Pocono Twp. to continue hearing on disturbances at short-term rental in Pocono Manor

Pocono Township will continue a hearing next month regarding a short-term rental property that neighbors in Pocono Manor have made complaints about.

A nearly three-hour public hearing took place during Pocono Township's Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, April 23, to consider an appeal of the zoning officer's denial of a Transient Dwelling Unit (TDU) license renewal by Pocono Summit Holdings LLC.

Pocono Township Zoning Officer Shawn McGlynn denied the renewal for the property at 205 Lake Road, within the Pocono Manor community.

McGlynn said the township received numerous complaints of excessive noise and unruly behavior from neighbors of the property, violating the TDU ordinance, specifically regarding noise disturbances, which is designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents in the community.

McGlynn said multiple violations and enforcement notices were issued to the property owner for excessive noise, failing property inspections and operating without a license. The property's TDU license expired on Oct. 31, 2023.

Pocono Township Police Cpl. James Scott testified about the numerous complaints his department received and responded to, specifically the last one on Feb. 4, 2024, that he responded to.

According to Scott, he responded to a large dispute involving approximately 15 people and gunfire. He described the scene, where a male charged at police and then resisted arrest, and finding an intoxicated female in a car in the driveway, where they later located the discharged firearm and shell casing. No one was found to have been shot.

"There was a video provided by one of the residents of the incident which showed a large group of people in the roadway. They were yelling at each other and physically fighting at the time. And then during the 911 call, you could hear the firearm discharge," Scott said.

Scott said he feared for his safety and for the safety of the neighboring Pocono Manor residents.

Samuel Jackson lives directly across the street from the property. He was also present and testified in the hearing about the numerous noise complaints he made, some of which he had on video.

Jackson described the chaos of his 911 call in February where the gunshot went off as he was "ducking" in his bedroom window. "This was a quarrel that was taking place right in front of our house, in our yard on site of our home. It lasted 45 minutes."

Jackson said it was "extremely upsetting that this is the kind of environment that we're living next to after all these complaints all year." He went on to question the safety of neighbors and families when transient residents move around the township. "What will it take? One of our neighbors to be killed next time?"

Jackson was surrounded by a room full of residents from the community at the meeting Tuesday evening. He pleaded with the board to not renew this owner's operating license.

"As summer is approaching, to fill that house up with more people and expect that there's going to be some kind of different algorithm? It will be the exact same situation."

Attorney Chris Brown, representing the owner, debated the definition of a violation and the appropriate decibel level for a noise disturbance. He questioned how long the owner had to respond between complaints and violation notices.

Given the length of the meeting, everyone agreed to reschedule more time to continue the hearing on May 15 at 6 p.m.

Maria Francis covers K-12 education and real estate, housing and development for the Pocono Record. Reach her at mfrancis@poconorecord.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Short-term rental in Pocono Manor subject of Pocono Township hearing