TAMPA, Fla. — It was standing room only as the Indian Rocks Beach City Commission discussed details of an upcoming ordinance meant to regulate short-term rentals.

Some residents have raised concerns about the number of vacation rentals in the city listed on sites like Airbnb and VRBO, saying they're lodging for transients and pack too many people into a home.

Meanwhile, owners of short-term rentals say most proprietors follow regulations and are getting lumped in with the minority who do not.

What You Need To Know

  • Indian Rocks Beach Commissioners held a work session on an ordinance meant to regulate short-term rentals in the city

  • Commissioners discussed topics including occupancy restrictions, registration fees and parking

  • The meeting was standing room only as residents both defending and frustrated with short-term rentals came to hear details of the in-development ordinance and let city lawmakers know what they think

  • The mayor told attendees the public will have two more chances to weigh in once the ordinance is completed and up for consideration by commissioners

"I'm super strict with my rentals. So, I'm definitely not the person that neighbors hate because my renters are super quiet and I don't have a parking problem. I don't have occupancy problems," said Diane Daniel, who rents her own home out while she's abroad. "But I do see both sides. The truth is, if I'm at my house, which I'm here now for half a year, and I was surrounded by short-term rentals, which I'm not, I wouldn't like it. So, I will follow whatever rules the city comes up with."

At Tuesday's work session, commissioners went through the template for the ordinance.

They tackled issues like parking, registration fees and occupancy restrictions. The group came to a consensus that in residential areas, rentals should be limited to two occupants per bedroom, with an additional two guests who can sleep in common areas, for a maximum of ten guests. 

"We were a little worried about some of the occupancy restrictions that they were going to put, but they allowed the two in the common area. As long as they keep that, my three-bedroom will go down from a ten to eight occupancy, according to that, but I'm fine with that," said Michael Loverde.

 

During the meeting's public comment session, Loverde told commissioners owning two short-term rental properties that he lists on Airbnb has allowed him to spend more time with his daughters.

"There's everyday people — not everyone is just an investor," Loverde said of what he wanted commissioners to know about property owners. "You know, there's the regular mom and pops. There's a lot of us."

Commissioners also agreed to a maximum of 12 guests for rentals in the city's commercial tourist district. Some at the meeting asked them to reconsider including that district in the ordinance, with one woman telling them it doesn't see the noise or parking issues people who live in residential areas have reported.

Nothing was voted on at the meeting.

City Attorney Randy Mora said the purpose was to get an idea from commissioners of what they wanted included in the ordinance. Mayor Cookie Kennedy told those in attendance the public will have two more chances to weigh in on the ordinance once it's completed and up for consideration by commissioners.