Short Term Rentals

In February 2023 the City Council adopted Ordinance Number 2023-05, regulating Short Term Rentals. On March 20, 2023 the Council updated the ordinance via Ordinance Number 2023-08. Ordinance Number 2023-12, adopted May 18, 2023 requires short term rentals to be located in Zoning District M. You can view the official zoning map here

That ordinance requires permits for all short term rentals in the city. Each short-term rental shall be issued a permit with a unique permit number. The permit number must be included in any and all advertisements for the short-term rental including any posting on internet booking sites.

People interested in applying to have a short term rental can do so online here. For a current listing of properties that have been permitted or are in the process of being permitted click here.

Some of the requirements for short term rentals are listed below. Please see the ordinance (linked above) for all of the requirements.

Emergency Contacts

Every permit requires the name, address, email, and 24 hour phone number of a local contact person that must respond in person within 1 hour to complaints regarding the condition, operation, or conduct of occupants of the short-term rental unit, and take remedial action to resolve such complaints. 

Inspections Required

Upon the application for a permit, and prior to the occupation of a short-term rental by guests, the applicant shall schedule an initial inspection of the residential structure with the building official and fire marshal's office to determine compliance with the following minimum occupancy standards:

  1. Number of bedrooms.
  2. Working smoke detector and fire escape plans installed in bedrooms.
  3. Fire escape ladders provided in each second story bedroom
  4. Working smoke detector installed in hallways.
  5. Bedrooms have two (2) means of escape.
  6. Working CO detectors, if gas is present
  7. Fire extinguisher present, accessible & inspected.
  8. Gas appliances both indoor and outdoor, including but not limited to stoves, furnaces, and water heaters
  9. Hot water temperature
  10. Pool safety
  11. Electrical Panel
  12. Any other items that pose a life safety concern as determined by the building official or fire marshal

A permit shall not be issued until the premises passes inspection. 

Occupancy Taxes Required

It is a condition of the initial and continued validity of a short-term rental permit that the operator has paid and remains current on the payment of all hotel occupancy taxes owed to the city under the Texas Tax Code. Most rental platforms do not automatically charge and remit these taxes to the city. The tax rate is 7%.

More information on the required taxes can be found here

The Occupancy Tax Remittance Form can be found here.

 

Maximum Capacity

The Maximum Capacity for each short term rental is 2 persons per bedroom plus an additional 2 people. 

 

Noise Monitoring

Each floor of the dwelling and each outdoor recreational area must have a noise and occupancy monitoring device installed, as approved by the Administrator.