Short Term Rentals, Trash Pick Up, and Affordable Housing All Approved by City Council

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - Yesterday morning, the city council met for the first time in the New Year, and they had a lot to discuss. The main issues at hand were the legalities of Short Term Rental's and trash disposal. As reported in a previous article, STRs and Bed & Breakfast establishments were approved by the city in a 4-3 vote after a near hour long debate. This vote comes after several months of debates and negotiations

After effectively banning STRs and B&Bs within San Angelo's city limits in August 2016, city council members were ready to reconsider a few months later in mid-October. The October 5^th meeting brought more unanswered questions to the floor despite the addition of two amendments to the original ordinance. Therefore, the ordinance was once again postponed to the following city council meeting for approval. The December 2, 2016 meeting proved for many a victory as the city council members voted in favor of legalizing STRs and B&Bs in a 4-3 vote.

Tensions were high during yesterday's final ruling. The room was split, with proponents sitting on the right side, and opponents on the left. Each side would clap and cheer after a member of their 'team' spoke in front of the council members. Yesterday was also the last time opponents could make their case to the city council members as to why they believed STRs and B&Bs should continue to be illegal within the community - many of them did.

Ted Logan, current president of the Lake Nasworthy Home Owners Association, spoke for several minutes in front of the city council, and asked, "What good is an ordinance if the city is not going to enforce it? We had one in place and it wasn't enforced."

Logan further claimed that the city had sent out a letter to the homeowners along the lake stating that STRs "would not be allowed on any leased property." Logan also insisted that STRs were primarily a lake problem. 

“I know this is a citywide ordinance, but where do the people want to rent?" he asked. "They want to rent at the lake.”

Additionally, Logan brought to attention the issue of properties loosing their value, a topic many have already voiced their concerns over.

He noted, “Most of the homeowners at the lake have made a large investment on their property.” Now, “homeowners have to worry about having a devaluation of their property in the next 10 years because of the problems that are existing in the neighborhood.”

Mayor Dwain Morrison responded to Logan's claims stating “there are a hundred thousand citizens in this city [who] paid a lot for their home, and they're proud of their home, and they worked hard for their home, so I don’t feel that just because you live at the lake you are unique in this situation, nor anyone else.”

Councilwoman Charlotte Farmer and Councilman Lane Turner also took yesterday’s city council meeting as an opportunity to justify their previous vote. Farmer reiterated, “I have never compromised my beliefs for votes.” Farmer also shared her concerns and ultimately her reasoning behind voting against STRs. “I felt that we the city had not done enough due diligence on how to correct something that was, and had been allowed since before 2003,” and “I do not feel that we covered or researched how to protect existing property owner rights.“

Lane Carter continued to clarify his stance, as he was nervous of the “imminent threat of a referendum.” However, Mayor Morrison was not pleased with Carter’s reasoning, calling it “a non-viable argument.”

Before the vote, Councilman Harry Thomas and John James, Planning and Development Director, clarified that there was no such thing as “grandfathering” within the ordinance, an issue in which many have concerns. Thomas said the “eight properties that are out there right now, that have been designated [as STRs and B&Bs], are paying city and state hotel occupancy taxes.”

James added, “The only sense in which there’s anything that might be close to grandfathering is that those that are existing will have some extra time to come into compliance to get the license and conditional use permit.”

In the end, the council voted 4-3, with everyone except Councilwoman Charlotte Farmer, and Councilmen Lane Carter and Bill Richardson voting in favor of the new ordinance. This vote has finalized the ordinance, and it will go into effect immediately. The opponents left the McNease Covention Center looking rather grim and unsatisfied. Should a referendum come into play, LIVE! will provide an update.

On another note, the city also voted to amend its service contract with Republic Services to provide San Angelo residents with bulk pick-up every other week and recycle pick-up every other week. These new services will not go into effect until mid-2017. The council will hold a second hearing on this issue during the next city council meeting to further discuss charges that customers could face should they have excessive bulk trash to landfills. A major key in the new ordinance is the new call-in customer service center hours. Originally only open until 5 p.m., the call-in hours will now be extended to 7 p.m. However, those calling after 5 p.m. will be connected to a customer service center not based in San Angelo.

More affordable housing is also on the horizon. Bob Salas, Neighborhood and Family Services Director, came to the city council meeting seeking support to begin construction of Kirby Commons, an 80-unit affordable housing apartment complex for the general public on the corner of 29^th St. and MLK Blvd., as well as San Angelo Estates, a new 48-60 unit apartment complex for elderly renters near Surber Dr. and Baker Street. Kirby Commons will be a sister complex to Kirby Park Villas. Construction on the Kirby Commons should begin shortly, and will last approximately six months.

Furthermore, City Manager Daniel Valenzuela has been given permission by council to negotiate an agreement with 1-10 Race Promotions, INC. in regards to the annual Craig Partush Drag Boat Races at Lake Nasworthy.

For more information on these above mentioned discussed items and more, please visit the San Angelo City Council’s YouTube page.

The next city council meeting will take place February 7 at the McNease Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. As always, all city council meetings are open to the public. 

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