If given a choice, would you rather stay at a hotel or an Airbnb?
For the second straight meeting, the Peru City Council decided to not vote on a special use permit request to turn a home on Center Place into an Airbnb. While Mayor Ken Kolowski came out against these types of businesses in Peru at a previous meeting, the latest meeting showed a divided city council.
Aldermen Tom Payton, Jeff Ballard, Jason Edgcomb came out strongly in favor of the idea of a rundown home having money put into it to make it attractive as an Airbnb. But Alderman Mike Sapienza, Bob Tieman and Jim Lukosus all need questions and concerns to be answered with a potential ordinance.
Sapienza joined with Mayor Kolowski in voicing concerns with noise, parking and negative impact to a neighborhood. Kolowski is worried allowing one Airbnb opens the door for many. He’s worried it would turn into a similar situation with having to reign in the number of gaming parlors.
Alderman Rick O’Sadnick wondered if there really will be that many requests to operate these types of places to stay in Peru.
