Lower Towamensing Township intends to continue to track short-term rentals.

Resident Steve Meining has asked monthly about the rentals.

Township code enforcement officer Brent Green asked the board if they would like to see work on the short-term rentals.

Supervisor Mike Takerer told Green he would like to see him move forward with it.

Meining then asked if there’s any way to develop a simple spreadsheet that would track the status of short-term rentals.

However, township solicitor Jim Nanovic suggested to Green that he not go that route.

Meining again explained the reason for his concern.

“My long-term goal is to keep this township under control,” Meining said. “It’s that simple.”

Green noted that the township has been trying to keep short-term rentals in the dense populations of the township.

About 15 to 20 are on the list.

Jim Ord, who serves as chairman of the township’s zoning hearing board, then expressed some reservations.

However, Nanovic told Ord he could assure him that the zoning hearing board is not going to be swamped.

Green said the intent was to have notice to all adjoining property owners.

“We were one of the first to come up with regulations,” Green said.

Nanovic told Green he should be implementing it the way it is now.

Green said he would continue to look into the matter and report back to the board.

Last month, Meining expressed frustration with what he perceived to be a lack of progress on rules for short-term rentals.

The township has been working on an application procedures list, with a possible amendment to the ordinance to include life safety inspection items.

Green said at December’s board of supervisors meeting that as of the beginning of 2024, there were 18 short-term rentals in the township.

Meining, who regularly checks on the status of the enforcement of the township’s short-term rental ordinance, said it’s important to keep after the property owners to hold them accountable.

Since the majority of the property owners aren’t local, Green said issuing a notice of violation and sending them to the magistrate will be difficult.