I’m a strong advocate for property rights, but property rights are not absolute where they impact the rights of others, else we wouldn’t have zoning to begin with. Short-Term Rentals erode the fabric of a neighborhood, which, combined with schools and amenities, is the foundational reason people seek to move to a given area. Without the foundation of strong neighborhoods, the whole community slowly erodes. Plano has three zoning categories that could be considered “transient lodging”: Bed & Breakfast, Motel/Hotel, and Boarding/Rooming House. None of them are permitted in residential areas, which was a deliberate decision made by the city council decades ago.
The only reason short-term rentals don’t have a zoning category all to themselves is that nobody conceived back then that short-term rentals (which have been around for decades in vacation destinations) would ever be a thing in a place like Plano. We were caught flat-footed by advances in technology and the marketplace.
I support a citizen commission to explore whether, where, and how short-term rentals might be appropriate in Plano, but the Plano City Council has never voted to allow short-term rentals in the city.
