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Residents urge council to address rentals, short-term stays in North School Street historic district
Summary
Two residents of the North School Street area told the Normal Town Council they are concerned about conversions to rentals and short-term lodging, declining maintenance and parking impacts in the School Street/Normal Avenue historic district and asked the town for help and clarification on enforcement options.
Barbara Scanlon, a resident of 715 North School Street, told the Normal Town Council Sept. 2 that recent conversions to short-term rentals and rental properties are changing the character of the School Street/Normal Avenue historic district.
"It's at risk of turning back into a shabby apartment neighborhood again," Scanlon said, describing neighbors she said had worked to create a stable, family-oriented neighborhood and who are now seeing houses used as short-term or multi-occupant rentals. She said two short-term rental–type uses recently have made parts of the neighborhood less predictable and that last weekend police responded to an incident near 1 North School Street.
Mike Scannell, who said he helped organize the School Street historic district when it was formed, echoed the concerns, saying some properties are not being maintained and that parking and overcrowding problems have returned where families had once moved in.
After the public comments, a council member suggested that the speakers "meet with Mister Cuerregrosa after the meeting. He can tell you what the town can and can't do in the situation and maybe get some better information." That speaker’s remark indicates staff-level follow-up was recommended but the council did not take a formal motion to change zoning or enforcement policy during the meeting.
Scanlon said she believes one property is in "R2" zoning but was not certain and asked the council to "support us, help us keep this a neighborhood." The transcript records no legal determination of the properties' zoning during the meeting, and the council did not adopt any ordinance or emergency rule in response to the comments.
The concerns raised focused on neighborhood character, property maintenance, parking impacts and the presence of short-term rentals or Airbnb-type uses. The transcript shows the council suggested a staff meeting after the session; it does not record any formal follow-up assignment, ordinance introduction or vote related to the complaints.
