Listening and final decision-making

Before presenting their final recommendations to the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council, Task Force members will review findings and comments from this Open House, then consider small adjustments in direction at a final Task Force meeting. For the past eight months, Task Force members — all local residents, including STR operators and affected neighbors — have been hearing from police, planners, and code enforcement officers, as well as listening to the public and debating the matter among themselves.


Task Force members have also had regular consultations with the City’s legal team. Texas law recognizes rental of property as a fundamental right. The Texas Supreme Court has not made rulings about STRs, and the lower courts have not been completely consistent. But across the state, many STR regulations are currently being challenged, including a high profile case in Dallas where the trial court suspended the city’s ordinance.

Regulation through generally-applicable nuisance ordinances, such as noise and trash disposal ordinances, are legally supportable. To date, the city that has been most successful in defending its STR ordinance relied on data and thorough, robust public input to demonstrate why regulations are needed and closely tailor those regulations accordingly.