The Penn Forest Township supervisors are moving forward with allowing and regulating short-term rentals in residential areas, but not everyone is on board.

“What we’re trying to address with this is to bring everyone into the fold so that we can then regulate it appropriately,” said township Supervisor Christian Bartulovich.

The board held a hearing Monday night to discuss plans to allow short-term rentals in the township zoning ordinance, and agreed to vote on the changes next month. Tom Cross and Judith Knappenberger voted against advertising the ordinance.

The hearing brought out mixed opinions. Most short-term rentals are located in private communities which are zoned residential, and some at the hearing said they don’t belong there.

There are over 300 homes in Penn Forest Township advertised on sites like Airbnb at the moment, according to a firm the supervisors recently hired to keep tabs on them.

The rentals have existed for years, but the pandemic dramatically increased their popularity.

The owners pay Carbon County’s 3 percent hotel tax, but many local municipalities don’t have regulations for them.

The Penn Forest Township supervisors have said they want to make short-term rentals legal in residential zones, but create regulations that will protect neighbors. Some of the Homeowners Associations representing the largest communities in the township agree.

During Monday’s hearing, some speakers argued that short-term rentals are a way for families to afford mortgage payments on their weekend homes.

Residents opposed to allowing short-term rentals in residential districts cited noise, trash, fireworks, overfilled septic systems and parking. Some homes are operated by corporations specifically as short-term rentals, and aren’t occupied by the owner or a long-term renter, according to opponents.

“We have properties that are being built unoccupied, and being used as hotels. Hotels have no business in a residential neighborhood - none whatsoever,” said J. William Fontaine.

The supervisors say allowing short-term rentals is the first step in regulating them. Christian Bartulovich said he wants short-term rental owners to pay a $225 annual permit fee. He also wants occupancy to be limited by the capacity of the home’s septic system.

“Right now nobody is operating legally because everyone would have to apply for a special exception, given it is not mentioned at all in the existing zoning ordinance,” Bartulovich said.

The permits would be enforced by Granicus Host Management, a firm the township hired last month. By the same 3-2 vote, the supervisors on Monday approved a one-year contract with Granicus for $25,301.

Granicus monitors websites like Airbnb and VRBO, looking for short-term rentals in the townships they serve. They contact the owners to tell them about permit fees and regulations. If owners don’t comply with the township’s rules, Granicus will let the township know.

Enforcing regulations is a possible hurdle for a township that has no police force. Some communities have private security. State police don’t enforce local ordinances.

Granicus’ solution is to have neighbors document and report short-term rentals that are creating problems with noise, parking and other issues.

That isn’t enough for some of the residents who spoke at Monday’s hearing.

“When they get out of control, you don’t have any enforcement power. You can’t file a report, you’ve already been impacted,” Fontaine said.