INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — The community is finally receiving answers when it comes to short-term rentals in Indian Rocks Beach. It’s been a controversial issue for months.
Tuesday night, city commissioners passed what one attorney believes is one of the state’s strictest short-term rental ordinances.
City officials say they are going enforce all of the rules in their new 25-page ordinance.
"Right now, we are having an invasion of the house snatchers," one Indian Rocks Beach resident said Tuesday night to commissioners.
Some people took the stand during public comment to explain how their beach town is changing.
"Every home in our area that’s selling now, they’re all turning into short-term rentals," another resident added.
People say a big issue they see with short-term rentals is big parties. City commissioners hope the new ordinance will help stop that.
There will be fines if the rules are violated and a rental owner could see a suspension of their rental registration if it arises to that for repeat complaints.
You can’t advertise gatherings and there's a limit to how many people can stay overnight. For most rentals, it’s no more than 12 people per night.
The CT zoning district can have a limit of two people per bedroom, plus two people can sleep in a common area, but no more than 12 people. For other zoning districts, there is a limit of two people per bedroom overnight, plus two people in the common area and no more than 10 people overnight.
For those who already have short-term rentals, they will be grandfathered into a rule where they have a cap of up to 14 people per night for two years.
A noise scale will be enforced. The noise limits are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. 60dB (A) and 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. 55dB (A).
There will be one parking space per bedroom that must be on site.
These are rules some say are unfair.
"It doesn’t send the message people are welcomed to come visit here," Luke Lirot said, the attorney representing about 50 of the short-term rental owners, said.
Lirot believes the new rules will hurt those with Airbnbs and VRBOs. He already has plans to fight back against things in the ordinance, like occupancy.
"A number of these restrictions are subject to challenge," Lirot stated.
He believes this is one of the strictest short-term rental ordinances in the state.
"Here in the Tampa Bay area we have one of the most restrictive ordinance that’s been adopted in the state," he added.
The ordinance is now in effect, but Lirot plans to legally challenge it in the future.
Commissioners added it appears state legislation won't be impacting their new ordinance for the time being.