STR Ordinance Passed!
Jeryl Hoover spoke at the candidate forum hosted by the Gillespie County Democratic Association.
Mike Mahoney here. We are in a subdued celebratory mood today. After 3+ hours of meeting on Monday, the City Council approved Draft 6 of the STR Ordinance (with a few changes). This ordinance puts our neighborhoods in a much better place and the new ordinance should be more enforceable than the current one.
It passed because of the efforts of many of you who spoke at Council meetings, wrote letters, encouraged others to join the Coalition, and in general got the word out. Thanks to each of you! This upwelling of citizen input was surprising to some council members, but it forced them to recognize that the unbridled growth of non-owner occupied STRs in our neighborhoods had to be addressed. And so it has, and the new ordinance will take effect April 1.
The biggest win for the neighborhoods in this ordinance is that, from the effective date onward, it almost completely halts the development of further non-owner occupied STRs in R1 neighborhoods (with a very narrow exception for those streets where there are already 75% or more). However it does nothing to cause STRs to transition back into homes for residents. That remains a major future goal for the Neighborhood Coalition!
This ordinance achieves:
Limits parking for existing & pending STRs to onsite parking plus only the curb parking directly in front of the unit.
Occupancy is limited to 2 guests per bedroom plus 2, up to a max of 12.
The above must be included in any advertising for the unit and posted in the STR.
Violations of these and other new restrictions are fineable offenses.
In the future we will be providing more information on the new ordinance including how violations can be best reported so as to get maximum enforcement attention. Before the upcoming City elections, you can expect to see the Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition’s recommendations on the mayoral and council candidates who have pledged to support our neighborhoods and ensure that the community’s vision for itself, A Path to the Future, becomes our reality. Make plans to vote and help us achieve this goal!
- Mike Mahoney
