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Gov. Ron DeSantis will decide the fate of proposed vacation rental legislation that seeks to preempt vacation rental regulation to the state.
Supported by the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, the legislation proposed in the matching House and Senate bills and now known collectively as CS/SB 280 would preempt vacation rental regulation, including vacation rental advertising, to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). DeSantis can sign the legislation into state law, allow it to become state law unsigned or veto it.
If DeSantis supports the state preemption, local and county governments, including those on Anna Maria Island, will lose some local vacation rental regulation authority and enforcement powers. If adopted as state law, local governments could still conduct annual health and safety regulation inspections, require an annual vacation rental registry and continue levying “reasonable” registration and inspection fees. The enrolled bill does not define “reasonable.”
If enacted as state law, CS/SB 280 would require vacation rental owners, managers and operators to comply with a maximum overnight occupancy that doesn’t exceed two persons per bedroom, plus an additional two persons in one common area; or more than two persons per bedroom if there is at least 50 square feet per person, plus an additional two persons in one common area, whichever’s greater.
Adopted in 2015, Anna Maria’s vacation rental ordinance limits total occupancy to eight persons for any vacation rental home or unit built after that city ordinance took effect. In response to more than 100 Bert Harris claims filed within one year of the city vacation rental ordinance adoption, the city commission granted legitimate Bert Harris claimants additional two-plus-two occupancy exemptions that exceed eight occupants.
Holmes Beach city attorney Erica Augello told The Islander March 8 that SB 280 was the preferable of the bill’s two versions, since it would not cap the cost of vacation rental registration fees at $150 as the house bill would.
Nevertheless, SB 280 remains flawed, according to Augello.
“If the bill is adopted in the form that it presently sits in, it is a little troubling,” Augello said. She indicated it poses a question for a lot of municipalities as to how enforcement of the regulations can be effective.
“It is going to be a troubling regulation,” she added.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy told The Islander March 8 that he was “very disappointed” that the bill made it to DeSantis’ desk despite the city’s efforts.
“I feel, quite frankly, a personal sense of failure,” he said. “We’ve been on the forefront of fighting this right from the get-go.… In spite of whatever we did, it obviously wasn’t enough. And I’m disappointed in myself and in our processes, but I’m also disappointed in the Legislature.”
In the meantime, Murphy said he’s “got a couple things cooking” in a final push to stop the legislation, such as a new mailing campaign on homerulefl.com.
He said he also is trying to schedule a meeting with DeSantis, or at least the governor’s acting Chief of Staff Alex Kelly, to discuss the bill.
“I’m adamant about it. You need to hear what the implications of this bill are directly from me. I want to be able to sit across the desk, look him in the eye and tell him what the effects of this would be, because I think it’s catastrophic,” Murphy said.
If SB 280 becomes law, the island cities will have until Jan. 1, 2025, to conform their vacation rental regulations to state law or abandon them entirely, according to Augello.
The Bradenton Beach Commission is scrutinizing vendor proposals to administer paid parking on city-owned lots where motorists now park free.
Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Ralph Cole, Jan Vosburgh and Marilyn Maro reviewed proposals March 7, during a commission meeting at city hall.
In April 2023, the commission approved a motion for a study on the matter and directed city attorney Ricinda Perry, city treasurer Shane Thompson, public works director Tom Woodard and police Chief John Cosby to research the cost to charge people to park in municipal lots.
The review resulted in the issuance of two requests for proposals — 2024-03 and 2024-04.
2024-03 deals with an unpaved lot between Church and Highland avenues near the police and public works buildings.
One proposal was received — from Beach to Bay, a company owned by developer Shawn Kaleta.
The proposal involves remodeling the unpaved lot at no cost to the city to create 33 spaces, with the lot remodel expected to take a month.
Beach to Bay proposed several fee plans for shared costs: $4,000 per month or $48,000 per year to the city, a lump sum payment of $24,000 per year to the city or a percentage of the profits or 50/50 split.
Beach to Bay asked for a 15-year term that would include insurance and indemnification for the city lots.
The per hour cost per spot would be $5-$10.
Sam Negron, an agent for Beach to Bay who attended the meeting, said a nighttime security officer at the nearby Bradenton Beach Marina, which Kaleta owns, would patrol the lot.
The city received two responses to its second RFP, which sought bids for administering paid parking at city-owned lots between First Street North and Bridge Street, public spaces owned on Bridge Street, the city hall lot at 107 Gulf Drive N., public parking west of the roundabout adjacent to the Moose Lodge, public parking around Katie Pierola Sunset Park, 2212 Gulf Drive N., and also public parking at the police station.
SP Municipal Services of Chicago proposed a 65/35 percentage split of net revenue in favor of the city.
Using a hypothetical price of $5 per hour for a parked vehicle, SP Municipal Services projected a potential annual revenue of $906,528 and an operating cost of $276,888, leaving revenue of $409,266, of which the city would get $266,022.
Beach to Bay also bid on the second RFP and the proposal included a valet system at the Bridge Street Resort, still to be constructed, and a shuttle to move people who utilize city paid parking to their destinations.
Like elsewhere, hundreds of children in Manatee County depend on the free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch at school.
But hundreds of kids leave school, not knowing if or when their next meal will be.
For fourteen years, Feeding Empty Little Tummies (FELT) has been helping those children not go hungry over the weekend. They provide children who are homeless or food insecure with a bag containing six meals and snacks to take with them on weekends.
“Yeah, it breaks your heart to see them or know that maybe on the weekend they don't get anything else besides what's in that black bag,” said FELT volunteer Kathleen Molesky.
FELT began the year with a waiting list for the first time in the local non-profit’s 14-year history.
The current economy and housing crisis have led to a drop in donations but growing demand for FELT’s help.
If there was ever a time to get to know the town of Longboat Key, it was at the 2024 Community Open House.
The town of Longboat Key hosted more than 50 tables at the March 9 event. Residents strolled along the Town Center Green, enjoying the sunny weather and meeting the faces of Longboat Key.
Town departments like the Fire Rescue and police departments, Public Works and the Planning, Zoning and Building Department were available to talk to guests. The police department showed off its Zodiac boat, while the Fire Rescue Department came with a fire truck and ambulance.
Out on St. Armands or City Island and need a few grocery items but don’t want to head into Sarasota?
St. Armands Market is now open for you.
“We're trying to have a little bit of everybody's needs,” said Pilar Tucker, owner. “So for locals, we have the basics for if they need to grab something to make for dinner. Then, for the tourists that are staying somewhere else or they just came here to go to the beach, we got your sunscreen, ready-to-go items and any emergency stuff. So people don’t have to go off the island for just one thing.”
St. Armands Market stocks all the essentials such as eggs, bread, milk, cheese and deli meats. For those in a hurry, the market has ready-to-eat sandwiches, breakfast options, salads, sodas and coffee. People can also buy alcohol. There are cleaning and hygiene products such as toothpaste, soap, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, multipurpose cleaner and feminine products. The market also sells sunscreen and skin care products.
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*If You Go
St. Armands Market. 40 S. Boulevard of the Presidents. Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
On Feb. 5 the Sarasota City Commission officially expanded the vacation rental registration and enforcement ordinance from the barrier islands citywide. Now comes the cost of doing business,
At its March 4 meeting, commissioners approved a request by the Development Services Department to add two new staff positions, reclassifying one existing job, and to create the Vacation Rental Compliance Division. It will implement and enforce the expansion of short-term rentals from the current 138 units on the barrier islands to an estimated 700-plus across the city.
With no discussion among them, commissioners approved the resolution presented by Development Services Director Lucia Panica by a 4-1 vote with Erik Arroyo opposed. He was the lone dissenting voice in expanding the ordinance citywide.
“Staff has carefully examined the resources that will be needed to effectively execute the program and need the level of service that is expected for the city,” Panica said. “There are estimated to be approximately an additional 700-plus vacation rentals on the mainland that we'll be required to register now. This number continues to increase as additional vacation rentals are created, and we do see an increase on a weekly basis at least.”
Bradenton Beach officials are reviewing design elements from the Florida Department of Transportation for a new high-clearance bridge on Cortez Road.
Mayor John Chappie on March 7 walked commissioners through updates from the DOT during a commission meeting at city hall.
Chappie said he and public works director Tom Woodard had joined meetings with Manatee County and DOT officials to review design elements.
Chappie said water and sewer relocation had been discussed with the county and a DOT agreement for an easement from Bridgeport condominiums on the north side of Cortez Road was close to completion.
The easement would allow sidewalks on the north side of the bridge to expand to 10 feet wide and extend past the Bridgeport condos under the Cortez Bridge.
Chappie and commissioners also discussed a 14-foot-high wall along the south side of the bridge near the intersection of Gulf Drive and Cortez Road.
“The barrier is needed according to the noise studies that they did on the south side,” Chappie said, referring to the DOT. He said property owners would decide whether the wall is necessary at their properties.
He also addressed a maintenance contract for pedestrian lighting and railings.
The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee has nearly completed its review of the city charter and will soon recommend potential charter amendments to the city commission.
The city charter establishes how the city government is structured and defines the roles of the mayor, city commissioners and charter officials. The charter can only be amended with the majority support of the city’s registered voters.
Chaired by Chris Arendt, the committee that also includes Stevie Coppin, Scott Isherwood, Pat Olesen and Chuck Wolfe held its third meeting on March 8, joined this time by Mayor Dan Murphy.
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS
During Friday’s meeting, the committee members compiled a list of potential charter amendments to be reviewed and voted on during the committee’s final anticipated meeting on Thursday, March 21.
The committee tentatively supports a charter amendment that would limit building heights to no more than three stories. The Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach charters limit building heights to three stories, but Anna Maria’s charter currently contains no such provision.
Anna Maria’s comprehensive plan limits building heights to three stories, but the comp plan can be changed by a fourth-fifths supra-majority vote of the city commission. A charter-imposed height limit could only be elimi*nated or modified with the support of city voters; or the proposed consolidation of the three Island cities into Manatee County or the city of Bradenton, which would eliminate all three city charters. Murphy supports a building height amendment and he surmised the current omission is a previously-unrealized oversight.
Savor Sarasota, Visit Sarasota County’s summertime restaurant week celebration, is returning for its 19th year from Saturday, June 1 to Friday, June 14.
During Savor Sarasota, area restaurants offer $40 three-course prix fixe menus for dinner and $25 two-course prix fixe menus for lunch, encouraging residents and visitors to discover new spots during a historically slow season for hospitality businesses.
“Nineteen years ago, we set out with a simple goal: to shine a light on Sarasota’s vibrant and growing restaurant scene during the ‘slow season,’” says Erin Duggan, president of Visit Sarasota County. “Savor Sarasota has become a key ingredient for our local economy, too, by boosting business for our restaurants and making Sarasota a better place to live and dine.”
Restaurants interested in participating in this year’s event are encouraged to sign up by May 24. For more information, click here:
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