Belleville council denies special use permit for short-term rental at 637 N. 30 Eighth St.

The Belleville City Council voted Monday to deny a request for a special use permit to operate a short-term rental (Airbnb) at 637 North 30 Eighth Street.

The item, listed as Case 11B1 on the agenda, had been recommended for denial by the Zoning Board of Appeals in a 6–0 vote. The council took up the item separately and a motion to deny was made and approved by roll call.

A neighbor, Arlene Franconero of 2007 East D Street, spoke during public participation on behalf of her parents, who own a neighboring property. Franconero said the applicants have other short-term rental properties and plan to rent from a landlord and re-rent the property; she urged the council to honor the zoning board’s unanimous denial or, if the council considered approval, to impose conditions because she said the city’s ordinances may not yet address “short term rental arbitrage.” “I would ask you guys in its current form to deny their application,” Franconero said.

The council’s roll call recorded “Aye” votes and the motion to deny carried; the mayor or clerk stated the ordinance will return on the next meeting’s agenda. The agenda item description also referenced specific applicable sections of the city zoning code; the council did not record additional conditions attached to the denial.

The zoning board’s 6–0 recommendation and the council denial mean the applicant’s request to operate a short-term rental at the address is currently denied; the ordinance or final written order was noted to be returned at the next council meeting.

No formal appeal or next procedural steps by the applicant were announced on the record at the June 16 meeting.