PETERSBURG – Upper Township Mayor Jay Newman said he was going to schedule a meeting of a yet-to-be-formed committee to consider how best to regulate rentals in the municipality.
Discussion on Ordinance 08-2023, which was tabled after being introduced in April, was brought up at the July 10 Upper Township Committee meeting.
Several residents spoke during public comment and voiced complaints about “Airbnb” rentals. The residents were referring to short-term rentals through online rental sites, such as Airbnb or Vrbo.
Residents complained about the behavior of renters on their streets. One speaker said the renters not only played games on the front lawn and created noise but made her feel uncomfortable with comments they made toward her.
One said, as she walked her dog, a man started following her down the street, asking her where he could get a drink.
“I don’t feel comfortable with that kind of behavior,” she said.
Newman said during a phone call after the meeting that if the behavior is getting out of hand, people need to call the State Police.
“Nothing can happen without a complaint being filed,” he said.
Newman added that laws that protect citizens against disorderly conduct are already on the books and people violate them.
“You can’t legislate a good result, but nothing can happen without a complaint,” he said.
Newman said at the meeting that there were problems with the rental ordinance as presented, and some property owners who rent short-term pointed out the issues they would encounter if the ordinance was put into effect.
Newman addressed that with the Herald via a telephone conversation, in which he said there were problems because the township tried to come up with one ordinance that would cover all rentals – and that did not work.
The last attempt was too broad, trying to cover all situations, he said.
Newman said he wants to see a rental committee that would include members of the township governing body, the Planning or Zoning boards, and members of the community who would not be directly affected by the ordinance.
The original purpose of Ordinance 08-2023 was to ensure rental properties are maintained in a safe and sanitary condition, that maximum occupancy limits are not exceeded, and to protect the real estate values of neighboring properties by requiring the upkeep of building exteriors and outside property areas.
However, applying the same restrictions to yearly rentals and weekly rentals, for example, did not seem to work.
Rich Quinn, a property owner from Strathmere, said he always listed his property as accommodating eight people, but under the proposed ordinance, Quinn said he would only be able to rent to three people, reducing the amount of rent he could ask for by 62.5%.
The proposed ordinance also called for inspections after every change of renters, which would normally apply to year-round rentals but would be overly intrusive on short-term, transient rentals.
Christine Wright, who said she had yearly rentals in Upper Township, spoke at the April meeting and said inspections for weekly rentals would be insane.
A township resident named Scott Phelps, who identified himself as a long-term home renter, also spoke at the April meeting, saying the ordinance dictated free access to rental property for inspections. Phelps said as a yearly renter, that was intrusive and a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Newman said it was not the intention of the ordinance to place a burden on either yearly or vacation rental owners, and that is why the ordinance needs a close look.
In addition, Newman said he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to have vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods.
“We are looking at putting vacation rentals out of residential neighborhoods,” he said.
Newman said, in his view, it’s not proper to have vacation rentals in neighborhoods and would like to see them confined to resort areas. Meanwhile, when behavior is getting out of control in residential areas, he recommends contacting State Police.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
