Council leaders had planned to adopt two proposed ordinances that would require landlords to receive a license to rent out properties.

Instead, they chose to wait.

“It seems that there’s an awful lot in these ordinances that — it should be there if it’s a perfect world — but it’s not,” Councilman Gregg Semel said. “And I think what we got to do is somehow show the landlords the more responsibility that they have to make sure that rental units are safe and up to some standards, that is presented.”

But he said he wasn’t sure he was ready to approve the existing ordinance as it stood, in light of the feedback members of the community had voiced that night.

“I think the landlords have their opinion on things, and some of them sound to me like maybe we missed it, or we didn’t communicate with them enough before the ordinance was done,” he said.

Council President Mary Hess announced she was tabling Ordinances 881-22 and 882-22 for a later meeting, to the sound of scattered applause across the council chamber.

Earlier Hess had said the borough had worked extensively to consider public input about the registration process for residential and commercial properties, as required by the ordinances.

Under the proposed ordinances, rental licenses would have a term of three years, with requirements for landlords to submit applications to the borough’s building inspector and code enforcement officer. Such applications would need to include descriptions of rentals, owners’ names, contact information and other content.

“I guess I’m just disappointed, because I’ve never seen you guys do this,” said Sandi Cox, who owns 36 rental units in Zelie and who serves as zoning and code enforcement officer for Connoquenessing Township.

She estimated there are 1,400 rental units in Zelie based on prior conversations she had with the council, about six or seven months ago.

“How is somebody going to be able to inspect — usually it’s got to be an hour-and-a-half inspection, you got to get the letters out, and then when [the landlords] don’t follow through, legal fees?” she said. “The only one who benefits isn’t you guys, isn’t us, isn’t the renters, it’s the attorneys when all this starts getting pushed and shoved down everbody’s throats.”

Speaking before the council, zoning and code enforcement officer Jason Sarver said he had worked extensively with an estimated 60 to 70 people, gathering input to modify and improve the ordinances.

Borough manager Don Pepe said the council had planned to apply some kind of regulatory process for a long time.

“I see no reason why we can’t do more, to be able to see what’s possible to come up with an ordinance that’s better,” he said. “I have no problem with that at all. But please understand it was never for any mal– or ill–intent whatsoever.”