INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — Indian Rocks Beach city leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved a set of new rules for short-term vacation rentals.

Some of the new rules include a maximum occupancy of 10 people per home outside of the commercial tourist zone and quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. In addition, there must be a parking spot for every bedroom in the home, with a minimum of two spots.

A $400 annual registration fee is also part of the proposal, along with safety restrictions and no advertising for gatherings. Owners or their agents must be available by phone at all times for emergencies.

Many residents thanked the city commissioners for passing the new rules.

But an attorney representing short-term rental owners called the new law one of the most restrictive in the state and vows a lawsuit.  

Nearly a dozen Indian Rocks Beach residents told city leaders about the negative effects they’re experiencing living near short-term rental properties.

Resident Marilyn Bush said she sees six rentals from her front door. She called it the "invasion of the house snatchers." 

“We are now living the nightmare on our own streets,” Bush said. “I used to be welcoming and friendly, and now I’m the crabby old lady down the street.”

Another resident, Darlene Cavanaugh, said “I don’t know who these strange cars are that come every single day. They’re out of state. It’s creepy.”

None of the short-term rental owners showed up at Tuesday’s meeting.

City Council members voted unanimously to approve the new rules. (Josh Rojas/Spectrum Bay News 9)

Instead, they sent attorney Luke Lirot, who said the city won’t be able to avoid lawsuits.

“The courts have basically viewed this as adverse,” he said. “If you wanted to impose a regulation and make these short-term rentals treated differently than a single family residence — that’s been viewed as very, very unacceptable.”

Lirot said he represents about 50 short-term rental owners. He says the new law will affect their ability to make money off their properties.

"My clients do everything they can to prevent the so-called party house," Lirot said. "They’ve gone out of their way to try and help out with every aspect of operating a peaceful, friendly type of a short term rental.

"It was really just a handful of the operations that I think caused this, and they used that as the focal point to try to adopt this kind of legislation."

There is a two-year resting period as the city works to implement the new rules.