Residents of High Point Road in Ross Township are exasperated by a short-term rental property on their street, and the slow response they have received from the zoning officer.

The house at 257 High Point Road “is illegally run as a short-term rental in a residential zone,” said Dawn Galler.

Supervisors enacted their short-term rental ordinance on July 6. The ordinance designates village commercial and general commercial as the only two zones where properties can be rented for less than 30 days.

Short-term rentals differ from bed-and-breakfasts, which have their own ordinance. Short-term rental property owners typically live off-site and manage the property from afar.

Letters explaining the new ordinance were sent out July 22 to a handful of property owners in violation. The letter noted potential fines and repercussions if property owners did not stop their short-term rentals.

“That letter was generic. It stated what was enacted, but it did not enforce anything,” said Dawn Galler. “And why was there a delay in sending it out?”

She told the supervisors the letter was mailed to 257 High Point Drive, but the owners actually live in Jamison.

Galler and her husband, Mike, were among the handful of neighbors who expressed their concerns regarding guests who race dirt bikes, shoot off fireworks and a lot of other disruptive behavior seven days a week.

The Gallers live four houses away from the rental property, which until this spring had been a vacant foreclosure.

In late spring, Mike Galler noticed crews were fixing up the house and yard.

“We thought we were getting new neighbors,” he said. “As soon as quarantine was lifted in June, a U-Haul showed up with a whole lot of people.”

All Pocono Rentals LLC had purchased the property and advertised it on the Internet as a five-bedroom vacation rental. It is listed as $800 per night.

“It’s not cheap. It is booked two months out. I’ve seen license plates from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio and Florida,” he said.

The Gallers and their neighbors said that there are seven to 11 cars there every night. Guests party until 3 a.m. On a few occasions, renters accidentally knocked on the house next door, where a family with a young child resides.

“My 21-year-old autistic and nonverbal son likes to ride his bike around the neighborhood, but he cannot right now,” Mike Galler said.

The Gallers and neighbors have repeatedly contacted the township zoning officer, Maureen Minnick. She works for Bureau Veritas, who the supervisors appointed during their January 2020 reorganization meeting. She has weekly office hours.

“She is not doing her job. We are disgusted. She has only responded to one of my many emails,” Dawn Galler said.

Supervisor James Zahoroiko met with Minnick for 2½ hours on Monday afternoon.

“She told me she cannot force anyone out. An enforcement letter is on her desk to work on. She knows I have spoken with you all, and that you are not happy,” he told the group.

Dawn Galler has filed several Right to Know requests through Danielle Romano, township secretary and Right to Know officer.

“Danielle has always followed up with me. She is very diligent. The sewage enforcement officer is also doing his job. He went by the house to check the system,” Dawn Galler said.

Their main gripe is with Minnick, who never returns voice mails and emails. Galler could not leave a message for weeks because the voicemail was full.

“This is 100% unacceptable. She is obviously not doing her job,” she said. “Our beef is not with you three supervisors. She’s the weak link.”

At the August supervisors, residents asked the supervisors if Minnick could be present at the September meeting. Vice Chairman David Shay said on Monday that they had indeed invited her to the meeting.

Shay too is unhappy with Minnick’s job performance.

“I understand and agree with your frustration. I share a lot of the same sentiments,” he said. “I have had to fill out Right to Know requests for her monthly reports - and I am one of the bosses.”

Later in the meeting, Shay initiated a vote to advertise for a new zoning officer. Drake and Zahoroiko did not second the motion. It failed and the issue was tabled.

The residents asked for her to attend the October meeting and for advice on how to proceed in the meantime.

“You will want to start with an enforcement action,” said Township Solicitor Tim McManus.

This would include hiring a lawyer or contacting the state police when there are noise and nuisance complaints, he said.

“Maureen advised me what you don’t want to hear. Your neighborhood needs to form a group and sue the property owner,” Zahoroiko said.