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• The STR Capacity Limit will be limited to two (2) per bedroom if the permitted septic requirements are consistent with the house design but shall not exceed a total of ten (10) persons. The STR Capacity Limit must be accurately reflected on all advertising and marketing materials whether printed or online.

 

• A subsequent STR Permit shall not issue to a short-term rental owner until the passage of ninety (90) days following any prior permit having been issued to that same owner.

 

• A person must be twenty-five (25) years of age to contractually rent a STR unit.

 

• A Person in Charge must either reside or have an office located within a thirty (30) minute drive of the Rental Unit, must provide a 24-hour emergency contact number, and be able and willing to come to the Short-Term Rental within thirty (30) minutes following notification to address any issue, and be able to act as legal agent for the owner. 

 

• Any person, partnership, corporation, or other entity who or which violates or permits a violation of the provisions of this Chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, pay a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $3,000.00 per violation, plus all court costs and reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the Township of Tobyhanna in the enforcement proceedings, and/or be imprisoned to the extent allowed by law for the punishment of summary offenses.

 

• Each day or portion thereof ending at 11:59 p.m., that a violation exists or continues shall constitute a separate violation.

 

• All fines, penalties, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees collected for the violation of this Chapter shall be paid to Tobyhanna Township for its general use.

• Tobyhanna Township, in order to promote the health, safety and welfare of the Township, reserves the right to limit the amount of short-term rental properties in the Township to a per centage of residences within all residential districts.

 

• This Ordinance shall become effective ninety (90) days after enactment.

                                                  MORE  . . . 

READ MORE (ORDINANCE PDF)

Donate to the Legal Support Fund:

This GoFundMe is regarding the most recent Short Term Rental draft ordinance for Tobyhanna Township that omits key information and contains unreasonable restrictions. 

 

We are in strong favor of REASONABLE, JUSTIFIABLE and ENFORCEABLE regulations. We recommend 2 items in the ordinance be adjusted:   

1. Section 8-J: Rentals shall be a minimum of 2 nights and 3 days   

2. Section 8-A: The STR Capacity limit will be limited to 2 per bedroom plus four but shall not exceed a total of 16. 

 

If these items aren't confirmed in the approved ordinance, we pledge to use these funds to hire legal assistance for affected STR owners of Tobyhanna based on the damages that would be inflicted with less reasonable regulations.

 

Should the ordinance be approved with the 2 above recommended sections we will continue to hold funds until a later date, effectively acting as a legal insurance fund. This fund will remain available for legal assistance should the ordinance be changed to an unfavorable and less reasonable regulatory document. 

To be part of private legal discussions and to have a voice in the process we as that you donate a minimum of $200. Upon confirmation of your donation, you will be provided more information on how to join our group.

Join Our Petition Let Your Voice Be Heard:

We represent homeowners, service providers, contractors, cleaners, and small business owners in the Tobyhanna Township area that support the short-term rental market and are seeking fair regulation to sustain the area and address the concerns of our township residents. 

*Don't donate through petition, all donations will go to the website www.change.org.

  1. We believe that short-term rentals are essential to the Pocono area's economy and overall well-being .

  2. Instituting unnecessary restrictions and harsh regulations will only serve to dampen the local economy. This gross government overregulation will damage if not eliminate the market altogether, causing undue hardship on the local housing and labor market, not to mention nearby small businesses that rely on a steady stream of year-round customers.

  3. We ask that the township of Tobyhanna implement fair and typical regulations on short-term rentals, similar to nearby townships (such as Tunkhannock) without unnecessary overregulation and burden. This will strengthen the jobs market, promote small businesses, and maintain local real estate value while reducing headaches for nearby residents.

Your voice is important.  
Let it be heard effectively!

Just make sure it is an effective voice that can create change. Don't let it get lost.

We've put together some general practice guidelines to help ensure that doesn't happen:

Be Respectful

The Tobyhanna Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) and their STR committee members are doing their best to weigh the pros and cons of any regulation, and have the best interests in mind of the full-time residents as well as us as homeowners. They may have a different perspective on the solution than you do, but being civil and offering constructive solutions is the best way to move forward and reach an agreement we can all benefit from.

Be Concise

They will be flooded with messages very similar to yours. Try not to write them an essay so they feel they have enough time to adequately address your concerns and read through your entire message. They're human beings who, like us, have limited time on their hands.

Be Articulate

Use proper punctuation, spelling, and break up your sentences into short paragraphs of only 2-3 sentences each. This improves readability and helps make your message sound professional.

  • Your name

  • Association with Tobyhanna Township

  • Your overall beliefs on STRs and how they impact the community

  • Solutions or concerns you would like to be considered or addressed

Be sure to always include some basic information such as:​

 

 

 

And of course, feel free to use any information or data on this website to strengthen your claims and suggestions.

For advice and guidelines on how to best address our shared needs, see our other pages for guidance on possible regulatory suggestions, and counter-points to common arguments.

 

 

The Tobyhanna Township Board of Supervisors are elected officials tasked with developing a thoughtful, well-rounded, short-term rental ordinance that properly balances the interests of property owners with the desire to avoid rogue rentals.

Current BOS Information:

 

John Kerrick - Chair

jkerrick@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

David Carbone - Vice Chair

dcarbone@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

 

Rachel Schickling - Supervisor

rschickling@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

Brendon Carroll - Treasurer

bcarroll@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

Joseph Colyer (Incoming Jan 2022)

jcolyer@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

John Holahan (Departing Jan 2022)  

jholohan@tobyhannatownshippa.gov

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