INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — The Indian Rocks Beach city commission is trying to find the middle ground between an issue creating a divide: short-term rentals.
Some longtime locals of Indian Rocks Beach say having new neighbors every few days is ruining their small beach town. But those managing the rental properties point to the good it provides the city, like bringing in tourism dollars.
On Wednesday evening, after an hourslong meeting commissioners drafted a new ordinance for short-term rentals.
In that, a detailed list of topics was addressed, including capacity and parking.
In the workshop meeting, commissioners adjusted a proposed draft to include the capacity for short-term rentals. It will be set for two people per bedroom, plus an additional two people per home. The capacity limit for homes regardless of the number of bedrooms was set to 10 per unit.
The city decided to stick with its existing parking code for short-term rentals.
"The minimum required parking for a vacation rental will conform to the minimum required parking for structure based on the requirement already existing for the LDC," Randy Mora, the city attorney, said.
The LDC or land development code requires two to three spaces, depending on home size. But no more than three parking spaces are required for residential homes.
"We don't them parking on the streets," Commissioner Jude Bond said. "We don't want them parking on the grass... We want the right number of cars for the house..."
The commission is considering hiring a special magistrate and code enforcement officer to uphold the new ordinance. Those salaries would be paid for through rental inspection fees.
All of these proposed changes are being drafted into a new ordinance. That new ordinance will be read at the next commission meeting.
The next city council meeting is March 28 — when the commission will likely continue to debate and modify the city's short-term rental ordinance.