Coppell City Council approved a proposal to amend an ordinance that will establish special-use permit requirements for short-term rentals.
The details
A special-use permit will be required for properties defined as lodging houses, which includes short term rentals, bed and breakfasts, boarding homes, hostels, vacation homes and corporate housing, according to the May 9 agenda item.
The new guidelines mirror zone change requests. Property owners must fill out an application, and courtesy notices will be sent to neighbors. A public hearing will then be held at Planning and Zoning Commission and council meetings.
The change will allow for more transparency and community input, Senior Planner Mary Paron-Boswell said.
“Coppell has a robust short-term rental ordinance,” she said. “However, the biggest complaint we get from the public is that they have no say in the [short-term rental process].”
Also of note
Current short-term rental permit holders will be notified of the change, Paron-Boswell said. Those who want to continue using their properties as short-term rentals will need to go through the new process once their permit is due for renewal.
The backstory
Council passed the first short-term rental ordinance in 2018. Several revisions have since been made as city staff learns more about them, according to the agenda item.
The most recent ordinance was approved by the council in December. It included adding pools, garages and outdoor accessory structures as part of the short-term rental definition.
Short-term rentals had its own ordinance outside of the zoning ordinance prior to the amendment.
