They packed the council chambers clutching copies of a proposed ordinance that many in attendance are not excited about.

Robert McDonald owns several rental properties throughout San Marcos.

"If you're opposed to the basic principal of registration, the rest of it is a waste of energy."

Like many who spoke at Monday's workshop, he said the city of San Marcos should focus on code enforcement, not making more rules for property owners.

"We don't need a landlord czar in San Marcos, we don't need another layer of bureaucracy, and more permit fees," he said.

The ordinance would require rental owners to register with the city, pay $70 and provide the city with the contact information for a local property manager.

If there are a series of problems with a property then the owner could lose their license to rent.

Property owners said that the proposed ordinance crosses the line.

Richard Skiles, a property owner, was not pleased with the proposed requirement that would increase the scope of responsibility for a landlord.

"It makes me as a landlord more responsible for the activity of a tenant than their parents. It's asinine, it's completely ridiculous".

The city said the registration requirement would help hold landlords accountable for problems at their property.

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"All that additional cost in licensing fees is just going to be passed on to the tenant and it's going to be a negative effect as far as people wanting to invest in rental type properties in San Marcos," Wayne Becak of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce said.

The city marshal estimates that there are close to 2,000 properties in the city that could be affected by the ordinance.

The work group is on their sixth draft of the ordinance and the City of San Marcos hopes to have a final copy to the city
council in March.

The council rejected the idea of registration two years ago.