Monday, February 10, 2025
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: STEPHENSON RIFE ATTORNEYS
County BZA to Consider Airbnb Zoning Violation
The Shelby County Board of Zoning Appeals will discuss a potential zoning violation at 2084 East Old Rushville Road, Shelbyville, at tomorrow’s monthly meeting. The home on the property is available on Airbnb and can accommodate 16 or more overnight guests. However, the county ordinance only permits dwelling units to be occupied by one family, defined as “an individual, or two or more or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, or a group of not more than three persons not related by blood marriage or adoption, living together as a single housekeeping unit.” Since the property owner does not limit the lease of the structure to no more than three people not related by blood, marriage or adoption, the county planning staff has deemed the property in violation of the ordinance. Continual use of the property as a short-term rental would require approval of a zoning variance.
The county received a complaint regarding the operation of a short-term rental on the property in December 2024. The planning staff consulted with County Commissioners, who “expressed concern with the large number of people that this short-term rental can accommodate, particularly with the adequacy of the structure, facilities, and septic system to service large parties of guests,” the meeting document states. Commissioners also “supported an ordinance amendment regulating short-term rentals as a long-term solution and leniency with regard to regulating existing short-term rentals.”
The planning staff has started work on an ordinance amendment to address short-term rentals which will likely limit the number of guests that can occupy a short-term rental and ensure adequate facilities. The ordinance will likely by presented for adoption by March or April this year.
The property owner, Karen P. Barlow Irrevocable Trust, represented by attorney Eric Glasco with the Stephenson Rife law firm, is requesting a stay on enforcement action, including any fines, until the county adopts an ordinance regulating short-term rentals. However, the planning staff has determined that an illegal use of the property exists, and so use of the property for a short-term rental would not be grandfathered in from future ordinance requirements. However, compliance with the future ordinance would remedy the violation. If the use does not comply with a future ordinance, the property owner could have the option to seek a variance. “The planning director does not object to the petitioner’s request unless additional information arises at the meeting showing that temporary use of the property for a short-term rental poses a significant nuisance to adjacent properties,” the document states.
The property owner, however, does not agree with the planning director’s determination that a violation currently exists. Among the options available to the BZA tomorrow include granting the petitioner’s request; granting the request with conditions regarding the use of the property, deadline for compliance, etc.; or to deny the request.
The BZA meets tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m., in the annex building.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Board of Zoning Appeals will consider a request tomorrow from Rupert’s Kids to increase the maximum number of beds at their boarding house, 1402 S. Miller St., from 12 to 16. The home, formerly Miller Environmental, was donated to Rupert’s Kids in 2016. The facility provides supervised housing for those participating in a re-entry vocational training program. Many of the participants are on home detention. Charles Reed, who owns rental homes near the property, wrote a letter of support, calling Rupert’s Kids “a very good neighbor.” Mr. Reed has hired program participants and commended the program’s success and attention to keeping the property clean. The planning staff is recommending approval of the petition, with a condition that would require the installation of a fence to enclose the outdoor storage area. The BZA meets at City Hall tomorrow, 6:30 p.m. pre-meeting and at 7 p.m. for the meeting.
The company purchasing Big Lots has identified a list of locations that could likely remain open. However, the majority of Indiana stores — including Shelbyville’s — have been left off the list, meaning they will likely close their doors permanently, the Franklin Daily Journal reported. Nearby stores also left off the list were Franklin, Indianapolis (E. County Line Road and Madison Ave.) and Columbus. An agreement allows the buyer to acquire 200 to 400 Big Lots stores under the Big Lots brand and up to two distribution centers. Big Lots has around 872 stores throughout the U.S.
Former Rep. Sean Eberhart, a Republican who represented Shelbyville, is expected to be released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Manchester, Ky., on May 14 - 8 months, 22 days after reporting to prison to serve one year and a day behind bars for supporting a bill favoring a casino in exchange for promises of lucrative employment, according to records with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Columbus Republic reported. Eberhart was initially expected to be released on June 28, but his release date was later adjusted to June 18. Now, an additional two months have been shaved off, meaning that he is currently expected to spend 102 fewer days behind bars than his sentence. The Federal Bureau of Prisons would not say why Eberhart’s release date was moved up. Eberhart is currently being held at a minimum-security camp adjacent to a medium-security federal prison about 75 miles south of Lexington, Kentucky.
HOOSIER NEWS: The Lieutenant Governor’s operational budget was slightly reduced in Gov. Braun’s budget plan, and several programs that the office oversees will take hits. For instance, the Office of Community and Rural Affairs line item drops 28%; rural economic development was zeroed out and the Indiana Destination Development Corporation would see funding drop from $20 million a year in the last budget to $5.5 million a year. Under the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund drops from $32 million to $20 million a year; the Manufacturing Readiness Grant is halved to $10 million a year; Braun wipes out programs for direct flights as well as business promotion and innovation. Large pots of money for site acquisition and deal-closing that used one-time excess dollars are not renewed. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
NATIONAL NEWS: A new survey found that during a typical dinner, 41 percent of respondents talk to people they’re with, while 63 percent watch television, 28 percent look at their phone, 16 percent listen to music or podcasts, 8 percent read and 6 percent play video games. (YouGov/Numlock)
Thank you to Tyler and Cristi Brant for your generous $500+ donation, and thank you to every donor for your continued support of The Addison Times. Donors of $100 or more receive a quarterly print publication in the mail. Please consider a one-time or monthly donation to The Addison Times, either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor
The Addison Times is pleased to offer free milestone announcements. Forms are available here: Engagement Announcement, Wedding Announcement and Anniversary Announcement.
Want the daily edition read to you? Struggling with your email provider filtering out your local news? The Addison Times Substack app will solve those challenges!
SHS Courier Archive Highlights
March 17, 2006, Part I
The winter sports season had brought SHS’s first wrestling state qualifier in nearly a decade, with junior Brett Durphey. The SHS bowling team had a couple of seniors qualify for state: Jordan Hebbe and Alex Hill. In the fall, Sarah Wheeler had qualified for girls’ golf state. The football team had won the school’s first HHC title, ending the season 11-1.
Students talked favorite teachers. Senior John Southworth went with English teacher Mr. Todd McCullough, “because he is cool, funny, and basically just another senior.” Steven Denson said Health teacher Mr. Kyle Shipp made class exciting. Whitney Haulk said she enjoyed Mr. Dave Hunton’s jokes. Amber Mahan called Ms. Marilyn Jones “crazy cool.” Courtney Hernley said Mrs. Angie Parmer was “always willing to help.”
Students were asked about their spring break plans. Junior Alex Marsh said he typically stayed in Shelbyville. “I usually just eat Twinkies, play video games and sleep a lot…” he said.
A “Day in the Life” column noted the diversity in the halls. Freshman Sandy Bannoura had been born in Bethlehem, Palestine. Daisy Rosales had moved here from Mexico eight years’ prior. Ai Kadota had moved here from Japan four years’ prior due to her dad’s job. Senior Gareth Powell was born in England.
This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Former Mayor Frank Zerr was elected treasurer of the Shelby County Players board of directors. In his full-time job, Zerr commuted to Indianapolis to serve as a budget analyst for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles finance department.
Ross Stackhouse and Emma Cord were crowned king and queen at the Triton Central homecoming game.
1995: The Shelby County Noon Sertoma Club presented awards at Fiddlers Three: Ashley Andis, winner of the Freedom essay contest; Leita Ross, Service to Mankind winner; Michele Squire, speech contest winner; and Rosie Carter, Sertoman of the Year (accepted by her husband, Jim Carter, and daughter Nicole Bennett).
1985: National Weather Service climatologists said the previous 10 winters had been the toughest streak since records started in 1895. From 1956 to 1974, there had been “20 consecutive normal winters.” From 1975 to 1984, there were six “wild winters”: brutally cold in 1976-77, 1977-78 and 1978-79, and abnormally warm in 1975-76, 1980-81 and 1982-83. The 1978-79 winter had been the coldest winter on record.
1975: Shelbyville Street Department employees had collected 40 metal grocery carts all over the city over the course of winter. Store managers had not bothered to send someone to pick them up, and street department officials were considering charging a storage fee.
1965: Ten former presidents of the Major School PTA were recognized at the annual Founders’ Day program held in the school auditorium. They included Mrs. Gerald Nelson, Mrs. Carlton Bennett, Mrs. Ezra Dagley, Mrs. Carl Meloy, Mrs. Vincent Evans, Mrs. Louis Hatmaker, Mrs. Leon Davis, George Coffin, Rev. James Horner and Mrs. Wallace Reimann.
Dan Karnowsky and Janet Grigsby were notified they would be Lord Mayor and Vestavia Award recipient, respectively, after achieving the highest grade point averages at Shelbyville High School.
1955: Kennedy Car Liner & Bag Co. of Shelbyville purchased the Justice-Doyle Co. of Jeffersonville. The company brought to Kennedy a process of executing a waterproof seal on polyethylene bags that was free from pin-holes, giving the bag an ability to hold liquids. The “waterproof” bag had been used to package certain acids and soaps.
1945: The latest Selective Service group from Shelby County left for Indianapolis for assignments. They were Floyd Montgomery, Carl Mays, Jesse Keel, Robert Leming, John Hohenberger, Richard Wainscott, Robert Phares, Kenneth Hale, J.C. Miller, Norman Conway, Herbert Perry, B.J. Murphy, Raymond Coen and Dallas Bolander.
1935: A vehicle driven by James Morning, on the way home from the Shelbyville-Columbus basketball game in Columbus, struck an anchor cable near Muchmore Hill and overturned. Morning, who did not see the cable due to dense fog, suffered injuries.
1925: Purdue University opened a gas engine school in Waldron in a building owned by William Reed. Enrollment at the school was 15.
Workers constructing a sewer line on West Broadway unearthed several crossties which had been part of the old Knightstown Railroad, the first railroad to be operated through Shelbyville. Several of the oak crossties were in mint condition. The railroad, built in 1848, had been the second constructed in Indiana and the third west of the Alleghany Mountains. The line entered Shelbyville from the southwest, the depot here being on the present site of First Baptist Church. The railroad then continued down Broadway St. to the east. When the line was abandoned, the crossties were left on the ground, much of which was a swamp at that time.
1915: Phone calls in Shelbyville on bad weather days were higher than good weather days, the local exchange reported. On a good day, over 18,000 calls per day were expected. On a bad day, over 20,000 local calls were made, keeping the operators busy at all times. One operator answered 350 calls an hour.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
None today.