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Planning commission expresses reservations about short-term rental at 521 Locust Street, makes no recommendation
Summary
Commission members questioned a short-term rental application for 521 Locust Street because local rules limit short-term rentals to detached dwellings; without clear policy guidance, the commission declined to recommend approval and urged the zoning board to decide.
The borough Planning Commission raised concerns about an application to allow short-term rental use at 521 Locust Street and declined to recommend approval, noting the borough's short-term rental rules specify detached dwellings and that policy guidance from council is unsettled.
The issue matters because converting or approving short-term rentals in medium-density residential areas can change housing supply, parking demand and neighborhood character; the commission said local rules currently limit short-term rentals to detached homes.
A planning commissioner summarized the rule: "short term residential units must be detached" and said 521 Locust is in a medium-density district where the structure is attached to neighboring units. Commissioners noted the property appears to have multiple meters and added a third-floor unit, and that the applicant's filing indicated the owner would reside there some of the time but expected to operate short-term rentals often (a comment in the record said the applicant planned to use the unit as a short-term rental "70% of the time").
Commissioners said there is not a clear policy consensus at council about whether to expand short-term rentals beyond detached dwellings, and that lack of a council decision makes it difficult for the commission to recommend exceptions. One commissioner said legal ads sometimes list both a special exception and a variance to cover uncertain application scope. After discussion the commission recorded no recommendation, leaving the matter for the zoning hearing board to determine whether a special exception or variance is appropriate.
Commissioners also voiced concern that allowing attached properties to convert to short-term rentals could encourage a row of similar conversions on the block.
The commission advised staff and the applicant to proceed through the zoning hearing process rather than expecting a planning commission recommendation given the unresolved council policy on short-term rentals.
