Title
Consider adopting Ordinance No. 3575 approving short-term rental regulations; and take appropriate action
Body
BACKGROUND:
Numerous short-term rental noise and code violations have caused concerns from Farmers Branch residents. At the direction of City Council, staff was asked to review policy options for discussion relating to short-term rental properties in Farmers Branch. This resulted in the development of Ordinance No. 3575 which provides a pathway for regulating short-term rentals in Farmers Branch. Ordinance No. 3575 was originally discussed at the June 18 City Council meeting and again at the July 23 City Council meeting.
During the last week of June, staff sent out letters to all 44 short-term rental operators identified (address confirmed) in Farmers Branch. The letter invited all short-term rental operators to provide feedback on the proposed ordinance and/or attend the July 23 City Council meeting. Multiple residents that own or are impacted by short-term rentals took this opportunity to speak to Council. In the process of making the revisions to the current version of Ordinance No. 3575, staff reached out to Vince Bradford and Stephanie Robertson, Farmers Branch residents that operate short-term rentals in Farmers Branch that spoke at the July 23 Council meeting, and they provided feedback about the changes to the ordinance. In particular, both residents indicated that the two-day minimum stay would work, but one day would also work.
DISCUSSION:
Council will have the opportunity to review Ordinance No. 3575 and receive feedback from short-term rental operators and residents impacted by short-term rentals in our City.
The current version of the ordinance incorporates additional changes to the ordinance including changing the minimum number of nights to two, defining multi-family dwellings as part of the ordinance, greatly strengthening the City's ability to suspend a short-term rental license, and adding an appeal process.
RECOMMENDAT...
Click here for full text