It appears Fishers is forming a committee to study what, if anything, should be done about Airbnb rentals, in light of a controversy in Carmel.

Carmel is enforcing zoning laws that the city says require residents to obtain a zoning variance in order to rent parts of their homes on a short-term basis.

In a podcast interview, City Councilman Rich Block told LarryInFishers he has been appointed to a local committee aimed at looking at the issue of short term rentals in one’s personal residence in the city of Fishers.

Deputy Mayor Leah McGrath told LarryInFishers city officials believe this issue “merits further discussion.”

Ms. McGrath sent an e-mail with the following statement:

We recognize there is a difference in impact between sub-leasing one’s home to a single renter for a period of time versus leasing for short-term use to visitors who may change week to week.  How and whether to allow for weekly rentals is a question each community needs to evaluate and requires a broader discussion around impact to neighbors, public safety and location.

To that end, we are in the early discussions of forming a subcommittee to discuss this topic.  

McGrath says Fishers is in the early stages of forming this panel and more information will be available at a later time.

Current Fishers ordinances provide zoning rules for bed and breakfast operations, as well as locations of hotels, but there is nothing specific governing short term rentals