Barrett Township defines a short-term rental as any dwelling unit rented for less than 30 consecutive days, during which the owner or manager is not present. Since these are short-term stays, the people renting are considered guests, not residents, and a judge referred to this transient nature as forming a “transient community.” This can impact the local community, especially when some of these rentals become party houses, further squeezing local families out of available rental homes. Those living next to such properties may begin to question the township’s Ordinance 391 and the role of elected officials in enforcing it.
After several months of submitting Right-to-Know requests to Barrett Township’s Right-to-Know officer, Pam Gardsy, I learned more about the process and requirements for obtaining a permit. One requirement is that properties must be registered with the Monroe County Treasurer. However, when I began investigating, I found that only about half of the properties with short-term rental permits were registered. When I first raised this with the zoning officer, she insisted that registration was required. But when I followed up about the unregistered properties, she changed her stance, stating she doesn’t require it. I have emails proving this contradiction.
Nowhere in Ordinance 525, Section 55 does it allow the zoning officer to bend the rules. This raises concerns about how permits are being issued, especially in cases like the Cresco Investment Group, which holds permits but has not met key requirements, such as registering with the county treasurer. It seems that locals are the ones following the rules, while outsiders aren't held to the same standards.
As I continued my investigation, I encountered increasing resistance. Initially, my requests were met with cooperation, but after two months, I started to receive denials. I currently have one appeal in progress. Among the documents I reviewed, I noticed that Cresco Investment Group’s property on Lake Road didn’t have the required septic inspection certificate to obtain a permit. When I asked about this, the zoning officer, Jeryl Rinehart, admitted she didn’t have the document. Later, I received a receipt for septic pumping from Gotta Go Potties dated the day before, but it was not a valid inspection. This was two years after the property had already been operating as a short-term rental.
I also uncovered an insurance issue. Ordinance 391-6, Section 4, Subsection E, requires property owners to have a minimum $500,000 liability policy. However, the insurance policy on file for Cresco Investment Group’s property only covered $150,000. After I pointed this out, a new document was provided the following day, with coverage starting more than a year after the permit was issued. This raises serious concerns about how thoroughly permit applications are being vetted.
In conclusion, it seems that our zoning officer, Jeryl Rinehart, is not performing her duties properly. She allows the wrong documents to be used, fails to enforce critical requirements, and oversteps her authority. Pam Gardsy, our township supervisor and chairman, has also failed to address these issues when brought to her attention. And Cresco Investment Group is exploiting loopholes to operate a disruptive short-term rental without following proper legal procedures.
The integrity of our community is at risk, and it's time for the township to enforce its own regulations fairly and consistently.
