Bridgeton Township Planning Commission Minutes of October 24, 2023 meeting via Zoom
BTPC (PC): CC Hopf (Chair), Greg Gerhardt, Roger Keller at the Bridgeton Township building and Michael Doyle on Zoom
Attending public: Kevin & Linnea McIntyre, Rick & Iris Lewis, Eric & Gabrielle Wallace, Jeff Porter, Kasara McIntyre, Walter Gabler, Edna & Jim Cochran, Joan Fullerton, Joe Guasconi, Joe & Nicole, Colette, Basil Tartaglia, Mark Bryan, Juan Carlos Carretero; and attending on Zoom: Bea Briggs.
I. Call to order
CC Hopf called the meeting to order at 7.37 pm. The meeting was on Zoom and recorded.
II. Requests from the public to be heard on the October 24, 2023 agenda:
Residents shared how the STRs “help take care of families”, “STRs give families resilience financially” and the STR’s spend money in our community.
The BTPC was questioned by the residents regarding urgency on the passing of the STR. Roger Keller said the BTPC reviews the proposed draft ordinance and forwards their comments and advisories to the BT BOS, the proposed draft STR Ordinance may go to the Bucks County Planning Commission for comment to Bridgeton Township and there is public hearing before final adoption (or not). There is no specified timeline.
A group of residents, “Responsible Renters of Bridgeton Township” (RRBT), presented a 2 page document – “A Statement of Concerns/Suggested Revisions” relating to the Township’s proposed Draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance under review by the BT Planning
Commission. This Statement of Concerns will be appended to the Oct. 24, 2023 minutes.
CC Hopf suggested going through the enumerated list of concerns:
It was commented that the ordinance was not easy to understand, coming across as ‘lawyer talk’, and in places the meaning is not clear.
Roger Keller said that the proposed ordinance is written by the Township Solicitor and suggested that questions about specific language
should be collected and put in writing.
CC Hopf asked the residents to forward the specific text passages that they wanted clarified and forwarded to Bridgeton Township by email at: info@BridgetonTwp.org. This will be forward by the township to the Bridgeton Township solicitor for explanation/reply.
The list of specific recommended changes from the two page RRBT document that was submitted were discussed and questions were fielded. For clarity some of the comments
made were on the following from the RRBT document:
1. Some of the group want residents to be able to own one STR in addition to any at their primary residence. The draft ordinance currently stipulates one STR at the primary
residence only.
3. Safety inspections of STRs. The group recommends independent private inspectors rather than the Township Zoning Officer… that the home owner pays for and may use either the local Fire Department or their own choice of Independent Safety Inspectors; Roger Keller commented that safety issues could be different for STR renters versus usual longer term renters.
4. In the proposed ordinance: STR owner-operators must be private individuals or LLC exclusive to the STR unit owned – “no corporate ownership”. Comment was made that exclusion of corporations might be a legal issue.
5 & #6 In reference to page 3, section F of the proposed STR draft… the RRBT commented that there should be no restriction on the number of rental days, and the number of guests should be increased from 2/bedroom to 4.
It was pointed out by the BTPC that this has potential for increased load on the septic system.
Bea Briggs on Zoom shared: An important concern is that STRs will change the nature of the community with fewer permanent residents contributing in their various ways to a healthy community. The community is already changing and it’s concerning. On the other
hand, it was pointed out, STRs offer some benefits such as enabling people to purchase housing and by creating living units thus increasing the stock of housing.
Discussion of the proposed Draft STR Ordinance was closed at 8.55pm.
It is noted that: Members of the public are welcome to share your comments on proposed ordinances, subdivisions and land development applications, or matters relating to planning and zoning to Bridgeton Township at: info@BridgetonTwp.org .
The Bridgeton Township Planning Commission/BTPC may support a proposed ordinance or subdivision/land development application or not, or simply not have an opinion one way or another. Either way, the Bridgeton Township Board of Supervisors/BOS may consider the
planning commissions insights but are not bound to agree with or act on any of the Bridgeton Township Planning Commissions/BTPCs recommendations.
III. Review of June 27, 2023 meeting minutes.
The draft minutes from the September 26, 2023 meeting were reviewed. Greg Gerhardt moved for approval of the minutes. The motion was seconded by CC Hopf. Per Roberts Rules of order, C C Hopf certified the minutes as written. There were no comments and the motion was approved unanimously, 3, 0, 1 (3 aye, one abstention)
IV. BTPC review of Bridgeton Township, Bucks County Pennsylvania draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance
The goal of the draft ordinance is to allow Bridgeton residents the opportunity for short-term rentals of their own homes or accessory buildings, with certain restrictions.
Majority of the BTPC meeting was listening to residents during the public comments.
V. The proposed Bridgeton Township Comprehensive Plan (CP) Update.
1) Bridgeton Township has received the completed Historic Survey containing photos, map, database and report for the historic resource survey update. Per BTPC discussion: the historic survey will be included in the CP update by reference and text only; corrections/updates will be taken care of prior to referring to the BOS; a link to the historic survey will be put on the Bridgeton Township website; Roger Keller will take care of theabove mentioned “details”.
2) It was agreed to tentatively hold a BTPC workshop meeting on November 28, 2023 on Zoom to go over the public comments that were received on the proposed draft CP update.
A public announcement of the meeting will be made if this workshop is to be held. If not held, a discussion on the CP update public comments that were received will be covered at the BTPC December 5, 2023 meeting.
–A link accessing the latest draft of the proposed CP update
is posted on the Bridgeton Township website and a copy of the CP draft available at the Bridgeton Township building.
-Public presentation of the proposed CP update was on 7/25/2023 via Zoom; The CP 45-day public comment period started 6/27/23, open until 8/12/23.
VI. Public comments: No further public comments
VII. Comments from the PC members:
Roger Keller inquired about the proposed draft ordinance amending the Bridgeton Township Zoning Ordinance to permit and regulate keeping and raising chickens as an accessory use.
C C advised the BOS requested the BTPC to discuss this again and will tentatively be on the January 2024 BTPC agenda.
VIII. Adjournment
Roger Keller moved the meeting to be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Greg Gerhardt and passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9.24 pm.
Michael Doyle