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ZELIENOPLE — Borough council is proposing requirements for operators of Airbnb and other short-term rentals, including where they can be located in the township.

Council voted unanimously on Monday to advertise the proposed ordinance for public review on how it would deal with short-term rentals which would be required to apply for a license with the township.

If the proposed changes go through, short-term rentals would be limited to either Main Street or East and West Grandview Avenue up to Clay Street.

Borough manager Don Pepe said the public would be able to comment on the proposed ordinance at a future meeting.

The ordinance would require hosts to meet a number of standards to keep operating. These include an annual safety inspection and a minimum of at least two off-street parking spaces per site, among other requirements, according to documents provided by the borough.

“The biggest issues that I find is that people will come in seeing this as almost — I don’t want to call it a ‘party house’ — but a vacation house in our community,” said Jason Sarver, borough zoning officer.

People who operate short-term rentals would be required to submit applications to Sarver for approval, so they could receive operating licenses. Applications would require address information and brief descriptions of each home, and each license would cost $100.

The proposed ordinance defines short-term rental homes as properties consisting of at least one room that guests rent for less than 30 successive days. The applicant must either live within 35 miles of the borough, or designate an agent who does, who can make sure the housing meets the standards, or who can answer for any violations which occur.

Anyone who operates short-term rentals without a license would face a potential fine of $500 for each rental unit or name and address that is unreported.

Also, people who operate the short-term rentals could see their license suspended or revoked for providing false information, failing to correct any violations or pay the unit’s utility bills. Three or more violations would cause a license to be suspended. Five or more violations would cause the license to be revoked.

The proposed ordinance also will be posted this week on the borough’s website for residents to review.

Routing new solutions

Council is exploring alternatives to lower speed limits along Route 68.

Pepe said the council had asked the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to allow a reduction in speed limits, but after PennDOT conducted a traffic study on Route 68, its officials said no.

“We’re going to discuss how we can improve the speed safety issues, even without PennDOT allowing to lower the speed limits,” Pepe said. “And we have some ideas. As soon as I get those put together correctly, then we’ll get back to you.

“I was disappointed that PennDOT did not agree to lower the speed limits on the state roads within the borough, but we’ll deal with that as best we can,” he added.