City of Meadowlakes
As mentioned in last week’s column, the state legislature is in full session. As with the 2023 session and the previous three sessions before that, bills have been filed that would – to put it mildly – place a damper on single- family neighborhoods like Meadowlakes.
One example is HB 878 introduced by Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton (pop. 20,000). Rep. Vasut’s district also includes such cities as West Columbia (pop. 3,600), Lake Jackson (pop. 28,000), Freeport (pop. 10,000), Danbury (pop. 1,700), and Sweeny (pop. 3,600).
There is a companion bill in the state senate introduced by Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola (pop. 5,200). The two largest cities in his district are Paris (pop. 25,000) and Texarkana (pop. 36,000).
HB 878, SB 673
I mention the populations above because certain provisions of those bills apply only to cities with populations in excess of 85,000. But there are other provisions that apply statewide. For these two legislators to introduction bills containing provisions that affect only citizens in other parts of the state would prompt the curious among us to raise their eyebrows. Could this be some sort of political jiggery-pokery?
Specifically, HB 878 and SB 673 would force every city in Texas to allow a second dwelling on every single-family zoned lot, potentially doubling the population that the city would have to provide service for and undermine the privacy afforded by single-family zoning. These bills would clearly apply to Meadowlakes and to residents of other cities in Burnet County and surrounding counties.
In passing, I note a second section of HB 878 is aimed specifically at large cities. It would allow developers to carve up into multiple smaller plots lots on which a single-family residence currently exists and build multiple dwellings. Under this bill, for example, if the lots in a neighborhood are 7,500 square feet, developers could purchase a home, tear down existing homes, and throw up five dwellings. You may have friends or relatives who would have their neighborhoods affected by this section of HB 878.
I would emphasize that Meadowlakes would still be subject to the provision tying the hands of cities that wish to continue honoring single-family zoning.
The Goliathan sized head-scratcher for a resident of a conservative county like Burnet County, is why Republicans, who have held power in the state for three decades, would throw their support to a bill that, if passed, could turn the state blue.
A similar bill introduced in 2023 was defeated by only two votes in the House and passed in the Senate. Special interests understandably have the bucks and can sadly influence votes. But they do not cast a ballot. Voters do.
I am being somewhat political, which I generally try to avoid. But as mayor of a city that has attracted residents in part because of the single-family housing that exists, it is important to spell this out.
Short-term Rentals A related issue that was the subject of a 2023 column, is that of shortterm rentals (STRs). The POA and the city have received documentation establishing a house in Meadowlakes being advertised for sale for use as a short-term rental.
To avoid any confusion, I want all homeowners to please remember that rentals of less than 30 days are expressly prohibited under the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions of our POA.
The amendment confirming that prohibition received overwhelming support from homeowners in late 2023. Further, the same amendment to the restrictive covenants also prohibits the advertising of properties on platforms and websites such as VRBO, Airbnb, HomeAway, and the like, that offer short-term rentals.
The purpose of this minimum period of time for rentals is, of course, to preserve Meadowlakes as a neighborhood, a place where long-term residents get to know and trust one another as opposed to becoming, as has been the case in many other cities, a collection of mini hotels occupied by a revolving door of total strangers every weekend.
I am advised that the law in Texas is clear, with the Texas Supreme Court having decided this issue nearly three years ago.
