Lake Bluff Airbnb Rules Await Committee Study

LAKE BLUFF — New rules for Airbnb and other short-term rentals won't be implemented until a newly formed committee conducts a fact-finding study and makes recommendations to the Lake Bluff Village Board. The board announced the creation of the new group at a meeting Monday, Daily North Shore reported.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting, Village President Kathy O'Hara said the board would not ask the Plan Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals to continue drawing up an ordinance declaring short-term rentals a special use until the study is completed, according to DNS.

Lake Bluff Village Administrator Drew Irvin confirmed Wednesday the new subcommittee will be composed of two members of the Village Board, as well as himself and support staff.

The Plan Commission had been asked to come up with an ordinance, but it decided over the summer after hearing it needed more guidance from the board after hearing feedback about a draft version.

The issue of short-term rentals has been controversial in Lake Bluff since earlier this year when some residents began voicing concerns about local properties being listed on websites like Airbnb. Those opposed to homeowners renting out rooms or their entire houses have placed signs reading, "No Hotels Next Door" signs around town. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Lake Bluff, Lake Forest — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

The Sept. 25 meeting was contentious, with O'Hara at one point having to gavel the meeting to order because of raucous disagreement among attendees, DNS reported.

"This is not what we are about in Lake Bluff," said O’Hara, according to the website. "Everyone will be treated with respect here. This is not how we behave in these meetings and I will not stand for it."

O'Hara said she did not have a timeline for how long the committee will take to present recommendations on the issue but she wants the report to be thorough before trustees are asked to vote on any new ordinance.

» Read more from Steve Sadin in Daily North Shore

_{Top photo: Lake Bluff Village Hall | via Patch file}