Shane W Potter

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Township supervisors are changing the rules for cemeteries and adding rules for new short-term rentals and electronic vehicle charging stations.

At a Monday, Sept. 8, meeting, one resident spoke about the distress a neighboring Airbnb has caused her before township supervisors approved amendments to the zoning ordinance in attempt to prevent such problems at future short-term rental properties, among other changes.

“I have (post-traumatic stress disorder); I have sleepless nights,” township resident Cynthia Russell Lynch said. “I’ve invested in having to cover my windows, close and lock my doors at certain times of night. It’s really awful for me.”

She recounted an instance where one renter broke into her home and screamed at her to leave “because they had rented this place.” It was one of several occasions that required state police involvement, she told supervisors.

Concerns such as hers are addressed within the township’s new legislation by defining and laying out rules for future short-term rental properties within the township, but properties like the one that neighbors Lynch will be “grandfathered in.”

New short-term rental properties will require the occupants or guests to not engage in disorderly conduct or “disturb the peace and quiet” of any neighbors via loud noise, offensive conduct, public indecency or other actions detailed within the ordinance.

Additionally, new short-term rental properties will require a zoning permit that must be renewed annually, and an annual inspection of the property will be conducted by a township official.

No street or yard parking will be permitted, and no mobile homes, campers or similar structures will be allowed to be used as short-term rentals.

Other rules for short-term rentals require smoke alarms and setting a process for septic system evaluations.

Clinton Bonetti, the township’s planning consultant and assistant zoning officer, said the planning commission has worked more than three years to compile the information necessary for this amendment.

“For the past three years, (the planning commission) has compiled a lot of the misgivings of the ordinance, and they have decided to make some changes,” Bonetti said.

The changes to the zoning ordinance also differentiate between private and public cemeteries. Previously, all cemeteries were treated the same and were allowed on properties of at least 2 acres.

Now, public cemeteries will be allowable only on properties that are 5 acres or larger. Private or family burial cemeteries will still be allowed on properties that are 2 acres or larger.

An addition to the ordinance states that new private cemeteries cannot have water supply intakes within 1 mile of the cemetery.

Legislation also states that standards for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry must be met for new electronic vehicle charging stations. All parking spots for the charging stations must be paved.

Eagle assignment editor Tracy Leturgey contributed to this report.