After hearing two hours of public testimony for and against restrictions on Dallas’ 6,000 short-term rentals, the city’s zoning ordinance advisory committee has agreed to discuss the matter again — and will only hear. no public input nor will act on it – at a workshop session in August.
Residents and homeowners on both sides of the issue made their case to ZOAC on Thursday morning, repeating the key points from previous discussions. Dallas City Council’s preferred consensus is the “Keep It Simple” solution, proposed by District 14 Councilman Paul Ridley, which defines STRs as lodging uses and limits them to only areas where lodging uses are allowed. This would eliminate STRs in residential and multi-family areas.
Advantages and disadvantages
In a nutshell, many Dallas residents are responsible owners of rental properties. They live in town, some near their rentals, and regulate activity and behavior at properties. They pay their resort taxes on time and make sure guests are calm and respectful. Many rely on rental income to support their families. They argued that they should not be punished for the actions of a few irresponsible off-site owners who allow all-night parties and turn a blind eye to criminal activity.
At Thursday’s ZOAC meeting, residential STR advocates pointed to a recent initiative by Airbnb to eliminate party homes. The Airbnb platform announcement last month it banned properties listed for parties or events and limited the number of occupants. Those who violate the regulations will be suspended or banned from using Airbnb in the future.
Those on the other side say absentee landlords operate businesses that let transients and strangers into what were once family-friendly neighborhoods near schools and churches. The issue is a land use issue, and properties that function as hotels should not be planted among neighborhoods, opponents said.
Those against residential STRs say a memo from city staff identifying STRs as low-impact is outdated and inaccurate. They have offered what they see as a compromise, saying that under the ‘Keep It Simple’ option, property owners will still be allowed to list their rentals for short-term use, but not in residential areas. .
Next steps
Zoning board members were limited to a two-hour meeting on Tuesday because the room they were using was scheduled for another meeting. They heard about 50 speakers but didn’t meet with everyone who registered to voice their opinions, so those comments will be deferred to a July 21 meeting. At that time, the panel will also review its upcoming schedule and set a meeting date for August.
The August meeting will be a “business meeting,” with a briefing from city staff and an opportunity for council members to ask questions and discuss the issue. No action is expected from the committee at this time, officials said.
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