Short-term rentals, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, will no longer be permitted in areas zoned for residential use in Pearland.
The details
Pearland City Council voted unanimously at its Feb. 9 meeting to update the city’s unified development code to change where short-term rentals can operate in the city and how many unrelated people can live in a home and still be considered a family for code enforcement purposes.
Previously, short-term rentals were permitted only in districts zoned for residential use, according to city documents.
Currently, there are 19 active short-term rental listings within the city, according to city documents. These will be grandfathered in and continue to operate as currently permitted, city staff said at the ordinance’s first Jan. 26 reading.
What else?
For housing purposes, the city’s current development code defines a family as any number of persons related by blood or marriage, or four unrelated people living in the same household.
The proposed amendment would change that definition to allow only three unrelated people living in a household to be considered a family, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
A short-term rental would be defined as a residential dwelling unit or bedroom in a residential dwelling unit that is rented out for compensation on a temporary basis for a period of less than 30 consecutive days, according to city documents.
The Planning & Zoning Committee unanimously recommended adopting the changes at its Jan. 13 meeting, and City Council voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance upon first reading at a Jan. 26 meeting.
