Wayne officials consider ban on short-term rentals
Mayor Christopher Vergano said the ordinance was introduced after several incidents involving parties at short-term rental properties.
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Township leaders in Wayne are considering a ban on short-term rentals, citing complaints about large parties and neighborhood disruptions.
The proposed ordinance, scheduled for a vote at Wednesday night’s Township Council meeting, would prohibit rentals of 29 days or less. If approved, the measure would effectively end short-term rentals in the Passaic County township.
Mayor Christopher Vergano said the ordinance was introduced after several incidents involving parties at short-term rental properties.
“We had one instance where they came with a tour bus parked outside and 30 people came out. Used the pool, made a mess. Were very loud, and that’s typically what happens with short-term rentals,” Vergano said.
Under the proposed ordinance, violations would carry escalating fines. A first offense would result in a $500 fine, followed by $750 for a second offense and $1,250 for each additional offense. Repeat violations could also result in eviction.
If adopted, Wayne’s ban would contrast with nearby Clifton and Passaic, which recently approved ordinances allowing short-term rentals, with the potential to generate additional revenue ahead of the World Cup at MetLife Stadium.
Vergano said preserving the township’s character, as peaceful, is the priority.
“Wayne is a very quiet community and has 55,000 people over 25 miles, but it’s really families that want to protect the amount of money that they’ve invested in the homes that they’ve purchased. So we want to keep the town quiet,” he said.
