The Fishers City Council has unanimously approved a first-of-its-kind ordinance in Indiana, placing a 10% cap on rental homes per subdivision for single-family residences. While the Council stood united in the vote, public opinion during the meeting was clearly split.

Despite the division among speakers, councilors said their decision was driven by overwhelming feedback from constituents, with many reporting that 70% to 90% of public input supporting the cap.

Two major questions now loom following the vote: Will the ordinance withstand the legal challenges that are expected to follow, and will state lawmakers intervene?

During the public hearing, one speaker cited two sections of the Indiana Code she believes conflict with the new ordinance. With strong opposition from major real estate associations, a court battle seems likely.

At the state level, efforts have already been made to override local control on this issue. A provision was quietly added to a conference committee report at the Indiana General Assembly that would ban municipalities from enacting rental caps. However, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness informed City Council members—via a message obtained by LarryInFishers—that legislative leaders have assured him the language restricting local rental limits has been, or will be, removed from the pending bill.

Defending the ordinance before the Council, Mayor Fadness argued the measure is essential for the long-term sustainability of Fishers. He characterized the opposition as being driven by “special interest groups.”

During the public comment period, 14 residents spoke within the 30-minute time limit set by Council President Pete Peterson. Opinions were evenly divided, and audience reactions—gauged by applause—reflected the same split.

While expressing confidence in the ordinance, Council members also acknowledged the need for vigilance. Several stated the city must be ready to address any unforeseen consequences, especially since Fishers is the first municipality in Indiana to implement such a policy.

The Fishers City Council will hold a public hearing tonight (April 21) on Mayor Scott Fadness’ proposal to enact a 10% cap on single-family homes within Fishers subdivisions.  In a message to City Council members obtained by LarryInFishers, the mayor blames “special interest groups” for attempting to attach to state law a measure that would “preempt our local ability to regulate rentals.”

According to the mayor, this language was placed in conference committee language at the Statehouse.  Conference committees are formed to iron out differences in language between House and Senate bills near the end of a legislative session.

Fadness says he has spoken with House Speaker Todd Huston, from Fishers, and the Speaker “has assured me that the language (limiting local rental ordinances)  is coming out.”

The rental cap ordinance is set for a public hearing at tonight’s Fishers City Council meeting, which starts at 7pm.  The Council could choose to take a final vote on the measure if the body so chooses.

The proposal by Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness to cap single-family home rentals at 10% per subdivision is drawing increased media attention—and now, there is a potentially game-changing twist at the Statehouse that may or may not happen.

Indiana’s largest newspaper, The Indianapolis Star, posted a story Monday morning diving into the controversy, highlighting both the political stakes and the pushback from real estate interests. Reporter John Tuohy explores how much effort—and money—the industry is pouring into stopping the measure.

It appears the IndyStar story does not have a pay wall and is available at this link.

Meanwhile, a surprising development has emerged in the legislature.

Niki Kelly, editor of Capitol Chronicle, a nonprofit news outlet focused on the Indiana Statehouse, posted Monday morning on social media:

“I read a column this morning about Fishers putting in a rental cap. And just like that they are adding language preempting rental caps to HB1389.”

It’s still unclear exactly how this language would be added or when such a change would take effect, but the move appears to have caught the City of Fishers by surprise.

An update I received from a reliable source late this morning says House leadership has removed the measure on preventing local governments form enacting rental caps.  I have no confirmation on that at this time.

Initially, it seemed that the Fishers City Council would need a unanimous vote to suspend the rules in order to pass the rental cap ordinance at tonight’s meeting (April 21). However, it now appears that only a simple majority may be required to approve the measure on second reading.

With the legislature possibly stepping in to override local control, pressure is mounting on Fishers council members to act quickly following tonight’s public hearing. Still, there’s also the chance that the ordinance could be pulled from the agenda altogether.

In short: don’t assume anything. The political landscape surrounding this proposal is shifting rapidly, and tonight’s meeting could be pivotal.

In my years of covering news in Fishers and sharing it on this blog, only a handful of issues have generated as much buzz—both inside and outside the city—as the one coming before the City Council Monday night. The Council is set to hold a public hearing on what’s quickly becoming Fishers’ latest controversy. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, though the public hearing is scheduled near the end of the agenda.

Mayor Scott Fadness is proposing an ordinance that would cap the number of single-family rental homes at 10% within each subdivision. The mayor believes the public—and most Homeowners Associations (HOAs)—are on board with the idea.

However, the real estate industry across the Indianapolis metro area and the state of Indiana strongly oppose the measure. MIBOR (Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors) and IAR (Indiana Association of Realtors) have issued clear statements against the proposal, arguing it infringes on property rights. They also cite data suggesting there’s no significant issue with institutional investors buying up homes in Fishers for rentals.

One of the most pointed criticisms of the rental cap comes from James Briggs, opinion editor at The Indianapolis Star. In a March 5th column, Briggs argues the ordinance could push young families out of the market. He notes that as lending standards tighten, the average age of a homebuyer has risen from 49 in 2023 to 56, citing numbers from the National Association of Realtors.

Briggs also points to what he calls the NIMBY factor—Not In My Back Yard—arguing that the ordinance serves existing homeowners at the expense of future buyers. In his words:

“The Fishers 10% rental cap would do two things: eliminate potentially affordable homes and suppress the demand for construction of new homes, leading to reduced housing inventory, because this policy restricts the market for people who can live in them. Existing homeowners might say, ‘Yep, sounds great to us.’ That’s the heart of NIMBYism—getting into your own home and locking the gates behind you. But those homeowners should consider that they’re going to have to sell someday. When they do, the de facto investor ban will have reduced the pool of prospective buyers.”

You can read Briggs’ full column at this link (an IndyStar subscription may be required).

Mayor Fadness remains confident his proposed ordinance would strengthen Fishers neighborhoods. Opponents, meanwhile, say it would limit opportunities for young families to buy homes and infringe on property rights.

The real estate industry is putting significant resources into fighting the measure—sending out text blasts and taking out full-page ads in local print publications like Current in Fishers. The city, for its part, is making its case on its official Web site at this link.

Local opponents—led by former City Councilor Jocelyn Vare and real estate professional Steve Ladig—have compiled resources and arguments against the cap, available at this link.

The Hamilton County Reporter has also featured commentaries from both sides. Steve Ladig penned an opinion piece opposing the ordinance, while At-Large City Councilor Todd Zimmerman wrote in support of it.

I’ve recorded two podcasts diving into this issue. The first features Mayor Fadness and his Chief of Staff Jordin Alexander—listen here.  The second features Jocelyn Vare and Steve Ladig—available here.

Notably, the mayor acknowledged during the podcast that if this ordinance passes, the city could be defending it in court. Based on what I’ve heard, this would be the first ordinance of its kind in Indiana—and possibly the entire country.

Following Monday’s public hearing, the City Council could move the ordinance to a second reading, with a final vote likely in May. However, there is the option to suspend the rules and take a final vote that same night. Doing so would require a unanimous vote—something I’d consider unlikely. Still, in my 13 years covering Fishers news, I’ve learned to never say never.

When covering Indy Fuel and Fishers Freight games at the Fishers Event Center, I meet some very interesting people.  At Saturday’s Freight game against the Bay Area Panthers, I talked with Marc Viquez, Regional Correspondent with Stadium Journey.  Viquez writes and produces videos for the operation that looks at various stadiums and arenas throughout the United States.

A few days ago, Marc produced a video documenting his visit to an Indy Fuel hockey game at the Event Center.  Use the link below to watch his take on our new Fishers venue.

Penalties, pass interceptions and defensive lapses added up to a home loss for the Fishers Freight at the Event Center Saturday night.  Bay Area  had the Freight’s number as they forced a fumble late in the game to seal their 57-41 victory.

Freight starting quarterback Jiya Wright was ill and unable to play.  Fishers Quarterback Keegan Shoemaker had success running the ball, but 4 interceptions cost dearly.

The Freight were in the game a good part of the way, trailing 16-14 at the end of Quarter 1.  Bay Area extended their lead at halftime to 38-28.  The game began to get out of hand early in the third quarter, with Bay Area pulling ahead 45-28.

The Fishers Freight prepare to face the Iowa Barnstormers a week from tonight in Des Moines.  They return to the Fishers Event Center May 3rd to take on the Quad City Steamwheelers.

It was April 19, 2025. I was at my desk, working for the federal government, just like any other morning. But something felt different. Managers were moving quickly through the office, visibly unsettled. I noticed one manager wheeling a television into her office, while others gathered around. It was clear something had just happened—something bad.

Thirty years ago today, a bomb exploded at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. That horrific act of domestic terrorism took 168 lives, including 19 children.

A television news crew arrived at our office seeking reactions from federal employees. Because of my media background, I was asked to speak. I had just been briefed on what we knew at the time. All I could share was that my thoughts were with the parents of the children killed or injured in the attack.

After retiring in 2011, I took a long road trip out west. One of my goals was to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial, built on the site of the Murrah Building. The memorial features a serene reflecting pool, powerful artwork, and a field of empty chairs—one for each person who died that day. The smaller chairs represent the children. It was a deeply moving experience.

There is also a museum on site, open to the public for a small fee. I spent time there reflecting on the events of that tragic day. I believe every federal employee should visit that memorial at some point. On April 19, 1995, workers and their children walked into that building—and by mid-morning, 168 lives had been taken, and more than 600 others were injured.

As a retired federal employee who served for 28 years, I will never forget that day. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to visit the memorial, and I hope it continues to stand as a reminder to future generations—to honor those we lost and to ensure we never forget.

The weather is finally beginning to feel like spring, which means road projects in and around Fishers are in full swing.  Watch for lane restrictions involving ongoing and future construction sites throughout the area.

Here is the latest detailed update, as provided by the City of Fishers, for the work week starting Monday, April 21.

Continue reading Latest on Fishers area road construction →

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo Walleye used a strong third period to pull away from the Indy Fuel, earning a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and taking a 2-0 series lead.

The game started with high energy from both sides, but it was Toledo’s Mitchell Lewandowski who opened the scoring early in the first period. Jalen Smereck added another for the Walleye midway through the frame, giving the home team a 2-0 lead after one.

Indy responded in the second with a redirection goal by Matus Spodniak, but Toledo’s Trenton Bliss quickly answered. The Fuel kept battling, and rookie Ethan Manderville netted his first playoff goal to bring Indy back within one. Toledo led 3-2 heading into the third.

After a relatively quiet start to the final period, a flurry of penalties led to a Walleye power play, and Lewandowski capitalized with his second goal of the night. The Fuel’s hopes for a comeback were dashed when Brandon Hawkins scored with just under three minutes left, capping off a four-point performance.

The series now shifts to the Fishers Event Center, where the Fuel will look to stay alive in front of their home crowd Monday in Game 3.