Glen Carbon Approves One Short-Term Rental, Votes Down Another

GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Village Board unanimously denied a special use permit for a short-term rental property on Madison Avenue after neighbors had voiced their disapproval and the owner allegedly already listed it on Airbnb, among other ordinance violations.

A similar permit for a different short-term rental located on Edwards Street was unanimously approved after passing the Planning Commission with no complaints from the public.

Director of Community Development Erika Heil presented both ordinances regarding the special use permits to the board for a vote on Tuesday. While she said the first short-term rental didn’t draw any criticism or public comments and passed along a 3-2 vote from the Planning Commission, the second short-term rental was unanimously voted down following a series of problems.

“We’ve had some issues with this property regarding them putting it out on Airbnb ahead of time, those types of things,” Heil said. “Since there was such a negative response from the neighbors in the surrounding areas who didn’t want that, that’s why the Planning & Zoning Commission did not go forward with that. My recommendation is not to approve the special use permit.”

Trustee Ben Maliszewski agreed with Heil, adding the property owner has committed “blatant” ordinance violations and caused neighbors to complain about a short-term rental for the first time in village history.

“Apparently this person did not follow our ordinances and awas blatant about it, and this is the first time we’ve ever received any complaints from neighbors against having an Airbnb or a short-term rental,” Maliszewski said. “I would agree with what Ms. Heil has stated.”

After approving the special use permit for the Edwards Street short-term rental, village trustees then unanimously voted down the special use permit for the Madison Avenue short-term rental.

A full recording of Tuesday’s Glen Carbon Village Board meeting is available at the top of this story or on the Village of Glen Carbon Facebook page.

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