An upcoming decision may determine whether Air Beds & Breakfast (Airbnb) lodgings might become a growing business in scenic rural areas near Columbus.
Permission is being sought from the Bartholomew County Board of Zoning Appeals to establish an Airbnb in a three-bedroom home in the Stoney Lonesome area. If approved, the lodging near the Brown/Bartholomew County line will be capable of hosting up to six unrelated adult occupants, according to an application filed with the board.
The request for a conditional use approval for the three-acres property, which is zoned Agricultural Preferred, was submitted late last November by construction company owner Jerry McCrory of Columbus. His application will be considered when the zoning appeals board meets at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 inside FairOaks Mall.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}McCrory said he originally built the residence at 12515 W. State Road 46 as a rental house. However, his two adult daughters suggested that he use the residence as a Airbnb, he said.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}”I didn’t even know what an Airbnb was,” McCrory said.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}Founded in 2008, the California-based Airbnb serves as a marketplace that connects travelers who don’t want to stay in a hotel or hostel with local property owners.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}The company, which offers primarily homestays or tourism experiences, does not own any of the real estate listings, nor does it host events. Instead, it acts as a broker, receiving commissions from each booking.
A small number of Airbnb lodgings in Columbus are listed on the company’s website. However, associate city/county planner Steven Hughes said he’s unaware of those types of accommodations outside the city limits.
A similar request by another property owner was made in 2013, the application was denied because the adjoining road was considered inadequate, Hughes said.
The proposed lodging in Harrison Township is located on the south side of State Road 46, just across the highway from the eastern extension of Old Nashville Road.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}The idea of turning a newly-built rental home into an Airbnb came from McCrory’s adult daughters, he said. After both said they’d like to occasionally book the log cabin-style house themselves on weekends, McCrory said he agreed to their suggestion. Amenities include a creek running through the front of the property, as well as a rustic setting, large fireplace and a 60-foot long front porch, McCrory said.
Besides the conditional use approval, the zoning appeals board will be asked to approve a sign that names the lodging facility “Jetaway,” McCrory said. J-E-T are the initials for McCrory’s wife, Janie, as well as daughters Erika and Tiffany, he said.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}More research needs to be done before a staff recommendation regarding McCrory’s request can be issued, Hughes said. He did say any lodging that is not a hotel, but one housekeeping unit which houses five or more unrelated people — even for a short time — is considered a shared housing facility.{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}On the other hand, McCrory says there are no neighbors on the east side of the property, while those who live to the west are located so far away that the proposed Airbnb “is hardly noticeable.”{p class=”ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align–start”}
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The Bartholomew County Board of Zoning Appeals will consider an application for conditional use approval to allow an Airbnb at 12515 W. State Road 46, near the Brown County line. The property is currently zoned Agricultural Preferred.
The application submitted by Jerry McCrory will be considered when the BZA meets at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, at FairOaks Mall, 2210 25th St.
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