City schedules combined workshop on container homes and short-term rentals; aesthetics and safety highlighted

The Texarkana Planning and Zoning Commission scheduled a combined workshop May 22 to address short-term rentals and local rules for container homes after a commission member raised concerns about a container home under construction on College Hill.

Jamie, speaking for the applicant Roger Douglas, said the container homes "meet all the building code" and should generally be treated as single-family dwellings if they comply with residential code requirements. The property cited in discussion was identified as 3030 Ferguson, and the builder’s estimated cost for a single container home was given as about $65,000.

Commissioners discussed aesthetics and potential discriminatory treatment compared with conventional houses. Several members said they supported treating container homes as single-family dwellings but wanted aesthetic controls to prevent incompatible appearances — for example, limiting the number of exterior colors and setting a single primary and trim color. Jamie said there is draft language in the meeting packet and that staff will include container-home items in the workshop materials.

Members also noted the city and state do not have a codified tiny-home ordinance, and staff cautioned against local rules that could be construed as discriminatory; the discussion emphasized safety checks (for example, ensuring containers were not previously used to haul hazardous chemicals) and appearance standards rather than a blanket prohibition.

The commission invited board members to the May 22 workshop; no formal action was taken at the May 13 meeting.