Harris Township debates draft rental ordinance after hours of public comment

Harris Township supervisors heard a lengthy public review of a draft residential rental ordinance during their Aug. 11 meeting, with property owners urging the board to refine rules on grandfathering, parking and enforcement before sending the measure to the planning commission.

Staff presented the draft as a framework to require township and Center Region Code permits for both long‑ and short‑term rentals, define owner occupancy and set operational requirements. The draft would define owner occupancy as residence in the property at least eight months per year, require proof of insurance and parking, limit short‑term rentals to 29 consecutive nights and no more than 120 cumulative nights annually, and require permit display and contact information on site, staff said.

The proposal drew strong testimony from short‑term rental owners. “I was very careful to contact the township and verify that I could use my property as a short‑term rental,” said Eric Herbitz, a Main Street property owner who said he and about 15 other owners are disappointed with the draft. He and others questioned whether the township has authority to regulate short‑term use outside of a zoning amendment and argued the draft singles out specific uses, citing concerns about grandfathering and restrictive parking rules.

Property owners also said short‑term rentals have driven rehabilitation and tourism spending. “Short‑term rentals bring visitors who spend money in our local shops,” said Matt Workman, who described investments his family made in a Main Street home and said reasonable rules such as parking and noise limits would protect neighborhoods while supporting local business.

Board members and staff focused on enforceability and options for verification. Staff said enforcement would be complaint‑driven and noted other municipalities use third‑party services to track listings and cumulative nights on rental platforms. The manager added that compliance checks would largely occur at application and renewal; a third‑party monitoring service would typically be funded through permit fees rather than general tax dollars.

Residents raised questions about specific provisions: whether gravel driveways would be acceptable for required parking spaces; how exempted, preexisting non‑owner‑occupied units would be treated when ownership transfers or an LLC changes membership; and whether a $500,000 liability insurance requirement for short‑term units is proportionate. Several speakers asked why the draft limits short‑term use to 120 days annually for non‑owner‑occupied properties, calling that cap unfair or potentially legally vulnerable.

Supervisors said they will continue discussion and indicated areas for refinement, including parking surfacing language, exact day caps, and whether appeals of enforcement actions should be heard by the board or a separate review body. “We’re not passing an ordinance tonight,” the chair said. “We’re discussing an ordinance and we will take your comments into consideration.”

Next steps: supervisors asked staff to incorporate public feedback, coordinate with the township solicitor on enforceability questions and consider sending definitions and zoning‑use changes to the planning commission for review before any ordinance adoption.