With summer here, the City of Brownsville Planning and Redevelopment Department is reminding residents that renting private residential pools for parties or events is prohibited under city ordinances. City officials say reports of unauthorized pool rentals tend to increase during the summer months, especially when school is out and residents look for ways to earn extra income. According to the department, these gatherings often result in complaints from neighbors related to traffic congestion, loud noise, and disturbances within residential neighborhoods.
Officials say the department typically becomes aware of the gatherings after neighbors contact authorities to report large parties taking place at homes with pools. Martin Vega, Assistant Director of Planning Services, explained that while pools are allowed as a personal amenity for homeowners, using them as commercial rental spaces is not permitted under the city’s Unified Development Code. “Any single-family home or residence can have a pool as a personal amenity to their home,” said Vega.
“Now, the action or activity of renting it out to a third-party individual or for an event or party is not permitted by the unified development code.” Vega added that the trend becomes more common during the summer when students are out of school and pool owners look for additional revenue opportunities. “Kids are out on vacation and bored at home,” Vega said. “It is very common for people who own a pool to say, ‘Why not have a little extra revenue by renting out my pool?’” The department warns that these gatherings can negatively impact nearby residents and create safety concerns in residential areas.
“With the pool parties, there is an increase in traffic in the neighborhoods and noise and just causing nuisance to the surrounding area,” Vega said. City officials remind residents that anyone interested in operating a pool rental business or event venue must do so at a commercially permitted property and not within a residential development. “No, it’s not permitted to rent out your pool for third-party events,” Vega said. “A pool is only permitted, again, as a personal amenity to the property, and if you do wish to pursue the idea of renting out an outdoor pool, you would have to look for a property that is commercially zoned and not within a residential development.”
Source: City of Brownsville
