Weatherly Borough Council on Monday talked about regulating short-term rentals, but didn’t take any action.

Solicitor James Nanovic gave council members a copy of Jim Thorpe’s ordinance for consideration, as the issue of short-term rentals has come up in Weatherly recently.

Council asked for his opinion on short-term rentals, and he pointed out that many people complain, saying they become party houses, but his family has rented a house at the shore for 30 years.

“It’s a short-term rental. It’s a week. It’s not a party house. My wife and kids are there,” he said. “In Jim Thorpe, it got out of hand where you have a couple hundred short-term rentals, and a lot of those places become party houses.”

Nanovic said that people are away on vacation and may have a couple beers, stay up late and have a fire pit going in the backyard, prompting complaints from neighbors.

“So that’s why they did it in Jim Thorpe and some other places,” he said. “I can tell you Lehighton hasn’t done it. We have some short-term rentals, but it hasn’t become a problem yet.

“They (communities) usually only address it when it becomes a problem.”

Council could look at regulating short-term rentals through zoning, and have the owner seek a special exception or conditional use. A special exception would go through the zoning hearing board, while a conditional use would come before council, Nanovic said.

Council members asked if regulating short-term rentals would deter some people from having them, and Nanovic said it might, because people don’t want to go through the process.

Councilman Michael Bellizia pointed out that they’re trying to attract people to town with the trail connector, and encourage visitors. Nanovic said that if those staying are trail people, they are likely not partiers.

President Norman Richie suggested council table the matter to allow members to review information from the administration and possibly take action next month.