A Jim Thorpe property owner and the borough’s zoning hearing board have agreed to a stipulation that will allow for a short-term rental use at a cabin along Lentz Trail and avoid an appeal hearing in Carbon County court.

The hearing, scheduled for Oct. 2, was canceled following the stipulation filed earlier this month.

Brian Seitz applied for a special exception to allow the operation of a short-term rental on his property at 300 Lentz Trail, which currently houses a small cabin, but the submission was denied 3-2 by the zoning hearing board in March.

According to the stipulation, the decision denying the special exception was reversed under specific conditions including that the maximum number of overnight occupants will not exceed six individuals and Seitz maintains a manager/maintenance individual available 24/7 to address any emergency issues or complaints and provide contact information to the borough.

Seitz said the cabin is on six acres and could accommodate four parking spots.

During the zoning hearing in March, one of the property’s neighbors, Bob Silliman, a resident of the area for two decades, raised concerns about the special exception approval.

Silliman, who lives about 150 feet away, argued allowing a short-term rental in the “quiet, wooded residential neighborhood would significantly disrupt the community’s tranquil atmosphere and adversely affect residents’ quality of life.” He also expressed apprehensions about potential consequences, including decreased property values, heightened noise levels, and the prospect of damage to neighboring properties.

Koch, however, argued that Seitz provided “credible and uncontroverted evidence” during the hearings, demonstrating that the proposed short-term rental would “adhere to all relevant zoning regulations and not adversely affect the community.”