Pearland Bans New Short Term Rentals in Residential Areas, Existing Units Grandfathered

PEARLAND, Texas — Short term rentals such as Airbnb and Vrbo will no longer be allowed in residentially zoned areas in Pearland following a unanimous vote by City Council.

At its Feb. 9 meeting, Pearland City Council approved updates to the city’s Unified Development Code that change where short term rentals can operate and revise how the city defines a “family” for housing purposes.

What Changes

Under the new ordinance:

• Short term rentals are no longer permitted in districts zoned for residential use • Existing approved short term rentals will be grandfathered and allowed to continue operating • The definition of “family” for code enforcement purposes has been updated

City documents show there are currently 19 active short term rental listings within Pearland. City staff stated during the Jan. 26 first reading that those properties will remain permitted under the grandfather provision.

Definition Updates

The city’s development code previously defined a family as any number of people related by blood or marriage, or up to four unrelated individuals living in the same household.

The amendment reduces that number. Moving forward, only three unrelated people living together will be considered a family under city code.

A short term rental is defined in the ordinance as a residential dwelling unit, or a bedroom within a residential dwelling unit, that is rented for compensation for less than 30 consecutive days.

Timeline

The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the changes at its Jan. 13 meeting.

City Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance on first reading Jan. 26 and gave final approval at the Feb. 9 meeting.

The updated code now formally restricts new short term rentals from operating in residential zones within Pearland.

Source: Pearland City Council documents and meeting proceedings