GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon trustees have officially capped the number of short-term rental properties allowed in the village at one time to 15.
At the Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously approved an ordinance limiting short-term rentals in the Village of Glen Carbon. The Glen Carbon Village Code defines a “short-term rental property” as “a building or portion thereof that is held out or offered for rent, for overnight lodging for non-permanent or transient guest, for a period shorter than 30 consecutive days.”
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Erika Heil, the village’s Director of Community Development, said the limit of 15 was formed in comparison to Edwardsville’s population and short-term rental limits. She noted Glen Carbon will only allow properties currently unoccupied by the property owners to be used as short-term rentals.
“Edwardsville allows for 30 owner-occupied as well as 30 owner-unoccupied [short-term rentals],” Heil said. “We allow unoccupied rentals for short-term rentals only, so since we’re less than half the population of Edwardsville, we recommended that the number be 15.”
She added Village Board members could always adjust the 15 property cap as Glen Carbon grows in population and/or demand for short-term rentals. The limit of 15 applies to the entire village, regardless of different zoning districts.
Mayor Bob Marcus asked about the reasoning behind the limit. Heil said limiting the number of short-term rentals would preserve the “small town feel” in Glen Carbon and ease the concern of residents who don’t want their neighborhoods occupied by a different set of sporting event tourists every other weekend.
Trustee Ben Maliszewski agreed, adding: “I think it protects the integrity of the single-family residential neighborhoods.”
With no further discussion, trustees unanimously approved the ordinance, putting the village’s first official cap on short-term rental properties in place.
