The City of Plano is under growing pressure from people who want changes to short-term rental rules. Neighbors in one community are sounding the alarm after a shooting outside a rental property.
At Monday’s city council meeting, they demanded that city leaders keep short-term rentals away from single-family homes, and they were joined by several others.
Bill France is with the Plano Texas Neighborhood Coalition. He spoke publicly to the council at Monday night’s meeting.
“Over the past eleven months you have heard the testimony of many of your residents,” said France. “You've heard about the loud parties in the middle of the night.”
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France compared having a short-term rental next door to having a commercial business for a neighbor.
“Folks don't move into a suburban neighborhood and expect to live next to a hotel and bar or a brothel,” he said
The meeting comes just two weeks after a bullet came through the window of Zoe Sanchez's three-year-old daughter's room. The shooting started with a fight at a local short-term rental.
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“I don't sleep. I'm fearful, I'm anxious as each passing day brings a possibility of an out-of-control party at the property or any other properties surrounding us,” Sanchez said.
Mark Cherne, though outnumbered by those opposed to STRs, said he and his wife have plans to turn their current Plano home into a short-term rental. He has an STR in another city and said responsible renting is possible.
“We have had zero complaints or problems with our short-term rental,” Cherne said. “The vast majority are regular people like you and me who simply want to get away for a little bit.”
Current city policy prohibits bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels, and boarding homes in Plano single-family areas. The city must now collect data to find a legally sustainable ordinance for short-term rentals.
“The discussion and direction of short-term rentals are on the preliminary opening meeting so we can get some direction for putting it on the agenda for making decisions,” said Mayor John Muns.
Potential zoning amendments, legal guidance, and additional public feedback will take time before Plano finds a resolution.
