Legal Notice Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of Harris Township shall conduct a public hearing at 7:00 PM on November 10, 2025, to receive public comment and consider action on proposed Ordinance No. 382 entitled, "AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF HARRIS, CENTRE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, TO PROVIDE FOR THE LICENSING AND REGULATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITHIN HARRIS TOWNSHIP; DEFINING CERTAIN TERMS USED HEREIN; ESTABLISHING APPLICATION AND LICENSE PROCEDURES; ESTABLISHING STANDARDS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS; ESTABLISHING AND PROVIDING FOR VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES; DECLARING VIOLATIONS TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE; PROVIDING FOR A REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, AND EFFECTIVE DATE". The meeting will be held at the Township Meeting Room, 224 East Main Street, Boalsburg. All interested parties are invited to participate in the hearing. The ordinance would amend Chapter 3, entitled "Licenses and Permits", to include Article 3, known as the "Harris Township Short-Term Rental Ordinance." This ordinance would establish regulations, procedures, and standards for the review and approval of short-term rentals. Short-term rentals are defined as any dwelling unit or portion thereof utilized for overnight lodging for a period of (1) not less than one day nor more than 29 consecutive days, and (2) not more than 120 days per calendar year. Short-term rental facilities do not include a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or farm stay as such terms are used and defined in Chapter 12, Zoning. Short-term rentals are permitted to be located only as provided in the Zoning Ordinance. No owner of any property would be able to operate a short-term rental without first obtaining a short-term rental license. Licenses would be non-transferable, would be required for each short-term rental unit, and would be effective for a calendar year from January 1st through December 31st. The proposed ordinance includes information that must be submitted with any initial or renewal application for a short-term rental license, including but not limited to a scaled drawing of the property illustrating off-street parking spaces, floor plans for the short-term rental, name and contact information for the person in charge, evidence to demonstrate that the property is owner occupied, proof of registration for hotel tax, and proof of a valid rental housing permit from the Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA). Short-term rentals would need to meet the operational standards and conditions contained within the ordinance. Short-term rentals would need to be owner-occupied unless otherwise permitted by the ordinance, and no more than two dwelling units on any property could be utilized as a short-term rental. One off-street parking space is required for each bedroom within a short-term rental, and all occupants of the short-term rental would be required to park their vehicles within the spots designated within the approved license application. The maximum occupancy of the short-term rental would be designated by the CRCA. The operational standards and conditions section of the ordinance also includes limitations on the number of day guests permitted at a short-term rental, as well as times such guests are permitted. Short-term rental licenses must be posted in the dwelling unit and the license number, along with the maximum occupancy and off-street parking capacity, must be included in any property listing in which the short-term rental is advertised. Short-term rentals would be required to have a visible and legible notice posted within the dwelling unit or adjacent to the front door containing contact information for the owner of the unit and the local person in charge, the 911 address of the property, the maximum occupancy and day guests permitted, and related parking restrictions. The occupancy of recreational vehicles, camper trailers, and tents is not permitted on properties containing a short-term rental. Any property that was not owner-occupied and contained an actively utilized short-term rental sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the Ordinance would be exempt from the owner-occupancy requirement. The exemption would cease once ownership of the property is transferred, the property becomes owner-occupied, the property is no longer utilized as a short-term rental, or the property no longer has a valid short-term rental license. The proposed ordinance also includes an exemption to the owner-occupancy requirement for temporary absence due to special circumstances, such as academic sabbaticals, military deployment, temporary work relocation, medical treatment or caregiving, or other unique circumstances. This exemption could not exceed 12 months unless extended by the Township for good cause. Short-term rental license fees would be established by an adopted resolution of the Board of Supervisors and such fees would apply at the time of initial application or renewal. Violations of the Short-Term Rental Ordinance would result in penalties and/or fines as defined in the ordinance, with license revocation occurring after the third offense. The ordinance contains a license revocation section, stating that a license will be revoked if three violations of the listed ordinances occur within any consecutive 12-month period. License revocations would be for the remainder of the license cycle and one calendar year, but not to exceed thirteen (13) months. The ordinance contains a severability clause, repeals prior inconsistent ordinances or parts of ordinances, and contains an effective date. Copies of the proposed ordinance are available for inspection at the Harris Township Municipal Building, 224 East Main Street, Boalsburg, PA, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by request. Mark Boeckel Township Manager IPL0285437 Oct 29 2025