Legalities of Short Term Rental Regulations

The City of Richardson is likely to adopt short-term rental (STR) regulations. Richardson is not the first city to try this. It won't be the last. There is a legal thicket surrounding cities' attempts to adopt STR ordinances. Several key cases are still working their way through the courts and haven't yet reached a final judgment. Courts have looked more favorably on reasonable regulation than outright bans. So, rather than risk having more aggressive regulation tested in court, Richardson's regulations are geared to trying to control the nuisances (noise, parking, trash) that STRs bring to neighborhoods.

Schmigadoon (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Schmigadoon (TV 2021): Backpacking couple wanders into a 1940s musical and is stranded there until they find true love. A form of entertainment that doesn't exist anymore. More homage than parody. Unexpectedly, it gets better the longer it goes. Just go with it. Delightful. B-

Short Term Rental Regulations Coming to Richardson

Source: Movie Photo, Everett Collection.

The Richardson City Council reviewed a possible ordinance regulating short-term rentals (STRs). This is in response to a public outcry over an out-of-control explosion in the number of short-term rentals in the City of Richardson, accompanied by an enormous number of nuisance violations (noise, parking, trash). (The police chief was on hand to define "out of control" and "enormous": he said that the police receive "a handful" of complaints each year.) But the public wants short-term rentals banned, so the City Council has to do *something*. So they shall.

Dining, Hookah, but not Belly Dancing

Another Time, Same Old Place

Back in June, a wild night at the Richardson City Council meeting saw the Council reverse themselves on a key rezoning vote. After voting 4-3 in May to approve a rezoning request for an outdoor venue for dining/hookah/music on Abrams Road in Richardson, in June Council Member Joe Corcoran reversed himself and voted against the actual ordinance that was drawn up to make the May vote official. The property owner, knocked back on his heels by this reversal, went back to his corner and licked his wounds. Now he's back with a request for approval of a similar application for the same property.

POTD: Grand Bahama Port Back in Business

From 2020 02 04 Bahamas

Today's photo-of-the-day is from February, 2020. It shows Grand Bahama Island, five months after Hurricane Dorian devastated the island. According to ReliefWeb, "Dorian hit The Bahamas on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane, causing flooding and mass destruction on the northwest islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama...Hurricane Dorian was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record -- and the strongest hurricane to have ever hit The Bahamas." We visited Grand Bahama five months after the hurricane. The port was back in business, receiving supplies of food and building materials for reconstruction. Bahamians are resilient. Don't hesitate to visit.

POTD: Hurricane Dorian and Grand Bahama

From 2020 02 04 Bahamas

Today's photo-of-the-day is from February, 2020. It shows a nature conservancy in Grand Bahama, five months after Hurricane Dorian devastated the island. According to ReliefWeb, "Dorian hit The Bahamas on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane, causing flooding and mass destruction on the northwest islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama...Hurricane Dorian was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record -- and the strongest hurricane to have ever hit The Bahamas." We visited Grand Bahama five months after the hurricane. The hurricane stripped almost all the leaves from the trees in the nature conservancy, but life was slowing coming back. Like nature, Bahamians are resilient. Don't hesitate to visit.

Bonus photo after the jump.

Get On Board...A Streetcar Conductor Replies

This week, I had a few things to say about the City of Richardson's process of appointing people to boards and commissions. City Council member Joe Corcoran graciously took the time to reply.