Thorpe gets feedback on rentals

The conversation over short-term rentals in Jim Thorpe is continuing as borough officials work toward regulating the increasingly popular accommodation style.

On Wednesday afternoon, the borough held the second of two public sessions to discuss what both short-term rental owners and the neighbors who live next to them, would like to see or not see as part of the regulations.

Two main points of contention are where short-term rentals should be allowed and how many parking spaces owners should be required to provide for their guests.

Several short-term rental owners said Thursday they thought such properties should be allowed in any zoning district as long as certain safety and other regulation requirements are met.

“That’s certainly one of the options for council,” Borough Manager Maureen Sterner said. “Or they may want to limit it to certain zoning districts, or they may want to allow it in the majority of districts but with regulations that control what specific properties can be short-term rentals.”

Michael Eckhart of Broadview Drive lives next to a short-term rental property and said he’s had problems with noise late on Friday and Saturday nights.

“They’re setting off fireworks and dropping the F bomb out there,” Eckhart said.

“You have to close your windows and keep ear plugs in sometimes. I don’t think they should be allowed in a residential area. Keep them downtown, I have no problem with that. The biggest difference between a short-term rental and a bed-and-breakfast is the bed-and-breakfast usually has someone on site to keep control.”

The property Eckhart spoke of belongs to Matthew Rechs, a short-term rental owner who has been at the forefront of discussions with the borough on what should be included in the regulations.

He said learning of Eckhart’s concerns troubled him.

“We have gone to the ends of the earth to alleviate those concerns,” Rechs said.

“We put in a closed-circuit security system. We also sent Mike a letter with a new 24-hour number for our management company that he can call whenever there are issues. We have tightened up screening of guests significantly. I was shocked to hear about this and that we’re not as perfect as I thought we were.”

On the flip side of the issue, Nicole Hurley said she lives next to a short-term rental that used to be a long-term rental. When the property was a long-term rental, Hurley said, she found heroin needles regularly among other issues.

“It has gotten much better now that it is a short-term rental,” Hurley said.

“The upkeep is better. I think it’s an asset for the economic growth of the area to have more lodging options.”

Everyone who has spoke on the issue has backed safety regulations, namely inspections to make sure properties are up to fire code, etc.

Diane Prokop, innkeeper at the Times House Bed and Breakfast, suggested mandatory inspections for new rentals and a 3-5 year inspection update for existing short-term rentals.

On the issue of parking, Dave Drury, owner of the Inn of Jim Thorpe, said he would have favored short-term rentals having to meet the same standards as a bed-and-breakfast, which means owners would have to provide one parking space per bedroom.

With parking at a premium in areas like Broadway and West Broadway, Rechs said he feels that would drive many short-term rental owners out of business.

“As many times as we say level playing field, you have to realize that it’s really not,” Rechs said. “Each room at a bed-and-breakfast or a hotel is likely going to be a different family with a vehicle, so I get that. That isn’t the case with a short-term rental, where it’s usually one or two families. I would rather see the requirement of one parking space per vehicle that the guests intend on bringing.”

Councilman John McGuire said the borough will use the information gained through the public meetings to revise draft regulations.

“I think it’s best to have a committee meeting and then go back to council and see what they do agree with and what they don’t agree with,” McGuire said.

“The important thing is we’re here meeting with stakeholders because we’re not trying to shove it down anyone’s throat. We also have to look out for the residents and come up with something that everyone can live with.”