HomeMy WebLinkAboutPacket for HO 04-28-25
Stephanie L. Maris smaris@cgglawfirm.com
Main: (317) 573-8888 Direct: (317) 819-0518
April 18, 2025
RE: Gorden Short Term Residential Rental (PZ-2025-00050 SE)
Jacob Gorden (“Jacob”), as Trustee of the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024
which owns one-half interest in the Property (defined below) and as Trustee of the Mary M. Gorden
Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which owns one-half interest in the Property, seeks an exception
to rent the attached addition to the residence located at 11100 Queens Way Circle, Carmel, Indiana
46032 (the “Property”) on a short term basis through AirBnB and/or VRBO.
Initially, Jacob and his wife, Mary Gorden (“Mary”), built the addition for their personal
use and to share with family and friends, but they quickly realized that there is a lot of time when
the addition is not used. Jacob and Mary remembered the wonderful times they have had as a family
staying in short-term rentals and decided that using the addition as a short-term rental would be the
perfect way to utilize the addition more and provide an opportunity to host out – of – town guests
that are visiting the area for a short time and prefer to have the comforting feel of a home rather than
a hotel. The addition provides for a private entrance either through the double doors off of the
breezeway or the garage where guests will be able to park their vehicle. The upstairs of the addition
provides a sleeping area, fully functioning kitchen, living area, dining room, bathroom and a small
bedroom with bunk beds. A washer and dryer is available for guests to use on the first floor, as well
as a full bathroom, a fully functioning kitchen, steam room and sauna, basketball gym and a fitness
room.
If the exception is granted, Jacob and Mary plan to engage a property management company
and list the short – term rental on AirBnb and VRBO and implement guidelines and processes
(including but not limited to thorough background checks) to ensure that the renters are vetted,
qualified, and will uphold the standards of the area and not disrupt the community and the Property.
This is a very important aspect for Jacob and Mary as they have young children and want to ensure
that upstanding individuals are renting the addition as it is a short walk from the main house.
Jacob and Mary currently reside at the residence with their children and both Jacob and
Mary would be involved with screening the renters, managing the rental, and providing general
administrative support to the guests and conjunction with a property management company.
The enclosed information packet provides further details and reasoning to support the
granting of the application for an exception for a short term rental.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
Stephanie Maris
Statement of Special Exception Request
Special Exception – Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals
Docket No.: PZ-2025-00050 SE _________________________________
Petitioner: Jacob Gorden, as Trustee of the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which
owns one-half interest in the property and as Trustee of the Mary M. Gorden Living Trust,
dated April 25, 2024 which owns one-half interest in the
property________________________________
Jacob Gorden (“Jacob”), as Trustee of the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which
owns one-half interest in the Property (defined below) and as Trustee of the Mary M. Gorden
Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which owns one-half interest in the Property, seeks an exception
to rent the attached addition to the residence located at 11100 Queens Way Circle, Carmel, Indiana
46032 (the “Property”) on a short term basis through AirBnB and/or VRBO.
If the exception is granted, Jacob and Mary plan to engage a property management company and
list the short – term rental on AirBnB and VRBO and implement guidelines and processes
(including but not limited to thorough background checks) to ensure that the renters are vetted,
qualified, and will uphold the standards of the area and not disrupt the community and the Property.
This is an especially important aspect for Jacob and Mary as they have young children and want
to ensure that upstanding individuals are renting the addition as it is a short walk from the main
house.
Jacob and Mary currently reside at the residence with their children and both Jacob and Mary
would be involved with screening the renters, managing the rental, and providing general
administrative support to the guests and conjunction with a property management company
Statement of Support
Special Exception – Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals
Docket No.: PZ-2025-00050 SE _________________________________
Petitioner: Jacob Gorden, as Trustee of the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which
owns one-half interest in the property and as Trustee of the Mary M. Gorden Living Trust,
dated April 25, 2024 which owns one-half interest in the
property________________________________
The property located at 11100 Queens Way Circle, Carmel, Indiana 46032 (the “Property”) is
owned by the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 and the Mary M. Gorden Living
Trust, dated April 25, 2024 with each trust owning one – half interest in the Property. Jacob Gorden
(“Jacob”) and Mary Gorden (“Mary”), the trustees of the trusts that own the Property, live at the
residence on the Property with their children and qualify as permanent residence of the Property.
Initially, Jacob and Mary built the addition for their personal use and to share with family and
friends, but they quickly realized that there is a lot of time when the addition is not used. Jacob
and Mary remembered the wonderful times they have had as a family staying in short-term rentals
and decided that using the addition as a short-term rental would be the perfect way to utilize the
addition more and provide an opportunity to host out – of – town guests that are visiting the area
for a short time and prefer to have the comforting feel of a home rather than a hotel. The addition
provides for a private entrance either through the double doors off of the breezeway or the garage
where guests will be able to park their vehicle. The upstairs of the addition provides a sleeping
area, fully functioning kitchen, living area, dining room, bathroom and a small bedroom with bunk
beds. A washer and dryer is available for guests to use on the first floor, as well as a full bathroom,
a fully functioning kitchen, steam room and sauna, basketball gym and a fitness room. The privacy
provided to the guests in the addition will assist in the guests not disturbing the area, but with the
main residence connected by the breezeway, Jacob and Mary will be able to provide assistance to
the guests or address any issues that may arise.
Jacob and Mary plan to engage a property management company and list the short – term rental
on Airbnb and VRBO and implement guidelines and processes (including but not limited to
thorough background checks) to ensure that the renters are vetted, qualified, and will uphold the
standards of the area and not disrupt the community and the Property. This is an especially
important aspect for Jacob and Mary as they have young children and want to ensure that
upstanding individuals are renting the addition as it is a short walk from the main house. Renters
will be subject to quiet hours, limitations on the number of visitors, and other appropriate rules
and regulations so as to not disrupt the Property or other owners in the area.
The Property sits on 5.77 acres and there is ample distance between the residence and the
neighboring properties. The distance between the neighboring properties safeguards against the
use of the addition as a short – term rental disturbing the neighbors in the area. The residence is
not subject to a HOA as the HOA was disbanded in 1997 and there are no covenants and
restrictions which prohibit a short term rental. Additionally, the residence is set back from the
street, and Jacob and Mary will allow the guests to utilize the garage connected to the addition for
parking so the vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area will not be impeded.
Jacob and Mary understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the residential and
familial nature of the area and, with a young family themselves, they have incentive to and will
strive to uphold the integrity and quality of the area while providing short term lodging to those
visiting the area.
FINDINGS OF FACT - SPECIAL EXCEPTION
CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
(Petitioner fills out 1-3 + first 2 blanks)
Docket No.: PZ-2025-00050 SE _________________________________
Petitioner: Jacob Gorden, as Trustee of the Jacob Gorden Living Trust, dated April 25, 2024 which
owns one-half interest in the property and as Trustee of the Mary M. Gorden Living Trust,
dated April 25, 2024 which owns one-half interest in the
property________________________________
1. The approval of this Special Exception will not negatively affect surrounding property values because:
The residence will continue to be an owner-occupied home with the trustees of the trusts who own the property,
Jacob and Mary Gorden, occupying the main house. The addition connected to the main house will be rented
to qualified and screened renters on a short term basis. Jacob and Mary Gorden plan to engage a property
management company and list the short – term rental on AirBnB and VRBO and implement guidelines and
processes (including but not limited to thorough background checks) to ensure that the renters are vetted,
qualified, and will uphold the standards of the area and not disrupt the community and the residence. This is
an especially important aspect for Jacob and Mary Gorden as they have young children and want to ensure
that upstanding individuals are renting the addition as it is a short walk from the main house.
2. This Special Exception will be compatible with existing land uses in the neighborhood because:
The residence shall continue to be used for residential purposes and shall not have more than a certain
number of guests who will be required to abide by quiet hours and other rules and regulations. The intent is
to rent the entire addition to one renter/family so there should not be any inconsistency with the existing land
use.
3. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic in and around the premises will not be substantially affected by this Special
Exception because: Guests will be permitted to park in the garage connected to the addition. The driveway
can also accommodate several vehicles without impeding or interfering in any manner with street traffic. The
intent is to rent the entire addition to one renter/family so there should not be a significant increase in vehicular
or pedestrian traffic.
DECISION
____Yes ____No: The Board has reviewed the requirements of UDO Section 5.73 as they relate to this Special
Exception, and does not find that those criteria prevent the granting of the Special Exception.
IT IS THEREFORE the decision of the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals that Special Exception Docket No. PZ-2022-
00018 SE is granted, subject to any conditions stated in the minutes of this Board, which are incorporated
herein by reference and made a part hereof.
Adopted this _______ day of ________________, 20__.
___________________________________________
CHAIRPERSON, Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals
___________________________________________
SECRETARY, Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals
Conditions of approval of the Board, if any, are listed in the Letter of Grant.