The purpose of this article is to establish regulations for the registration and use of a residence or residential structure, or portions thereof, as a short-term rental, as that term is defined in the city's zoning ordinance, chapter 14 of this code. Nothing in this article, however, shall be construed to be a waiver of the requirement to assess and collect hotel occupancy taxes for any residential rental for less than 30 consecutive days, or any other applicable provision of this code.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
Advertise.
The written, audio, oral or other methods of drawing the public's attention whether by brochure, written literature or on-line posting to a short-term rental in order to promote the availability of the short-term rental.
City council.
The governing body of the City of Haslet, Texas.
Hotel occupancy tax.
The hotel occupancy tax as defined in article 11.04 of this code and chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code.
Local emergency contact.
An individual other than the applicant, who resides within 20 miles of the subject property, and who is designated by the owner to act as the owner's authorized agent if the owner has traveled outside of the immediate area or is otherwise unavailable. The local emergency contact should be reachable on a 24-hour basis, have access to the short-term rental property, and be authorized by the owner to act in the owner's absence to address any complaints, disturbances, and emergencies.
Mayor.
The mayor of the City of Haslet, Texas, or his or her designee.
Owner.
Any person, agent, operator, firm, trust, corporation, limited liability company, partnership or business organization having a legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official records of the state, county or municipality as holding title to the property; or otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or code official of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court.
Primary residence.
The usual dwelling place of the owner of a residential dwelling and is documented as such by at least two of the following: Motor vehicle registration, driver's license, state identification card, voter registration, property tax documents, or utility bill. For purposes of this article, a person may have only one primary residence.
Reception or event center.
A commercial or nonprofit facility, whether indoor or outdoor, that can be rented to accommodate groups for parties, entertainment, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, weddings, and similar activities.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
No person shall hereafter advertise, offer to rent, or rent, lease, sublease, license or sublicense a residential property within the city as a short-term rental for which a registration has not been properly made and filed with the building services department of the city. Registration shall be made upon forms furnished by the city for such purpose and shall specifically require the following minimum information:
(1) 
Name, address, phone number and e-mail address of the property owner of the short-term rental.
(2) 
Verification that the short-term rental is the applicant's primary residence.
(3) 
Name, address, phone number and e-mail address of the designated local emergency contact.
(4) 
The maximum number of occupants permitted for the dwelling unit or sleeping room in accordance with section 4.08.005(b) of this article.
(5) 
A submission of a sketch floor plan of the dwelling with dimensioned room layout.
(6) 
Site plan/survey of the property indicating maximum number of vehicles that can be legally parked on the property, without encroaching onto street, sidewalks or alleys, or other public rights-of-way or public property.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
Upon initial registration, or any renewal thereof, and prior to the first rental occupant of a short-term rental, the owner is required to schedule a short-term rental registration inspection of the residential structure with the city’s building services department to determine compliance with the minimum property standards in chapter 3 of this code.
(1) 
If only a portion of the premises is offered for rent, then that portion plus shared amenities and points of access shall be inspected.
(2) 
If, upon completion of the inspection, the premises are found to be in violation of one or more provisions of applicable city codes and ordinances, the city shall provide written notice of such violation(s) and shall set a reinspection date for such violation(s) to be corrected prior to its occupancy.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023; Ordinance 010-2023 adopted 3/20/2023)
(a) 
External signage.
There shall be no external on-site or off-site advertising signs or displays indicating the property is a short-term rental.
(b) 
Limit on occupants allowed.
No more than two adult guests per bedroom, plus no more than two additional adults shall be allowed when renting a property as a short-term rental with a maximum occupancy of ten (10) persons, adult and children.
(c) 
Limits on number of vehicles.
There shall be a maximum of one car per bedroom, or maximum number of cars that can be accommodated within the garage and driveway, without extending over the public rights-of-way (alleys and sidewalks) whichever is less.
(d) 
Advertisement and contracts.
Any advertisement of the property as a short-term rental and all rental contracts must contain language that specifies the allowed maximum number of occupants and maximum number of vehicles.
(e) 
Other restrictions.
It shall be unlawful to:
(1) 
Operate or allow to be operated a short-term rental without first registering the property in which the rental is to occur within the city in accordance with this article;
(2) 
Operate or allow to be operated a short-term rental during a period of time in which the registration for said short-term rental has been suspended or revoked;
(3) 
Advertise or offer a short-term rental without first registering the property in which the rental is to occur with the city in accordance with this article; documented advertisement of the subject property as a short-term rental, online or offline, shall be considered evidence of a violation of this article;
(4) 
Operate a short-term rental in any location that is not the registrant's primary residence;
(5) 
Operate a short-term rental that does not comply with all applicable city and state laws and codes, including but not limited to the noise regulations contained in chapter 8 of this code, as amended, and those parking regulations contained in the Texas Transportation Code, as amended;
(6) 
Operate a short-term rental without paying the required hotel occupancy taxes;
(7) 
Offer or allow the use of a short-term rental for the sole or primary purpose of having a reception or event center, as defined herein;
(8) 
Fail to include a written prohibition against the use of a short-term rental for having a party in every advertisement, listing, or other publication offering the premises for rent;
(9) 
Permit the use of the short-term rental for the purpose of: Housing sex offenders; operating a structured sober, recovery or other purpose living home or similar enterprise; selling illegal drugs; selling alcohol or another activity that requires a permit or license under the Alcoholic Beverage Code; or operating as a sexually oriented business.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
(a) 
Informational brochure.
Each registrant operating a short-term rental shall provide to guests a brochure that includes:
(1) 
The registrant's twenty-four (24) hour contact information;
(2) 
A local responsible party's twenty-four (24) hour contact information if the property owner is not within the city limits when guests are renting the premises;
(3) 
Pertinent neighborhood information including, but not limited to, parking restrictions, restrictions on noise and amplified sound, and trash collection schedules;
(4) 
Information to assist guests in the case of emergencies posing threats to personal safety or damage to property, including emergency and nonemergency telephone numbers for police, fire and emergency medical services providers and instructions for obtaining severe weather, natural or manmade disaster alerts and updates.
(b) 
Safety features.
Each short-term rental registrant shall provide in the premises working smoke detectors in accordance with adopted codes and at least one working carbon monoxide detector and alarm, and one working fire extinguisher. The premises shall otherwise comply with all applicable adopted building and municipal codes, including but not limited to the building and fire codes.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
Within ten (10) days of the approval of a short-term rental registration, a notice will be sent by the building services department of the city to all property owners within three hundred feet (300 ft.) of the property line and shall include the twenty-four (24) hour contact number for complaints and emergencies, and pertinent information about this article.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
(a) 
All registrations approved under this article shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of its issuance.
(b) 
The fees for registration and inspection of a short-term rental shall be as established in appendix A, fee schedule, of this code.
(c) 
Upon receipt of an application for renewal of the registration, the building services department may deny the renewal if there is reasonable cause to believe that:
(1) 
The registrant has violated any ordinance of the city, or any state, or federal law on the premises or has permitted such a violation on the premises by any other person; or
(2) 
There are grounds for suspension, revocation, or other registration sanction as provided in this article.
(Ordinance 017-2018 adopted 8/20/18; Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
(a) 
The mayor may, without warning, notice, or hearing suspend a short-term rental registration if the holder of such registration or any guest or invitee on the premises of a short-term rental covered by such registration does not comply with the requirements of this article. Such suspension shall be effective upon service of the notice in accordance with section 4.08.012, herein, as amended, and shall be for a period of up to six (6) months. When a registration is suspended, any short-term rental of the subject residential structure shall immediately cease. Whenever a permit is suspended, the holder thereof shall be afforded an opportunity for a hearing within 20 days after receipt by the regulatory authority of a written request for hearing.
(b) 
Whenever a registration is suspended, the holder thereof shall be notified in writing that an opportunity for a hearing shall be provided if a written request for hearing is filed with the city within ten days after receipt of notice. If no written request for hearing is filed within a ten-day period, the suspension is sustained. The mayor may terminate the suspension at any time if reasons for suspension no longer exist.
(Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
(a) 
Upon three (3) violations within a five (5) year period by a holder of a short-term rental registration or any guest or invitee on the premises of a short-term rental covered by such registration, the mayor may, after providing opportunity for a hearing, revoke a short-term rental registration.
(b) 
Prior to revocation, the mayor shall notify, in writing, the permit holder or the person in charge, of the specific reason(s) for which the short-term rental registration is to be revoked and that the registration shall be revoked at the end of the ten days after service of such notice unless a written request for a hearing is filed within the ten-day period. If no request is filed within the ten-day period, the revocation of the registration becomes final.
(c) 
The holder of the revoked registration may make written application for a new registration no sooner than one (1) year after the date of revocation.
(Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
(a) 
The city council shall hear all appeals taken under this article for denials, revocations and suspensions.
(b) 
The mayor shall designate the time and the place for the hearings provided herein. Based upon the evidence presented at such hearing, the city council shall make a final finding by sustaining, modifying, or rescinding any notice or order considered in the hearing. The city council shall furnish a written report of the hearing decision to the permit, license, or certificate holder.
(Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)
The notice provided for in this article is properly served when it is hand delivered to the registration holder, or when it is sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the registration holder.
(Ordinance 006-2023 adopted 3/6/2023)