The Chestnuthill Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals such as Airbnbs following complaints from residents last month and a state Supreme Court decision in April that labeled these rentals “purely transient.”

At the township meeting Tuesday night, residents asked the supervisors what action they are currently taking to enforce the ordinance.

“This is a work in progress,” said Chairman Carl Gould II. “Those units did not get up and running overnight, and we will not get them shut down overnight. All I can tell you is that they are on the radar here. We are moving forward with what we approved in that meeting and the enforcement actions, but they take time.”

The Chestnuthill Township Short Term Rental License Ordinance requires owners of short-term rentals to obtain a license from the zoning officer.

The ordinance addresses issues such as number of guests, sewage capacity, parking limits and disorderly conduct of guests.

It also restricts these rentals to general commercial zones, Gould said at the Tuesday meeting.

Short-term rentals that are in residential zones won’t be able to operate anymore, said Township Manager David Albright. But these owners can still rent their properties out or become a bed-and-breakfast.

“We’re not taking everything away,” Albright said.

Albright said that there are currently about 160 houses in general commercial zones in the township, so there is a potential for short-term rentals there.

At the meeting, Gould emphasized the difference between “party-houses” and nonproblematic residences that are rented out to families on holiday. He estimated the number of party houses in the area at eight to 12.

Albright said that of these properties, he believes only one is located in a general commercial zone.

Party houses are “the initial focus,” but all short-term rentals will be affected by the ordinance, Gould said.

While Chestnuthill is addressing residents’ concerns about short-term rentals, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau and Realtors association published a press report in support of these rentals Wednesday.

The press release pointed out that short-term rentals help the local economy by sustaining tourism in the Poconos region.

Nearly 28 million people visited this region in 2018, spending more than $3 billion, according to the press release. The tourism industry helps support about 25% of all jobs in the Poconos.

The press release warned that banning these rentals could hurt not just the tourism industry but also property values and the real estate market.

“It’s time to establish a future for short-term rentals in the Pocono Mountains,” Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau President and CEO Chris Barrett said in the press release.

The press release recommended “passing common-sense regulations so everyone wins.”

“Regulations lead to accountability,” Jackson Township Zoning & Codes Officer Michelle Arner said in the release. “Once a property has a permit and the owners understand there are rules that go along with that permit, we have found that people tend to operate within the rules set forth.”