Starting next week, a temporary ban on new short-term rentals will be implemented city-wide in Plano. The Plano City Council adopted the ordinance during their meeting on Monday night, effective from May 15, 2023, to May 15, 2024.
The council also discussed a proposal for a registration process and specific requirements for current short-term rentals. However, they decided to postpone the ordinance and discuss it further during their meeting on June 26, 2023.
Residents have been pushing for the ban since 2022 when a brothel was found operating inside a short-term rental. Neighbors have also reported other disturbances and safety concerns due to these properties. In February, a shooting incident linked to a short-term Plano rental resulted in bullet holes in a nearby residence.
Plano officials stated that the temporary measures will remain in place while the city gathers information, conducts public outreach and evaluates data to determine permanent solutions. During a meeting last month, the council approved a task force dedicated to short-term rentals, which will include representatives from different groups in the community.
Christina Day, the director of planning, mentioned during the meeting that the task force, along with other outreach initiatives, will be a crucial part of the overall problem-solving process and a positive move toward implementing permanent regulations for short-term rentals.
During the meeting, the city council had questions about the postponed registration ordinance, particularly regarding state laws. Senate Bill 929 pertains to the notification and compensation that a municipality must provide before revoking the right to use a property for a purpose that was permitted before the adoption or alteration of zoning rules or boundaries.
Plano's Director of Policy and Government Relations Andrew Fortune said the bill passed with an overwhelming majority and is presently awaiting the Governor's approval.
According to Fortune, implementing a ban on short-term rentals would result in non-compliant usage of properties, thus invoking the regulations outlined in the bill. He stated that additional time would be required to evaluate how the legislation would impact the registration ordinance.
