Planning commission approves short-term rental permit for 707 Dunn Street

The Waxahachie Planning and Zoning Commission approved a specific-use permit Tuesday allowing a short-term rental at 707 Dunn Street.

Staff member David presented the application for Derek and Shauna Cunningham, saying the property has three bedrooms, three off-street parking spaces and that the applicants requested an occupancy limit of six guests. “The applicant request to rezone the property from single family 2 to single family 2 with an S U P to allow for short term rental,” David said, and added that staff had received two letters of support and five letters of opposition and that the homestead exemption must be removed before the property may be registered as a short-term rental.

Applicant Derek Cunningham identified himself and said the couple does not currently operate any other short-term rentals. “This is our first,” he said when asked about their rental experience. Commissioners also heard that there had been no nuisance-related calls to the address in the past 12 months and that the listed emergency contact is located roughly 20 miles from the property.

No members of the public submitted appearance cards to speak on the application, and the chair closed the public hearing. A motion to approve the SUP subject to the conditions in the staff report was moved and seconded; the commission voted in favor and the motion carried.

The approval is subject to the conditions recommended by staff and to the applicant removing the homestead exemption before registering the property as a short-term rental. The commission did not record individual roll-call votes in the public hearing transcript; staff will follow up on permit registration steps.