City staff has been working to develop an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals since an initial ordinance was tabled last year. According to city staff, crafting a proposal could take weeks, as input from the Plano Planning and Zoning Commission is required, and the city would like to gather more public input.
Short-term rentals, or STRs, are residential properties that can be rented for less than 30 days through websites, such as Airbnb and Vrbo.
During a discussion, council members suggested options, such as a temporary ban on short-term rentals, phasing out existing short-term rentals, regulations or permits to regulate them, and a nuisance or loud party ordinance. To help speed up the process, council may schedule a joint meeting with planning and zoning commission.
Residents who spoke during the meeting pointed to a correlation between short-term rentals and noise, litter, crime and a Feb. 26 incident where gunshots were heard from an STR on Cannes Drive.
Many in attendance at Monday's meeting carried paper signs with slogans, such as “End Short Term Rentals Now” and “Removal is the Remedy.”
John Green, who lives on Cannes Drive, said before the meeting he was sound asleep on Feb. 26 when the sound of shots being fired around 1:45 a.m. jolted him awake.
“And then I started looking for our gun,” Green said.
Paige Palmer said prior to the meeting her Ring doorbell camera captured video and sounds of approximately 30 shots being fired across the street from her home on Cannes Drive.
The incident has rattled the neighborhood, she said.
Plano resident Mark Cherne, who said he has a short-term rental property in another state, was the lone voice who spoke in support of short-term rentals. He noted there are responsible operators of such properties, and he has not had complaints or problems.
Plano Mayor John Muns said "protecting the entire community" is council's main priority.
“I’ve lived here for 54 years,” Muns told the audience. “I love this city. It was just a town back then. And so I care very much about the reputation of Plano, the safety of Plano; and I want everyone here and all of those who aren’t here to know that we are here for you. This is what we’re all about—protecting the entire community.”
A video of the entire meeting is available online.
