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Diplomatic victory for short term rentals in Wimberley

Diplomatic victory for short term rentals in Wimberley
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A grueling two-hour debate on the future of short term rentals (STRs) in Wimberley ended in a diplomatic victory for proponents and critics alike.


It now sets the stage for Wimberley’s city council to consider a new STR ordinance with caveats. 


On April 12, the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended 6-1 to approve changes to the STR ordinance with the amendment to remove the annual Conditional Use Permit renewal process. That process could have added a yearly fee of up to $500. Commissioner Craig Reitz was the dissenting vote. 


The ordinance was drafted by Wimberley’s STR Committee, which has spent 10 months working on the changes.


Proposed changes, however, have been controversial among STR owners and residents alike in the city. Many raised concern over proposed CUP renewal fees.


Wimberley City Attorney Charlie Zech said a new ordinance was needed because the city’s current STR ordinance needed to be cleaned up. 


“Yes (the ordinance) could be revenue generating,” Zech said in response to concern by the commission over renewal fees. “But it must be revenue neutral. You can’t use it to make a profit, but enough revenue to cover services.” 


Despite the fees, Zech argued that the current STR ordinance needed to be reworked. 


Although commissioners approved a new ordinance, six of the seven members did not agree with the CUP renewal process and associated fees.  


Commissioner Rebecca Minnick said no other CUP in the city requires to a yearly renewal process.


“If we open ourselves up to annual renewal of the CUP, what about the other CUPs,” Minnick said. “I still have an issue with that, renewal fee aside.” 


Commission Sara Dishman echoed Minnick’s concerns, calling the renewal fee “steep.”


The proposed CUP renewal fee was meant to help pay for city’s STR software by Host Compliance, which will give the city a database of STRs operating in and out of compliance. 


The $19,000 a year software, which is paid quarterly and can be canceled by the city, was approved by city learders in 2019.


However, Zech said the software was already approved and was not the topic being discussed by the commission. 


Commissioner Peter Lingamfelter voiced major concerns, specifically the committee’s charge to push the ordinance quickly through the P&Z and the city council. Lingamfelter also was concerned with STR Committee Chair Albert Valera, who he felt has been trying to “push” the changes in a short period of time.


Minnick’s motion to recommend the ordinance with an amendment scrapping the annual renewal process garnered a supermajority of support from the commission. 


Commission Chair Natalie Meeks agreed that the ordinance needed to be “cleaned up,” but was not in favor of the annual renewal.


The Wimberley City Council will take up P&Z’s recommendation at its next regular meeting. 


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