The Moore Township Board of Supervisors met at 7 p.m. on January 4 via Zoom for their Reorganization meeting and the year’s first monthly meeting.
Dan Piorkowski will continue to serve as chairman, while David Shaffer continues as Vice Chairman.
One of the topics brought up for discussion were the issues with short-term rentals, such as Airbnb.
“When you are talking about short-term rentals, it’s really become a thing now,” said David Backenstoe, Township Solicitor. “Many townships now regulate them. The case law has become extremely complicated and complex. Because they are something much different than we are used to, they are not a home you live in, and they are not a bed and breakfast.
The phenomenon has become that some places are little hotbeds, like Lehigh Township, where short-term rentals’ popularity has grown. These rentals are usually in single-family residential dwellings, right next to other single-family residential homes.
“Lehigh Township has a couple of people that had bed and breakfasts and no problems at all,” Backenstoe said. “Wonderful residence, did a great job, the township didn’t even really know they were there. There were even a couple of Airbnbs where they literally are rentals and advertised on the internet and the township didn’t even know they were there because they were so good. People would come, they were nice, they were respectful, and they stayed for a week and then left. All of a sudden, a couple of, I believe, corporations, in New Jersey or Philadelphia, purchased some very upscale residential homes in some very upscale neighborhoods and rented them to people and it was a nightmare.” Backenstoe suggested assigning this to the planning commission, allowing them to conduct some research on the process of short-term rentals and see what they think and let them come up with some ideas, iron out the details and then bring it to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration and possible adoption.
The Board of Supervisors passed a motion for the planning commission to start the researching process for short-term rentals in the area.
The next Moore Township Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on February 2 through Zoom.
