By: Bryan Boggiano
Vacation rental owners may have one last hurrah before the city enacts tighter regulations.
The Coral Springs commission tabled a vacation rental ordinance due to opposition to certain restrictions but will discuss changes before revisiting the proposed ordinance during their next meeting.
On May 19, representatives from Realtors Broward Palm Beach St. Lucie and residents largely supported the city’s move to regulate vacation rentals since they can add revenue to the city.
“We understand your concerns and want to see the city succeed,” said Kate Stout of North Broward-Palm Beach-St. Lucie Realtors. “We also know that vacation rentals do provide a significant economic impact to cities.”
Speakers opposed two provisions in particular, including the frequency of code compliance checks and registration fee amounts. They argued that frequent inspections could deter vacation rentals, cost too much for property owners, and present potential Fourth Amendment violations.
They also argued for reducing the frequency of inspections. They also recommended keeping registration fees under $100 and explained that by doing this, Coral Springs could be successful in attracting vacation rentals and generating revenue.
The city can pass the ordinance without the registration fee finalized, but they cannot enforce the ordinance until they establish fees said City Attorney John Hearn.
Joe Pelayo, the owner of Total Real Estate Consultants Incorporated, said one provision in particular concerned him. Under the ordinance, authorized city personnel would have access to a property’s guest log. Paleyo argued they should only access this information with a subpoena.
In response to these concerns, Commissioner Shawn Cerra proposed tabling the ordinance until the next meeting, saying that he needs to know more before voting on it.
“This is a very important ordinance,” Cerra said. “I’m all for protecting the rights of our residents. “I internally have this passion to make sure that we’re doing right.”
Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons echoed Cerra’s concerns, saying that the ordinance will protect residents’ safety, property, transparency, and business interests in the city.
“It’s about protecting the integrity of our neighborhoods,” Simmons said. “This is about making sure [that] residents know their city has their back.”
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