Short-term rentals were again a topic of discussion at the Lower Towamensing supervisors meeting.

Several residents said not enough is being done to regulate the burgeoning business.

One resident said that at least three homes on his street in Little Gap Estates are being used as short-term rentals, and at least 12 within the development.

“Our enforcement is complaint-driven,” supervisors chairman Brent Green said. “If we’re not getting complaints, we’re not doing enforcement.”

“Which is not uncommon with other municipalities,” Solicitor James Nanovic said.

Resident Jacob Klotz inquired if anything had been done about the 14 short-term properties he spoke of at the last supervisors meeting that were in violations.

“The two main aspects of this is, licensing and registration, and zoning. We need a code enforcement officer to potentially do the licensing and registration part of the job,” Green said. “The problem is that they (property owners) are not even participating in getting the zoning permits.”

Another issue that is hampering the process is that the township has lost several key employees. It needs a secretary/treasurer, a code-enforcement officer, and a road master.

According to Green, they interviewed two candidates for the secretary/treasurer position, and hope to have that position filled by the next supervisors’ meeting.

“We just aren’t getting applicants for the other positions,” Green said. “There are some regulations and requirements to work in those offices. Another municipality I know had a possibly good applicant for their zoning office; but, the applicant did not have a driver’s license.”

Stormwater ordinance

Jill Smith, Hanover Engineering, attended the meeting and mentioned the main changes to the proposed Department of Environmental Protection’s model Stormwater Ordinance.

According to Smith, the existing ordinance says that anyone with less than 5 acres of land has to do stormwater management.

“Since this is a township stormwater management ordinance, we are recommending the exemption be anyone creating 10,000 square feet or less of impervious soil would not have to do stormwater management. If more than 10,000 feet, then the would have to follow stormwater management ordinances.”

Impervious surfaces are those that do not allow the penetration of water, such as buildings, roads, or parking lots.

The supervisors voted to advertise the updated ordinance.

Blight invitation

Brooke Klotz, secretary of the Jim Thorpe borough, addressed the supervisors regarding a recent meeting in Jim Thorpe dealing with blight.

The committee meeting was held in Jim Thorpe and included representatives from Jim Thorpe, Summit Hill, Nesquehoning, Carbon County Housing Authority, Palmerton, and state Sen. Dave Argall’s office.

“The point of this is trying to get the county commissioners on board to enact Act 152 which is to help fight blight and eventually at some point, to develop a land bank,” Klotz said. “They want to get, not just the boroughs on board, but they also want the townships to take part as well. I’m here to send out the invitation.”

“I have no problem with proposal of what they are looking at,” Green said. “I have no problem supporting it.”

Green suggested a letter of support and possibly attending a commissioners’ meeting.

Green declined the suggestion of attending a Counsel of Government meeting.