Lower Towamensing Township has received more complaints this year but none of them were about short-term rentals.

Brent Green, township code enforcement officer, told the township supervisors last week that there’s been roughly 15 complaints this year.

Board Chairperson Connie Brown asked Green if he’s received any complaints on short-term rentals.

“We’ve gotten complaints on everything but short-term rentals,” Green said.

That was in response to resident Steve Meining asking how many short-term rentals have currently paid their fees.

“If people are doing this illegally and not paying the fee, something should be done,” Meining said.

Green said there are 14 notices that have to be mailed out for the short-term rentals.

The township’s yearly fee for short-term rentals is $1,050.

Last month, Meining once again asked township officials to step up their efforts on what he believes to be a lack of action against short-term rentals that were operating illegally in the township.

Supervisor Michael Takerer reminded Meining at that time that there’s an election coming in November, hinting that Meining should run for office. He currently serves of the planning commission.

Meining has been asking the township to get the short-term rentals registered and legal per the township’s short-term rental ordinance.

He asked if a spreadsheet could be developed to track short-term rentals.

However, township solicitor Jim Nanovic suggested to Green that he not go that route.

Meining said his long-term goal is to keep the township under control.

Green previously noted that the township has been trying to keep short-term rentals in the dense population areas of the township.

He said the intent was to have notice to all adjoining property owners, and added the township was one of the first to come up with regulations.

Nanovic told Green he should be implementing it that way now.

The township has been working on an application procedures list, with a possible amendment to the ordinance to include life safety inspection items.

Meining, who routinely checks on the status of the enforcement of the township’s short-term rental ordinance, said it’s important to keep after the property owners to hold them accountable.

Since the majority of the property owners aren’t local, Green previously said issuing a notice of violation and sending them to the magistrate would be difficult.