Residents are raising concerns about loud parties and short-term rentals along Ocean Drive as Corpus Christi prepares to consider changes to its ordinance in Novembe
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents along Ocean Drive are calling on Corpus Christi leaders to address problems they say are tied to short-term rentals, while a developer who owns 38 short-term rental properties along the road is challenging the city’s authority to regulate them.
Residents brought their complaints to City Council on Tuesday, describing loud parties and other disturbances they say are disrupting their peace and quiet.
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“Chris Munro and CNM Real Estate Holdings LLC have ruined our quiet neighborhoods and stripped us of any sense of peace and security,” resident Jill Reed told council members.
Another resident, Armando Leal, said the problems aren’t limited to weekends or special occasions.
“It’s any day of the week,” Leal said. “I really don’t look forward to holidays these days because I don’t know who’s gonna be there. I don’t know what’s gonna take place.”
Developer says he feels targeted
The complaints come as developer Chris Munro challenges the city’s authority to regulate short-term rentals through its ordinances.
Munro, whose company Coastal Family Homes owns 38 short-term rental properties along Ocean Drive, filed a notice of claim against the city on Sept. 29. The notice warns of a potential lawsuit over the city’s regulation of short-term rentals.
Munro argues that short-term rentals should be regulated through zoning laws rather than municipal ordinances, which he says can conflict with state law.
“There are a lot of cities that will sort of try and do these hodgepodge of local ordinances, and oftentimes they don’t do a good job at it,” Munro said. “They conflict with state laws.”
Munro said major cities across Texas regulate short-term rentals through zoning laws rather than municipal codes. He also alleged the city is targeting his business.
“They are targeting me. They are targeting shutting down our business and shutting down our short-term rentals,” Munro said.
Despite the dispute, Munro said he does not want to sue the city and hopes to work toward an amicable solution.
He also disputed residents’ claims about disturbances, arguing that not every noise complaint or neighborhood disruption should automatically be attributed to his tenants.
“Is it possible that every once in a while there’s a bad actor or a bad apple that wants to come in and throw a party? Absolutely, and that’s why laws and regulations exist,” Munro said.
City officials question effectiveness of current rules
The city’s existing short-term rental ordinance is also facing criticism from local officials over its effectiveness and enforcement.
Councilman Gil Hernandez sharply criticized the current rules, saying significant changes are needed to make the ordinance effective.
“In other words, it’s garbage, it really is,” Hernandez said. “I’m not gonna sit here and gaslight anybody and say, ‘We need to make these adjustments’ — that’s crap! And we got to make some serious adjustments to it in order to make it effective.”
Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle said enforcement alone is unlikely to resolve the quality-of-life concerns residents have raised.
“When we leave, it goes right back,” Markle said. “There’s not a fix unless we park police officers on those streets, and even that isn’t going to fix the quality of life issues that they’re speaking to.”
City Council to consider ordinance changes in November
The city’s Development Services Department and Short-Term Rentals Committee are scheduled to brief City Council on proposed ordinance changes on Nov. 10 for a first reading, followed by a second reading on Nov. 17.
All short-term rental permits are set to expire at the end of the year, and the city is expected to release information about the renewal process soon.
Under the three-month deadline cited in connection with Munro’s notice of claim, Dec. 29 is the earliest date he could file a lawsuit.