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Council directs staff to add short‑term‑rental definition to zoning code after public outreach
Summary
After a staff presentation and allied industry testimony, El Paso City Council unanimously directed the city manager and city attorney to draft a definition of short‑term rentals for Title 20 and to amend the permissible‑use table. The move follows a two‑year pilot and outreach with the Short Term Rental Alliance and local realtors.
El Paso City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to direct the city manager and city attorney to prepare an ordinance defining short‑term rentals in the zoning code and to amend the permissible‑use table so complaints and code enforcement can be properly categorized.
Staff presentation: Planning staff told council the city currently lacks a code definition for short‑term rentals and cannot reliably classify complaints. The presentation showed an increase in listings and a concentration in central districts; staff recommended a code definition before any additional regulatory steps.
Industry and stakeholder input: The El Paso Short Term Rental Alliance and the Greater El Paso Association of Realtors described voluntary standards, monitoring technology such as exterior noise/odor detectors, and a local —mom-and-pop— hosting market. Heidi Soys, president of the Short Term Rental Alliance, said most hosts operate a single property and —this is a mom and pop market here in El Paso.—
Why it matters: Councilmembers said a clear code definition will help 311 and code enforcement capture and analyze complaints that now come in under generic noise or nuisance categories. Defining the use in Title 20 is a prerequisite for any later permit, licensing, or location-based restrictions.
Action: Representative Maldonado Rocha moved to direct staff to draft a short‑term‑rental definition and amend Title 20; the motion passed unanimously. Staff will work with legal counsel and stakeholders and return the draft for public hearings and Planning and Zoning review.
Quote (from meeting transcript): —Short term rental host are faces ... This is a mom and pop market here in El Paso,— Heidi Soys said, urging a targeted approach that recognizes local hosts.
Next steps: City staff said they will draft proposed ordinance language, perform stakeholder outreach and schedule the item for Planning and Zoning Commission consideration and subsequent council readings.
