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La Porte adopts short‑term rental permit system with parking and safety rules
Summary
The City Council adopted an ordinance creating a short‑term rental permitting program, setting occupancy and off‑street parking requirements, requiring a 24‑hour local contact and establishing a revocation process. Staff reported 99 properties had shown activity in the last year.
Council adopted a new short‑term rental ordinance (ordinance 20 25 dash 4 0 9 7) that requires owners to obtain permits, provide a 24‑hour local contact within one hour of a complaint, meet safety requirements and remit the hotel occupancy tax.
Ryan Velook, director of planning and development, told council the city’s vendor reports show “there are 99 short term rentals within the city,” of which 36 were classified as active and 41 were owner‑occupied. The ordinance sets occupancy at two people per bedroom plus two additional people, and staff proposed off‑street parking be required so a three‑bedroom rental, for example, would need a minimum of five spaces.
Council members raised concerns about neighbor notification, enforcement and the potential for corporate housing; one council member said previous “party‑pad” incidents required a regulatory tool to remove repeat troublemakers. The ordinance includes a permit suspension and revocation process with an appeal to council and an incentive for owners who install approved noise monitors to receive a partial permit fee rebate.
The council voted to adopt the on‑table version of the ordinance that included staff’s clarifications on parking and the noise‑monitor rebate. The code changes take effect 14 days after adoption; related parking standards are scheduled to return to council at a September meeting for final codification.
