Permits for some types of short-term rentals will not be granted until after Nov. 17 as the Corpus Christi City Council addresses enforcement issues stemming from capacity and noise complaints by neighbors.
The City Council approved a moratorium for new permit applications for Type 1 short-term rentals, which refers to properties rented out by a person living at the property. The city will also limit how many Type 2 rentals — rented out by a person who does not live at the property — can operate in single-family residential areas, which will apply to both new applications and permit renewals.
Mayor Pro Tem Kaylynn Paxson said during the City Council's Aug. 25 meeting that it was not the first time concerns about short-term rental enforcement had
been brought to the council.
Notably, Paxson said that overnight code enforcement on North Padre Island regarding noise and disruptive activity within short-term rentals has been a long-running struggle.
Residents living adjacent to short-term rental properties voiced frustration at the meeting, saying that the short-term rental ordinance adopted in June 2022 has not been properly enforced regarding excessive noise, capacity limitations and trespassing.
Real estate representatives and investors urged the council to postpone any action that would redefine eligibility criteria for short-term rentals, which had been proposed by city staff, saying that the changes could interfere with private property rights and interstate commerce.
Opponents of the proposed changes also raised questions about the broader economic impact to the city if the changes were approved.
The City Council did not adopt proposals that would have established a penalty of up to $500 and imposed other restrictions on how Type 1 and Type 2 rentals are defined.
Interim Director of Development Services Yvette Wallace told the council that there are many short-term rental units along Ocean Drive, Laguna Shores and around Padre Island. Short-term rentals are not permitted in single-family zoning districts within the Padre/Mustang Island Area Development Plan.
There are 1,547 short-term rentals across Corpus Christi, according to Wallace.
What are Type 1 and Type 2 short-term rentals?
A short-term rental is a property that rents out all or a portion of a residence for a period of less than 30 days and not less than 12 hours, according to the city's website.
These properties are often booked through Airbnb, Booking.com or other accommodation sites.
A Type 1 short-term rental is currently defined as a residential unit, or portion of a unit, occupied by the owner or an operator who resides at the property under a valid lease agreement with the property owner’s permission.
An operator can be defined as a renter or tenant and can claim “owner-occupied” status by residing on the property and providing legal proof of residency with a driver’s license, voter registration, homestead exemption or similar proof, according to the city code.
A Type 2 short-term rental is a residential unit, or portion of a unit, that is not occupied by the owner or operator.
Type 2 short-term rentals are limited to occupy no more than 15% of the total number of residential properties on a block face with at least seven residential units in single-family residential districts.
Type 2 short-term rentals within multifamily properties are not subject to the density limit.
What is next?
During the moratorium, city staff will convene a stakeholder committee to review the short-term rental ordinance and return proposed changes to the City Council for consideration on or before Nov. 17.
Current short-term rental permits valid through Dec. 31 will remain active and will not be revoked. Short-term rental permits are issued annually and are subject to renewal on a first-come, first-served basis.
Felicity Guajardo covers breaking news and public safety. Contact her at felicity.guajardo@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi officials pause certain short-term rental permits
