Council approves multiple short-term rental permits; one petition returned to committee

On April 15 the Gary Common Council approved several special-use permits allowing properties to operate as short-term rentals under the city's recently adopted short-term rental ordinance. The permits approved tonight were CPO 2025-20 (917 Vermillion Street), CPO 2025-21 (7300 Locust Avenue), CPO 2025-22 (1101 N. Saint Joseph Avenue), CPO 2025-23 (1924 Hobie/Hovi Place) and CPO 2025-24 (1175 Shelby / 8400 Pine Street). Each of those petitions had received a favorable recommendation from the Board of Zoning Appeals at hearings in March.

Attorney Jose Molina reviewed that non-owner-occupied short-term rentals require a special-use permit under the city's ordinance and summarized the seven factors the board examines to recommend approval. Molina also explained that a permit may be revoked if a property records three ordinance violations within a one-year period; after revocation the petitioner must wait one year before reapplying.

Council members asked procedural questions about hearings, attendance by petitioners at committee meetings and oversight of compliance. Councilman Darren Washington and others noted staff outreach to bring properties into compliance and said that many applications exist because staff has been actively notifying property owners.

One petition, CPO 2025-25 (8045 Oak Avenue), was not approved on the floor; instead the council voted 8-1 to refer that petition back to the Planning and Development Committee for additional review and a committee meeting was set for April 24 at 5:30 p.m. The council cited the petitioner’s absence from the committee meeting and the desire for more direct committee-level questions as reasons for referral.

All other short-term rental petitions on the agenda passed on roll calls recorded in the meeting minutes (most recorded 9-0). Council members emphasized that neighbors can trigger revocation if repeated ordinance violations occur.