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Neighbors press Franklin Council over noisy short-term rentals as ordinance is introduced
Summary
Residents from Copper Mine Road and other neighborhoods urged stricter limits, penalties and clearer rules distinguishing short-term residential rentals from event venues; council introduced a new short-term-rental ordinance for first reading and staff said enforcement will rely on reporting and permit penalties.
Residents crowded the public-comment portion of the Franklin Township Council work session to press for stronger enforcement of short-term rental activity and to ask the council to prevent whole-property rentals from operating as event venues.
Denise Smith, who identified herself as a resident and reviewed the draft short-term-rental ordinance, complimented the draft as "very thorough" but asked how the township would distinguish a private short-term rental from a commercial event venue such as a wedding site, and whether outdoor capacity and parking rules would be enforced. Matt Penjack and other neighbors from Copper Mine Road described repeated late-night parties — DJs, buses and guests — that they said had prompted multiple police calls and created safety and parking problems. Meg Collins told the council she has video showing amplified sound and urged strict financial penalties for repeat offenders.
An owner who identified herself as Ellen said she rents the house part time, apologized for instances in which neighbors were disturbed and said she will be more careful about bookings and contract terms; other speakers raised concerns about septic capacity, late-night safety on narrow roads and the difficulty of policing events advertised online.
Township Manager Vornlacher responded with details from the draft ordinance: transient occupants (renters and their guests) must comply with township noise and nuisance ordinances; permit applications must document off-street parking spaces sized to municipal standards; posted maximum occupancy must include outdoor areas and be calculated under the municipal property-maintenance code; penalties and permit-revocation are available for failures to comply. He told residents that the short-term-rental provisions are intended to regulate rentals and prevent neighborhood disturbance, and emphasized that enforcement effectiveness depends on residents reporting violations so police and code enforcement can act.
The council introduced the short-term-rental ordinance (ordinance 45-16-26) on first reading and set public hearing and final adoption for Aug. 11, 2026. The manager said some items — such as expanded convenience-center hours and additional enforcement overtime — will be budgetary decisions for future years.
