North Lebanon researches ordinances for short-term properties
The North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors asked township manager Cheri Grumbine to do research on changes other municipalities have made to their zoning ordinances to control short-term property rentals, such as Airbnb.
Unlike a hotel that offers overnight rooms in a building that complies with specific building codes or a landlord that leases an apartment for a long term, short-term Internet rental sites have residential property "hosts" that may offer an entire house or only a bedroom in the house, or a sofa in a living room.
Supervisor Gary Heisey said he does not see a need to charge a fee to property owners who participate in short-term rentals through an online rental clearinghouse, but he would not object to requiring those property owners to register with the township.
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Cornwall Borough council recently changed its zoning ordinance to place certain restrictions on short-term rental arrangements, after property owners in a single-family home development complained about a neighbor who was taking in overnight paid guests.
Grumbine and her staff will provide samples of ordinances addressing short-term rentals at a future meeting.
New homes, liquor license transfer and more news
The supervisors opened the door to 58 new single-family homes in North Lebanon Township after granting approval to the plan for Phase 4 of The Crossings at Sweet Briar. The 55+ community, developed by Landmark Homes of Ephrata, is located west of Mount Zion Road and east of Kimmerlings Road, not far from the township building.
Grumbine told the board that the township's planning commission and the Lebanon County Planning Department both reviewed the development plans for the final phase of the The Crossings at Sweet Briar and gave their approvals.
Township solicitor Amy Leonard informed the board that the owners of Country Garden 6 Pack have requested a new hearing to transfer its liquor license from its South Sixteenth and Cumberland streets location to the previous location of the Country Cupboard Grocery Store at 2631 Cumberland St., in North Lebanon Township.
The supervisors previously gave the okay for the transfer, but in addition to locating a food and beer restaurant in the new location, the Country Garden owners now plan to add an attached commercial rental space at the building, which triggers the need for a new public hearing. That hearing will be held in conjunction with the supervisors' regular July meeting.
Dawood Engineering Inc., a land development and engineering firm from Harrisburg, has been contracted by the board to do apply for state grants that will help pay for improvements to Lion's Lake Park.
The township has received a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to be used for shoreline restoration at the park, which requires the township to pay a matching $250,000 of its own funds for the project.
The supervisors are hoping Dawood can come up with another grant from DCNR to help to further defray the cost to township taxpayers. Dawood will also investigate the possibility of acquiring a Gateways, Trails, and Recreation Grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development for Lion's Lake Park. The fee for Dawood's work is not expected to exceed $28,000.
Also at the meeting, the supervisors agreed to begin using the Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services to serve as the township's emergency management coordinator. In the past, the township has placed trained individuals on its payroll to serve in that capacity, but the position is currently vacant.
"It is a difficult position to fill", said board chairman Ed Brensinger. "We don't want to wait until we have a major snowstorm or other emergency."
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: North Lebanon Township deals with short-term rentals, new homes
