What’s happening?
Council will hold a public hearing Oct. 16. The hearing will be open to anyone interested in sharing their thoughts on short-term rental homes in Lewisville, such as those listed on Airbnb, Vrbo or other sites. No action will be taken at the meeting.
Those who can’t attend can provide input through the city’s online survey. Comments on short-term rentals can also be emailed to Chris McGinn, director of neighborhood and inspection services at [email protected].
Some context
Lewisville officials are studying possible regulations for short-term rentals, particularly in residential neighborhoods.
Lewisville does not have short-term rental restrictions. Council discussed options during a Sept. 11 workshop. Some of city staff’s recommendations included addressing problem properties immediately, requiring registration and hotel occupancy tax payment, and gathering public input from residents and short-term rental property owners.
By the numbers
The city has seen an 86% increase in short-term rental properties over the past three years, according to data collected by city staff.
There are 93 short-term rental properties in Lewisville as of July. The majority are located on the city’s west side.
More than half of the owners are Lewisville residents.
Of the 93 identified properties, 74% had no call for service or code violations in the past year, according to data from city staff. The most common violations reported are high grass and weeds as well as unsightly material, such as trash, while the most common calls are for noise disturbances and information.
What else?
Citizens can report issues with a short-term rental property on the city’s ourLewisvilleTX app or by visiting https://lewisvilletx.citysourced.com.
