May 29, 2024

Will Francena Chalfant be allowed to use her home on Ridge Road as an Airbnb short-term rental? She’ll have to wait until the Chadds Ford Township Zoning Hearing Board meets next to find out.

Chalfant has been using her family home at 126 Ridge Road as an Airbnb rental since 2016 but the township zoning code does not specifically allow for such short-term rentals beyond a standard bed and breakfast. So, she is seeking a variance. The ZHB held a hearing on May 28 and now the members have 45 days to announce their decision.

She testified that she has four guest bedrooms and parking for 22 cars on the 1.7-acre property and that she’s home when there are guests. The number of guests can vary depending on the time of year, she said. There may be one or two guests per month in the winter, and up to 10 per month in the spring. She averages about 60 guests per year.

Several residents expressed concerns about traffic, parking, and noise, even though there have been no complaints from neighbors in the eight years Chalfant has been using the home as an Airbnb.

Other residents, including Craig Huffman, chairman of the township Planning Commission, said the commission was tasked by the Board of Supervisors about a year ago to look into developing an ordinance for short-term rentals such as those associated with Airbnb.

But, he said, “The township doesn’t have a strong desire for short-term rentals. Huffman added that Chalfant could have a bed and breakfast, which is a permitted use if various conditions are met, adding that there is no hardship that would require a variance.

Carolyn Daniels, a recently appointed member of the Planning Commission said, “I don’t think this is something the community wants.”

Chalfant bought the property in 1997 but two years later learned that it dates back eight generations within her family. It was once a Swedish trading post but became home to the first Chalfants in the area in 1699. It was sold to Isaac Bullock sometime between 1735 and 1767, and it stayed in the Bullock family until 1881, according to her research. (See Chalfonts celebrate 310 years in America for more of her research.)

She said she needs the income from renting the home to maintain the property.

Chalfant’s attorney Michael Hawley said, “We’re not talking about 30 people being there every weekend. It’s not that kind of operation. Ms. Chalfant will be on the premises at all times, and the number of guests there will be strictly limited.”

He added that granting a variance to allow her to continue renting out the guest rooms would help Chalfant stay in the community and that it would be a “benefit to the community.”

Attorney Ernie Angelos represented the township’s interest in the hearing. He said the township was not objecting to the variance, but wanted some conditions included should the ZHB grant it.

Among those conditions are that there be two forms of egress from the property, no off-street parking, life safety inspections must be performed, limiting stays to no longer than 180 days, and $500,000 worth of liability insurance.

Hawley said he had no objections to those conditions. He added that past performance is a predictor of the future and that during the last eight years of Francena Chalfant operating the home as an Airbnb, “there have been no problems, none.”

By law, the board has 45 days in which to render its decision. ZHB Chairman Bob Reardon said he wanted time to review the testimony and case law. Reardon and fellow board members Bill Mock and Paul Koch decided to render their decision at the next ZHB meeting.