As resident after resident complained about short-term renters next door–the noise, the partying, the traffic, the garbage, the unexpected–the Palm Coast City Council chambers Tuesday evening sounded more like a scene transplanted from the County Commission a decade ago, or legislative committees in Tallahassee every year since.
But the legislature just passed a law that forbids cities like Palm Coast from imposing stricter regulations on vacation rentals than they would on permanent residents.
“We have an influx of short term rentals, all these Airbnbs have completely surrounded us,” a C-Section resident of 20 years who lives off of Cimmaron Drive told the council, the first of many tolling that complaint. “I want to know why they don’t have to notify the neighbors that hey, we’re opening a business right next to your house. Because right now I have one directly behind me and right next to me.
“The noise from these businesses, day and night, seven days a week, there are people partying, 7:30 in the morning, dogs just barking incessantly. It doesn’t stop. The parties, the screaming, the yelling, there’s rap music, foul language, drinking, and most recently, drug use. The mounds of garbage that they leave behind are like liquor cases.”
She said there were eight cars parked at the house next door last week. She’s called the Sheriff’s Office, she’s called the fire department to alert authorities about occupancy exceeding limits. The two owners of the vacation rentals live out of the county. The neighborhood, she said, is ruined.
So it went, speaker after speaker, repeating the very stories, the very phrases really, that had been spoken in the well of the Government Services Building to the County Commission in 2012 and 2013, by residents of the Hammock.
Flagler County government took care of the problem when it successfully lobbied lawmakers for two years in 2013 and 2014. That year, a law returned authority to local governments to regulate short-term rentals–an authority the Legislature had taken away in 2011. That 2014 law was translated into a Flagler County ordinance that quelled the most egregious abuses of short-term renters while still giving property owners the freedom to rent out their homes, or sections of their homes, in a booming vacation-rental industry.
Grandfathered properties aside, Flagler County could regulate occupancy, limiting it to 10 occupants, it could conduct fire safety inspections and require strict adherence to traffic and garbage controls, and impose a registration fee that has helped defray the cost of inspections and enforcement. The local regulations have not stopped the county from being a favored vacation-rental destination.
As of January, there were 652 single-family homes used as vacation rentals in the county, according to the Tax Collector’s quarterly data, 774 condos, town homes or duplexes used to that end, and 45 dwellings only partially used for rentals. Of that total, Palm Coast had 506 vacation-rental properties, Flagler Beach had 198 and unincorporated Flagler County had 809, a majority of those in the Hammock, which had been ground zero of the vacation-rental wars.
Every year since 2014, however, the vacation-rental industry lobbied lawmakers with growing intensity to roll back the 2014 regulations. Finally, this year, the industry succeeded. Lawmakers approved a law that all but eliminated local authority, even as the wording of the law made it appear that local governments could still enforce regulations.
But it’s doublespeak. While the new law allows counties and cities to regulate vacation-rentals, the governments are prohibited from imposing any regulation on those vacation rentals that do not apply to other residents. In other words, Palm Coast is prohibited from inspecting a vacation rental if the city is not also inspecting all other dwellings in the city, and applying the same standards uniformly. In essence, the state law gives regulatory authority on paper while taking it away in fact, since no local government has the resources to inspect all its dwellings–let alone the political will to intrude on permanent residents as if they were vacation renters.
The new law had one exception: Flagler County. Thanks to Rep. Paul Renner, the speaker of the house, Flagler County’s existing ordinance got a carve-out of its own. It was allowed to be grandfathered in, remaining intact and in force. Flagler Beach has been grandfathered since 2011, so it’s also unaffected. But the majority of counties and cities, including Palm Coast, are out of luck. They have to put up with sprawling vacation rentals with little to no regulatory authority. The county’s ordinance has no effect within city limits.
That doesn’t mean the rentals may not be policed: residents may call in complaints about noise and traffic and garbage, but the city has to respond on a per-case basis. Without authority to impose stricter regulations on the rentals, the city will be faced with an increasing amount of complaints, which it will have to address through Sheriff’s Office policing and Code Enforcement.
One fading silver lining: Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet signed the new law, and its opponents have some hope that he may veto it. If he does so, it would free local governments to enact ordinances within the 2014 framework.
Still, “Our hands are tied” was the most frequent response Palm Coast residents heard from the City Council Tuesday evening. And every person who complained was referred to the new law that robbed localities of the authority to do more.
“The max that we can really do at this point as a city, unfortunately, is enforce our own code with regards to parking and noise,” Council member Theresa Pontieri, an attorney, said. “Unfortunately, we’re preempted by the state county with regards to anything else that we can do. So really just want to encourage code enforcement to stay on top of these issues for the benefit of our residents since our hands are tied otherwise.”
But Palm Coast’s hands weren’t always tied. It’s not this council’s fault. But previous councils could have adopted an ordinance identical to the county’s. Had it done so, it could have used the same Renner leverage to ensure that its ordinance would be grandfathered in. The city chose to do nothing over the years. That lack of vision is what has now allowed the cicada-like vacation-rental phenomenon to emerge. Those cicadas are not going away.
Nor will the complaints.
“We are also surrounded by Airbnbs, we’re suffering from the same problem,” another C-Section resident told the council Tuesday evening, citing light and noise pollution and asking for a restriction on number of occupants and more stringent controls on light pollution. But the new law preempts both.
“I’m sure there is a huge burden of unnecessary effort being placed on the local police,” the resident said. “We had to call the police twice on Sunday evening to come and ask them to stem down the noise and to calm down and give us some peace.”
One resident cited an Airbnb next door advertising capacity for 15 people, one set of renters putting in a slip-and-slide for eight children.
To all that, Mayor David Alfin asked the city manager to draft a summary of the new state law and distribute it to council members “so we’re all up to speed on what can and can’t be done at this point in time.” The council intends to hold a broader discussion on the problem in coming weeks.
Mr. Wilson says
And, and RAP MUSIC! Heaven forbid rap music! LOL!
Wow says
How about the cities add taxes to the property owners to help pay for the additional calls to the police and the extra garbage created by renters. It’s only because money matters more than common decency that these wannabe “tycoons” buy up property and rent it out to anybody at all. They could pony up to pay for the results.
Tired of it says
Our neighborhood is ruined, traffic, noise, drunken strangers milling about, thank the Republicans that control the county and the city. And I wonder how many are doing it under the radar and not paying sales tax. Why cab’t they be regulated as any other business?
Mothersworry says
PC has an ordinance for just about everything. Let them write some that curtail some of the problems. Fine the property owner an amount equal to what they charge for rent. If that doesn’t work raise the fine.
Get creative.
jeffery cortland seib says
This issue is a can of worms on a slippery slope. Other communities in Florida have tried, and failed, to regulate this type of housing. When I lived in Gainesville, the home of University of Florida, residents there were constantly speaking out to the city council regarding students renting homes in residential neighborhoods trashing the places with cars parked all over the lawns, constant parties, chairs and lounges on roofs and in trees, and alcohol containers and trash all over. The city council passed an ordinance, it went into effect and for a brief period all was calm. Then the rental property people, just like here, went to their lobbyists in Tallassee, got it revoked, just like here, and now it’s again a mess, just like…The courts have ruled against us, only new legislation from Tallassee will solve this problem, which means, I hope, folks will continue to speak out.
Deborah Coffey says
If you vote for Republicans know this: They don’t care about you; they care only about 2 things…power (control) and money. For a few people, that’s fine. For 98% of us, it isn’t.
Joe says
This whole town has become a crap hole just like the rest of them with all this overbuilding construction. I think im going to start looking for greener pastures! Literally!
Joe D says
To WOW:
Actually Rental properties D0 pay more taxes than single family residences, and LICENSED “short term” rentals ( those with a lease of less than 6 months) pay even more in taxes.
However, Governor Ron and his RUBBER STAMP Legislature have decided there should be no additional ZONING permits that that required of single family residences (Florida voters put them in office…and for Governor Ron, they did it TWICE)! We have no one to blame but OURSELVES!
The ONLY thing you can do is have your “security camera” on 24/7 (possibly with AUDIO if you have a notice posted that audio recording is in progress), and back up your calls to the police and local authorities with DOCUMENTATION! Unfortunately “foul language” is technically not ILLEGAL, even if it is annoying and upsetting.
Some jurisdictions allow neighbors to sue the owners of properties who have HABITUAL violations of noice, occupancy, trash…and if enough violations accumulate, can legally force the owners to sell as a NUISANCE property. Most likely NOT in FLORIDA though.
Kath says
Here’s a thought if the economy 🤔 was so good. ….maybe they could afford to pay their mortgage!!! They need money 💰 to pay it !!! Then your problem is solved 😉…..And the people coming in is probably only thing keeping restaurants open.. and other businesses..the farther you get away from the beach. Slower the businesses &restaurants are. Double ege sword.
Shark says
Just call FCSO – That’s what they get paid for. I think they must know how to write ordinance violations !!!!
Tony says
We have plenty of sheriff officers to handle this situation. Don’t give Staly an excuse to get more deputies. And as far as code enforcement doing anything forget about it. By the time they react it’s all over. That’s one department the city could do without. They drive around with blinders on. One of the code violations is that you should not see garbage pails from the street, Take a ride down Florida Park Drive and see how that’s working out.
Backslapping Commission says
Here are your players and the puppets of PC, this is all about their “GENTRIFICATION”
process to have have people sell their homes and move, it’s all part of their loopholes and
what they lobby for their future plans. Anything they can do to get people out whether be
noise from airbnb’s, airport flight school noise and leaded pollution, no calming traffic
safety measures, flooded homes due to poor codes that were not properly enforced, carried
out and rewritten it goes on and on, all the while the county/city keep raising taxes to make
it unaffordable for people to live here. Walker Douglas is the developer son, who is building the
Cascades in Seminole Woods. Toby Tobin is Alfin’s business partner at Grand Living Realty.
Greg Blose, the head of the Palm Coast/Flagler chambers. Jeff Douglas is the developer, who is
building our town center and throughout PC. John Walsh ran the Palm Coast observer. Recently
resigned and sold it . David Alfin, who calls in on one of these podcasts, our lovely Mayor,
since it is a public podcast. I want you to share this with all your friends in Palm Coast.
DO NOT VOTE FOR DAVID ALFIN along with Danko and Klufas. Who are the Yes! Men.
All of these clips have been shortened except the last one. That one is a copy of Friday Free
For All where Toby Tobin, Jeff Douglas, and Greg Blose tell you pretty much they don’t care
about this city. The others are Toby and Walker Douglas telling you their intent for the western
annexation. Walker actually thanks Toby (Alfin’s Business Partner) for the 25.5 Million that
was allocated for the extension of Matanzas Woods Parkway. We now have the former owner
of the Observer (John Walsh a close personal friend of Alfin) rocking around town bragging
how he’s going to become a multimillionaire from selling huge CDDs out on the west side. His
new occupation is in real estate. Walker also says “we get to write the ordinances”.
The latest on Tobin’s Real estate matters is to push that CDDs (Community Development Districts)
will slow the pace of people coming to Florida. That’s the current propaganda being pushed by
the powers that be. These are the people that are determining the destiny of our city, with no
intent of bringing industry to balance out our tax base. In the $25 million clip Toby and Walker
say we’re going to build build build the interior of the available lots, then build build build on
the west side annexation. Then watch the taxes rise and once they are to high just leave…..well
Walker will be able to….Tobin admits that he’ll be to old by then and this is for Walker. That’s
when Walker thanks him for the $25 Million, which came from the 54 million of infrastructure
money, that actually turned outy to be 31 M. Their plans will only cause devistation to Palm coast.
On the east side of the railroad tracks by Matanzas, all the way down to Us 1 /Seminole woods.
They tap into our infrastructure, they aren’t built for year so we don’t see the tax revenue, until
it’s sold to the new homeowner. Enjoy for you listening pleasure and be sure to share.
https://youtu.be/HxSERincDRQ?si=KEId3gj0ZXnyDR-R
https://youtu.be/3wT9m6GofAQ?si=AKE6gnViL_Xh_ZKP
https://youtu.be/UasrUXucwXw?si=-X047ueGnMAn2-tq
https://youtube.com/shorts/CJDJFaTaj4w?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/avXMclYkmCA?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/_UYvbMnU7Fc?feature=shared
The Gentrification of Palm Coast Time 7:32 Douglas as “Mayor”. Who’s really running our city?
YOUTUBE.COM
The Gentrification of Palm Coast Time 7:32 Douglas as “Mayor”. Who’s really running our city???????
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JimboXYZ says
I’m with you on this, there already has to be a long list of ITT established ordinance for just about everything Palm Coast has already experienced that wouldn’t be considered special for rental units, short term & long term. It’s like the long term renters with their musclecar or 4×4 trucks with 200-700+ HP doing powerbrake/burnouts in front of the duplex or even their neighbors driveways. Overparking, nobody is allowed to park in yards or in the swales anyway. There’s a driveway & garage, what doesn’t fit in the garage & concrete driveway that is subject to that as an ordinance violation. Palm Coast has already had ordinances for signs & the types that turn a residential into 24/7 advertising space for a local business that many have tried to relax.
It really shouldn’t matter if the next buyer of an existing or even new construction residential property wants to turn a property into a rental short or long term. The ordinances for residential sections are already in place. Whether the property was a true homeowner for their own homestead for the first 20-40+ years of the existence, opening an airbnb there is irrelevant, it’s still a quiet residential and those rules apply to the homeowners, the long term rental & even the short term rental airbnb stays as businesses.
At least as long as I’ve been on planet Earth, alcohol & other legal/illegal substance abuses is nothing special to apply for either residents or airbnb renters. If a neighbor reports a drunken driver, that’s pre-existing laws & ordinances that have never been owner/renter specific legislation. It’s just a matter of how much one would tolerate from heir neighbor, like any domestic call to FCSO ? Loud music, that’s just an indicator of the potential for impaired driving if it comes from a car. Same holds for those that lack judgment & just not having common sense about a home stereo being too loud.
All any airbnb lease agreements are, is a rental to live short term like any other longer term resident, no exceptions. It’s not license to do as one pleases. Even if those airbnb stays were to lease a motel/hotel room in Flagler Beach, alcohol & illegal drug abuse isn’t allowed. If drugs are being bought & sold, provided or whatever, a homeowner can do that in any house either. That’s just a quick call to FCSO for the SWAT team to raid the house for illegal drug operations. And when they find illegal drugs the Green Roof Inn should become their new airbnb. The rules are the rules, we all have to live by them or bear the consequences of a bad choice in life to make. Nobody getting any special treatment in that ?
The Sour Kraut says
If you don’t like it, it is horrible to have to listen to it. How about someone next door to you blaring bluegrass?
Al Hadeed, County Attorney says
It’s unfortunate that the City of Palm Coast was not able to take advantage of the regulatory authority conferred by the landmark 2014 legislation. The legislation returned some measure of home rule to local governments. The rental platform industry took us on in the Legislature for 9 consecutive years, but the will of homeowners and residential subdivisions prevailed in the Legislature each year, sometimes barely.
One other tactic was to sue local governments. The court in the Seventh Judicial Circuit upheld the local home rule powers exercised by Flagler County and the appellate Fifth District Court of Appeal chose not to disturb that legal conclusion. Other courts around the state were upholding local government initiatives to curtail excessive nuisance behavior at short term rentals and evasion or neglect of registration and tax payments.
The court losses accelerated the industry’s need to circumvent the accountability that many local governments were enacting and, hence, their big legislative push to overturn local authority.
As the author of this article said, the bill enacted is a twisting of legal words to essentially undermine local authority. A popular phrase in Tallahassee for such legislative work is “blue smoke and mirrors.”
I will say that our legislative delegation, Speaker Paul Renner and Senator Travis Hutson, were leaders in the effort to dial back on the legislative push. We have them to thank, ultimately, for grandfathering Flagler County’s regulatory program from this bill.
Thanks are also due to the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties for their tireless effort to rid the bill of its most egregious provisions, along with the numerous local governments which sought to educate legislators about the merits of local home rule power, as well as ordinary citizens whose voice also was heard.
And one more shout out, residents of Flagler County, whether residing in the cities or the unincorporated areas, should have no concern that rentals are evading tourism and sales taxes. The Tax Collector with the authorization of the Board of County Commissioners took on the task of collecting taxes from short term rentals.
I can assure you that office’s efforts are effective and sustained. While tax collection records are legally protected by privacy, the Tax Collector and her excellent staff are dedicated to collecting taxes from everyone who should be paying. This is only fair to those rental owners who have been paying the taxes voluntarily all along. No effort is spared by the Tax Collector to educate rental owners about their obligations under the law.
Bob J says
Just like the sheriff doesn’t respond to fireworks complaints because they can’t be bothered. They never respond on time to see the violation and then can’t do anything about it.
Lorraine says
DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY REAL ESTATE BROKERS into any local office! They are just lining their own pockets with all this building! I am looking seriously into the viability of “Mike Norris” for the mayor of Palm Coast!
Ummm Nope says
LOL, you’re kidding, right? Record vacation travel. Record airport travel. Talk to the corporations still using COVID supply issues as a reason for high prices. While you’re at it, ask Publix why they are selling a dozen eggs for $9 when Aldi has the same brand (free range) for $3.75. Ask Publix why they sell Tide Pods for $17.69 when Aldi sells the same Tide Pods for $14.29 (both a 42 count). Greedflation is just that—corporations pushing the American consumer to spend more money until they refuse. Then and only then will they “slash” prices (like many are right now). It’s like gas
prices. During Clinton, gas was $.79 a gallon in NJ and PA. His last year in office, it went up to $1.19. People had a fit. By the second year of GWB presidency, gas hit $4+. Sure, you can blame 9/11, to a point. It should’ve come down back to where it was but it never did. Now we see $3 gas as the norm. Point is, corporations are greedy. They want their shareholders happy. They don’t care how much money we have to pay, so long as we do pay. POTUS cannot control private businesses nor should we want them to—because then, we’d have no freedoms except for the ones they allow us to have (in other words, an autocratic dictatorship).
The truth about this is you know nothing about how vacation rentals work. My brother-in-law owns houses in PA, NJ, FL, and CA. He rents them all. Not because he needs money for his mortgage. He wants toys, like a Lamborghini, multiple cruises, art, etc. He charges enough that it covers the cost of the mortgage on the vacation rental (none are empty long), his own house, and gives him money for his toys. These people with vacation rentals here are no different. They don’t “need” the money to pay bills. They want the money for their fun.
Laurel says
Jimbo: You’re missing the point. No one is complaining about long term renters, and there is a big, big difference between long term renters and short term renters. Long term renters are vetted by the property owner, short term renters are not. All that’s required is a credit card. Long term renters, for the most part, do not want to get kicked out of where they live, whereas short term rentals have no skin in the game of the community, and don’t give a shit. To these transients, it’s just party time, and they paid for it, so screw the neighbors who live there full time. These renters are here today, and gone tomorrow and will be soon replaced by another batch who don’t give a damn.
You talk about laws already in place. Who is watching? Not the out of town, out of state, out of country owners, you, the neighbor is in charge. What are you getting paid for this 24/7 monitoring? Possible peace for another day or two? Real homeowners are getting the short end of the stick, thanks to our local and state government politicians.
Laurel says
Kath: No. These are investors, not people trying to save their homes. Their homes are elsewhere. If you want a good idea of the economy, start watching business shows. This is not a “double edged sword,” it’s a disaster to neighborhoods.
hawkeye says
There are ways to fight airbnb’s .first ,call the cops,when on the phone with the cops get either a service call or incident report number. e-mail airbnb complaint page which is on their website and call them at 415-800-5959. Give them the time ,date, address, listing # of the rental,service call or incident #, name and phone # of the owner and why you had to call the cops. For some of this you have to do some work on the internet however ,the more info you give the airbnb complaint department the better they can do their job.You can get the listing # of the bnb by scrolling through airbnb website of listings in palm coast or where ever you may be. I was able to get the owners name and # from the guy does odd jobs at the airbnb. Believe me ,if I get woke up at 1AM ,I have no problem calling her.The people who take care of the airbnb complaint department take these complaints very seriously.Once you contact the complaint department it will usually be months before someone causes a disturbance at that house again . I used to be nice and if someone made a disturbance I would ask them to keep it down ,however , when some renters called the cops on me and said I was nasty to them ,the cops told me dont ask any one to be quiet again ,just call the cops .Thats what I did after that.Hope this helps!
Laurel says
“Our hands are tied”! What a load of crap. “We want the bed tax” stated Hansen when talking about short term rentals. Renner was one of the main characters supporting these vacation rentals, along with Hutson, and now we are thanking Renner for *sparing* us? Amazing! All he did was piss off the rest of the state at us. Divide and conquer.
Someone want to explain to me why we have zoning? These “commercial businesses,” as they are defined by Flagler County ordinance are allowed anywhere in Flagler County single family zoned neighborhoods with no limits to how many, how often they are rented, and barely inspected. These commercial businesses do not have to follow the same rules and regulations that other businesses must. Instead, the tables are turned on the residents by claiming we must abide by the rentals laws. We, the residents are expected to continuously monitor and complain just to have somewhat of a normal neighborhood again.
The out of town, out of county, out of state and out of country vacation rental owners, and investment companies, (not long term rental owners) cry “property rights” while our very own politicians state “we have our hands tied.” They claim to have their hands tied with no ability to fight back for the residents. Resident’s property rights are dictated by the commercial businesses. Resident unfriendly Flagler County. Real estate company owned.
Unfortunately, it has been mostly Republican politicians who got us into this awful mess. We need to vote them all out once and for all, or at least until the party starts working for residents again. We need to take back our state and local government and stop believing there’s nothing we can do. That’s absurd! They work for us, not the other way around!
Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who are negatively effected, where the hell are you? This nonsense needs to stop ASAP! We want our single family zoned neighborhoods back. Commercial business can build in commercial zoned areas away from us.
Cindy says
Property owners have rights too that have to be protected. It is a tough real estate market right now and home-owners need as many options as they can get. There are laws that protect their rights as land owner’s and there are laws that protect noise levels, illicit drug use and codes to protect your property values. Guests at your neighbor’s home have every bit the right to hula-hoop with a lampshade on their head as you do to post a political sign in your yard. We might not always like it, but everyone has a freedom to act within the law.
Laurel says
BTW, we’ve owned property in Flagler County since 2001, and we don’t remember once anyone talking to us about commercial businesses moving into residential neighborhoods, nor did we have the chance to vote on it. This benefits only a few, the vast majority of whom do not live here.
Laurel says
Shark: YOU monitor these commercial businesses and YOU call the FCSO for each and every violation!
Ron says
I have only one question for the residents in the City of Palm Coast. Back in 2014 when the residents of the Hammock fought to overturn the 2011 vacation rental bill 883 why did you not speak up? In addition why did the City fail to adopt the Flagler County ordinance when adopted in 2014. This is not a democratic/ republican issue. This is a local issue. We need all our residents to fight these bad vacation rental bills. The current bill SB280 is wrong. I urge all residents to email the Governor and ask him to veto it!
Jim says
Your governor and your Republican state legislature voted this in, JimboXYZ. I’d love to see you acknowledge that for once. I did notice you didn’t blame Biden for this one so maybe you have some recognition of where this problem has come.
Mike says
Please explain what republicans have to do with this?
Mike says
Sorry Jim do you live in Florida? If you do then he is your governor also. And it,s your state legislature.
Laurel says
Ron: I agree with you, you are correct. We, in the Hammock, had no information on the subject. My husband and I lived in south Florida at the time, though we owned property here. No one sent us any information on the subject, and we had no information about any possibility of voting on the subject. It just fleapin’ happened, and now we seem to be stuck with it with politicians stating “our hands are tied” and ” we want the bed tax.”
Shame on Flagler County and the real estate people, and big, world wide, multibillioaire corporations like AirBnB, Vacasa and Vrbo who took advantage of us. That includes Renner, Hutson and Hansen, who pretend to be on the residents side.
This was a takeover by a group of people who are a small group who benefit from it, and benefit from these multibillioarie companies. The rest of us got a big “F**k you!”. Thanks for your help, local politicians.
Mr. Wilson says
How about just say “MUSIC”? And she actually stated it before the alcohol and smoking. No ones dumb. It’s a dog whistle and you know it. By saying rap, it’s meant to invoke some sort conservative rage. Kinda like “The Sour Kraut.” What are you really trying to convey? I think for myself living in Flagler county for nearly 35 years I’ve learned to get along, tolerate folks and listen too or not all types of music. The things griped about in the article can also come from people that actually live in and own houses too. Will she petition Judge Alito’s wife to have them run out of town too?
How bout you go get so popcorn or baby food, kick back have a beer or some ensure and watch the movie “Cocoon” over and over again really, really loud and I promise you won’t hear a lick of Rap music anymore. Problem solved.
Mr. Wilson says
Holy Smokes! You are in the know. Stated Wonderfully. I could see it. But, couldn’t articulate it. Makes total sense.
Sick Of It Already says
Long term rentals can be an issue depending. Short term rentals are an issue. I will be completely honest. When I moved here I didn’t know what an Airbnb was. Then a friend explained it to me and the first words out of my mouth was “oh f**k did I make a mistake moving here (and now I can’t even afford to live here anymore) but anyway. I understand that people come to Florida for vacation I did I stayed in HOTELS by the beach or blocks from the beach not in Palm Coast. I used most of my life savings to build my beautiful home and to have people coming and going next door to me and being disrespectful to the homeowners who live here. Most of the owners of these rentals do not live anywhere near Florida, I’m just sick of it now only 6 years later. I can’t see how the county has their hands tied with this and can’t do anything about it but yet they will violate you for not having a stupid tree on your front lawn. I have a question if anyone has an answer for me. Are the owners of a rental home required to have periodic inspections? I’m not going to get into details but I walked in a rental property that needed SOME work before being rented again and the previous renters were only gone about 3 or 4 days. Roaches EVERYWHERE and not the black ones, I had to fumigate myself before I got back into my car I called the property people and told them to find another contractor. The owners live in 6 states away from Florida. As for Airbnb’s I pray everyday that I don’t have to encounter that bullshit.
BMW says
There are many ways to skew the facts. Let’s play devil’s advocate. When growth in an area of town is proposed people scream we don’t have the infrastructure, traffic is bad, there are not enough grocery stores, a reduction of services due to population growth will occur, etc.. Western lands are mostly privately owned and slated for future growth. We can have leaders who deny the inevitable and do nothing to manage growth, or we can have those who work to ease future traffic congestion with the construction of a fly over, create new city centers with localized shopping/recreation to lesson the impact on established neighborhoods and design with efficiency to limit the environmental impact. Personally, I’m not comfortable with those who beat their chests and speak derogatory about individuals due to their political leanings or professions. For example, Toby Tobin is a Cornell Educated computer specialists with a mind that swims in statistics and real data. To simplify his understanding by labeling him a Realtor chasing illicit money, certainly walls one off from understanding the reality of what is happening now and into the future. Burying your head in the sand and thinking candidates who make promises that they can control growth may likely be a wasted vote. God forbid one take the time to speak with those in charge to see the work going into developing western neighborhoods with vibrant ‘green residential environments’ with a healthy quality of life for future generations where retired keyboard warriors will not be the majority. I’ll take those who want to harness and create over the naysayers who think they can stop the inevitable and screw up the future of the county by making detrimental growth decisions that do not factor ITT mistakes.
Laurel says
Mr. Wilson: You sound more like Dennis the Menace than Mr. Wilson. Palm Coast is one of the whitest towns in Florida, unfortunately. Loud music is loud music, and no one wants to hear someone else’s idea of music, blaring from cars, boats and vacation rentals. These party people are not the center of the universe.
Laurel says
Mike: They let in the vacation businesses in the residential neighborhoods without the residents having a say about it. Most Democratic politicians are against it.
Laurel says
Mike: That does not mean that Jim voted for this Governor. I sure as hell did not, nor have I, as an Independent, voted for any Republican Governor in several years now. Jim is simply trying to get Jimbo to acknowledge that Republicans are responsible for a lot of the things he thinks are wrong, and usually blames President Biden for.
Ron says
Just a quick comment on one family dwellings being used as transient public lodging establishments, AKA vacation rentals. Prior to SB883 in 2011. These dwellings were referred to as Resorts Dwellings. This bill was written by attorneys that represented the Florida Vacation Management Association.
Why is this important. What one family dwelling used for permanent occupancy by a family is required to be licensed by the State as a lodging establishment, required to abide by the Florida Fire Prevention Code 69A requiring emergency lighting, extinguishers on all levels, emergency diagrams showing exits out of the dwelling, pax occupancy taxes, bed taxes, required to obtain commercial insurance and follow ADA regulations for the deaf!
These one family dwellings license as businesses from the State have change the use of this dwelling from one that was permitted to be occupied for permanent occupancy to one being occupied as transient. These dwellings are lodging establishments no different from a dwelling being used as a bed and breakfast . Both these occupancy are lodging establishments.
But here is the big difference. A bed and breakfast is monitored by on duty personnel available to respond to complaints and monitor occupancy. In addition the owner of this B&B must change the occupancy classification to lodging which is recognized in the Building Occupancy code along with all other lodging establishments with the exception of one family dwellings license as vacation rentals.
Also a bed and breakfast dwellings are prohibited from operating in zoned single family neighborhoods due to this activity. Zoning was put in place to protect our neighborhoods from incompatible uses. A transient public lodging establishment use is transient an is incompatible to a one family dwellings being used for permanent occupancy.
But the vacation rental industry says this is a property rights issue. This is false these dwellings are no longer dwellings being used as one’s permanent home. They should be treated just like all other lodging establishments.
That is why this SB280 should be vetoed. The only solution is to give our local municipalities full regulatory control over vacation rental operations.
Laurel says
Al Hadeed: I can appreciate the legal strategies you have listed here, and I know that it’s multi-billion dollar, world wide corporations that are trying to rule Florida, but that fact remains that commercial businesses have been allowed to reside less than 100 feet, often within 10-14 feet from residences. Vacation rental commercial businesses, as defined by Flagler County, do not have to follow rules and ordinances that other businesses do. They do not have to conform to the same regulations that hotels and motels do. That is the problem, and Renner and Hutson initially backed these commercial businesses. They are certainly not heroes to the folks who unfortunately have these short term rentals move in next door, with no one monitoring them. What other business runs 24/7, 365 without a proprietor or manager on site? A car wash, maybe, but that too has to follow normal business regulations that short term rentals do not.
As to flying under the radar, they often do. I have seen vacation rentals in Flagler Beach and the Hammock advertised on AirBnB, Vrbo and other sites that are not on the Tax Collector’s short term rental role. I’m certain the Tax Collector’s office is working hard at finding these rentals, however, they do exist. But that’s not my job too!
Even Flagler Beach has one upped the county, by designating specific areas where these commercial businesses are allowed, giving a buyer a chance to know what to expect. Palm Coast, and the rest of the county allows these businesses in any residential area, with no limitations as to how many, or how often these properties are rented. Other cities and counties have set limitations, and/or require the owner to live on the property. These businesses are owned by, almost all, people and companies that do not reside in the city, county, state and even country that the business is in. Very often, even their employees such as house cleaners, repairers, hosts, lawn care, etc. are not local residents.
Those politicians who have allowed this, or continue to allow this, need to be voted out.
Laurel says
Cindy: It is the neighbor’s job to monitor these un-monitored businesses? Just what are the property rights of the permanent residents who have to put up with party houses? Why don’t these commercial businesses, as defined by the county, have to conform to the codes and regulations that other businesses do? What are the property rights of other businesses? Why are there different rules for hotels and motels?
It is normal for residents to hula-hoop with a lampshade on their head once and awhile, but it is not normal for the average home of 2.5 residents to have 12, unrelated transients with birthday parties, bachelor parties and just plain parties every few days.
Clearly, either you own a short term rental, or you don’t have one next door to you. Thanks for your support.
Laurel says
Hawkeye: Thanks for the info, however, I don’t want this unpaid job.
Laurel says
Ron: I agree, but I don’t believe the county will change anything. That’s why we need new commissioners who will work for the residents. The current commissions do not. Hansen said “We want the bed tax.” This bed tax ain’t doing a damned thing for Hammock residents. Instead, we pay 25% more for water than Palm Coast does, and will pay 25% more for sewer when it arrives. Also, Publix here charges more for food than its other stores inland. The wealthy transients are happy to pay for a cart full of junk food.
Also, while modifying our home, we had to notify our neighbors and sign to the county that we would not change the status (use) of our residence.
For Sick of It Already: As far as inspections, so far there is only one inspection, from the county, upon the purchase of the house. I don’t know how Palm Coast or Flagler Beach does it. Once the building inspection has passed, that leaves the owner the opportunity to modify the building inside, and appurtenances outside, without code inspections. Short term rentals are notorious for this. The vacation rental industry wants to limit all property inspections, throughout Florida, to one time at purchase.
Mike says
It’s obvious that you are not an independent. By stating that you haven’t vote republican in years makes you a democrat. Now me being a true independent have done my research and have voted on both sides over the years. By constantly degrading republicans is not an independent voter.
Mike says
Nobody said Jim voted for the governor. When you live in the state, if you voted for him or not he is still your governor. I don’t care for Biden, I did not vote for him but he is still my president . I do not use phases like your governor or your president. Therefore if Jim and the rest of you are so disgruntled with the governor move to a blue state so you can live comfortably.
The dude says
Here’s the thing.
Nothing I’ve seen, and I mean NOTHING, tells me that the long term plans for occupying all these 1000’s of new homes involves anything OTHER than retired keyboard warriors.
No industry. No technology. Nothing but service industry for those “retired keyboard warriors”.
BMW says
Then you need to engage and learn of the plans for the western developments. Exciting things to finally serve children and young families. There are two choices, be a naysayer or part of the solution.
Demonizing only serves to keep one in the dark. Your choice.
Laurel says
Mike: Who the hell are you to tell me what I am or where I should live? I’m a 72 year old native Floridian (Florida has always be a purple state until now) and have been a registered Independent since I was old enough to vote, and I married a Republican. I have not voted for the current *Republican* politicians as I believe they are a danger to our way of life with their “retribution,” insane statements and threatening the lives of normal people while calling half of our American citizens “evil.”
Meanwhile, instead of deciding what party you think people belong to, with very little information, the topic is vacation rentals, and you know who got us into this mess.
Now, if you don’t like the way I think, do not bother to read my comments.
Flaglerman says
Palm sptings recently banned all tyhis AIR BNB stuff and you can find videos online how the residetns love living in a quiet small town again…
BNB should be banned west on I 95 at the least
Ron says
I have read a lot of residents from Palm Coast complaining about vacation rental regulation’s . That their local government inability to enforce ordinances. Well now the time to write to the Governor and tell him to veto SB280. It was just transferred to his desk.
Go to HomeruleFl.com now!
It’s your last chance!!