Added on August 19, 2019  Fritz Swanson

Freedom Township declares Pleasant Lake airbnb in violation of ordinance

Freedom Township Board met for its monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 13th. Many residents came to present their complaints about 5202 Happy Hollow, which has recently become a short-term rental listed on airbnb.com. The board agreed with the residents and unanimously voted to have the township lawyer inform the owners of the home that their commercial use was in violation of township ordinances and needed to cease immediately. The board also agreed to direct its lawyer to inform the owner of any other relevant ordinance violations.

5202 Happy Hollow is a single family home on the north side of Pleasant Lake in Freedom Township. For many years, it was a quiet home owned by long time Manchester residents. But recently it was sold, and the new owners--who live outside of Manchester--are renting the home as a short-term lakefront rental through the website airbnb.com. (You can see the rental listing here: https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/94970826). The three-bedroom home has been furnished with 1 queen and 2 single beds in bedroom one, 3 single beds in bedroom two, and 1 double and 1 single bed in bedroom three. The home has one bathroom, which drains into a septic field.

Since the home began being rented, many neighbors have complained to the Freedom Township board. As we have previously reported regarding Ashkay Island in Manchester Township, (https://www.manchester-press.com/pylcrafte/2017/09/18/board-lawyer-declares-iron-mill-pond-island-vacation-rental-in-violation-of-ordinance/), short-term rentals are classified as a commercial use. Because 5202 Happy Hollow, like the homes that surround it, is zoned residential, this commercial business use is against township ordinances. 

“It is a violation to operate a short term rental (anything less than 28 days). The township will be issuing a citation to stop that from happening. We know about it; it is a violation,” said township clerk Valisa Bristle early in the meeting.

Residents were relieved to hear the township's intention to take action, but still felt compelled to register their complaints again for the record. Many residents described how unsafe the rental makes them feel, and how belligerent the guests of the rental are. 

Hattie Carson, who lives next door to the rental, and has been a resident of Manchester for 52 years, was especially upset. “From June 15 to August 13, my count of people was 235 people staying or visiting in that house. Plus, before June 15, there were several parties, with at least 20-30 people each.”

She went on to note that she was often ashamed to see people naked outside of the house, and one day she had a frightening confrontation.

Hattie recounted that on August 8, when she was home alone, the vacationers “started taking pictures of me, waving at me, and cussing at me. I didn’t know if they had a weapon. I stayed inside my home for two days.”

Other residents noted that “daily we have been hit with fingers; Steve got mooned a few times.”

Theresa Langen, another neighbor of the home, said, “When we bought our home here on Pleasant Lake, one of the reason was that it was quiet and safe. Of course, with all this happening, with this house coming, we no longer feels safe.”

She went on to say, “These short-term rentals, we never know from one day to the next what type of entity will be in our private community. We don’t feel safe in our own homes. We were heckled, mooned, and flipped off.”

Residents also noted that the new owners had been deceptive to neighbors about their intent to run the house as a rental business. Langen recalls asking one of the new owners if they intended to run a Bed and Breakfast. Langen reports the owner said, “Oh no, these are all family and friends.”

Sometimes, so many people stay at the home they need to park their extra vehicles down at the Freedom Township Hall.

In addition to concerns over the commercial use of the property, residents are worried that the over-taxed septic system would fail, leading to sewage run-off into the lake. There was also concern that constant introductions of new boats to Pleasant Lake would inevitably have negative environmental effects.

Township Supervisor Dale Weidmayer said, “Once they put this online, it is a commercial situation, and that is illegal. It is illegal, and we have to deal with it.”