🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Lago Vista, TX
City Council Advances Short-Term Rental Ordinance with Focus on Compliance and Fair Oversight
Council Forms STR Game Plan: From Permits to Penalties
At its October 16 session, the city council moved one big step closer to regulating short-term rentals (STRs), reviewing a redlined draft ordinance and a model version from the city attorney. Councilmember Benfield led the charge, emphasizing that the new law aims to formalize STR operations, secure hotel tax compliance, and protect homeowner rights — all without overloading city staff.
The council dove into specifics. Should new STRs self-certify compliance or go through a city inspection? Staff recommended self-certification as a starting point, citing manpower limits, but still want the option to inspect when issues arise. Discussion then turned to fees: a preliminary $525 initial permit and $500 renewal were introduced but will be recalibrated once the city crunches real costs like staff time and licensing software.
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A six-month compliance window for existing operators earned broad support to prevent bottlenecks. And in a nod to transparency, both council and community members backed the idea of posting a rental checklist inside each property, giving guests and hosts a shared sense of responsibility.
To bring order to the process, the council voted unanimously to form an STR ordinance subcommittee. Councilmembers Som and Benfield, joined by staffers Jordan and Jillian and up to two citizens, will tackle key points: inspection staffing, fee structure, enforcement timelines, and the right legal language to stand up in court.
The next steps involve a staff cost analysis to underpin any fee proposal and a push toward progressive enforcement — starting with warnings, escalating to fines, and ending with permit revocation if needed. The group also aims to align STR oversight with existing nuisance and noise codes, helping make the ordinance enforceable from day one.
All in all, the city’s STR playbook is starting to take shape — practical, flexible, and ready to move from draft to reality.
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