoped to achieve with a short-term rental ordinance,” at which time it was stated the Planning Commission members will review the articles and return with suggestions for goals for a short-term rental ordinance.  

At the July meeting, Planning Commission Chairman Duncan Wyeth said short-term rentals are most commonly defined as 30 days or less, “but that is not universal.”  

Several people at the meeting discussed reasons they felt such an ordinance was necessary. Those will be the topic of the next installment in this series.