Short-term rental wins approval despite neighbors’ push back

PEORIA (25 News Now) - Neighbors of a soon-to-be short-term rental property on E Grandview Ave in Peoria expressed their disapproval, but didn’t win over the city council this week.

“There is overwhelming neighborhood support in opposing this STR (short-term rental) ‚” said a man who spoke during Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“I really appreciate the city’s effort to foster more Air BnB’s and short-term rentals. I think they’re great,” another neighbor said. “But this is just not the community for it,” she added.

Opponents cited safety and property values as their main concerns.

“There are no words that the owner can say, or actions he can take to assure our safety,” a neighbor said.

“People come and go with few in the neighborhood ever knowing who they are,” another woman said.

They showed to the council a petition they said showed 95% disapproval in the area for the short-term rental.

The owners who won council approval for the special use permit said they intended for their guests to treat the neighborhood with respect.

“People coming to our short-term rentals are not criminals,” one of the owners said. She added that customers will be law-abiding citizens, who respect traffic laws.

Despite neighbors’ disapproval, the city council’s majority believed rental property met all requirements.

“These folks have followed the rules that we set up, and therefore I’ll be in favor of this,” Councilmember John Kelly said.

The minority which voted no said opinions of neighbors should come first.

“This body should be listening to those citizens and those residents,” Councilmember Elizabeth Jensen said. “This body has become so tone deaf to neighbors and the concerns of our residents, and it’s got to stop.”

Council members Jensen, Chuck Grayeb, and Denise Jackson voted no.

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