HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are hoping to reinforce their position in the battle against state politicians infringing on the city’s home rule.
During a Jan. 11 meeting, commissioners agreed to draft a letter opposing Florida Senate Bill 280, which would take away local municipalities’ ability to regulate vacation rentals and give the sole rights to the state.
Local regulations that would be removed if the bill passes the state Legislature and earns the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis include the Holmes Beach vacation rental ordinance, all locally-enforced vacation rental safety regulations – including those mandated by West Manatee Fire Rescue under the Florida State Fire Code – and all local occupancy requirements.
While the bill mandates occupancy by the number of sleeping areas in a rental, City Attorney Erica Augello said it doesn’t specify that those sleeping areas be bedrooms, as required by the Holmes Beach vacation rental ordinance, which specifies two people per bedroom or six per unit, whichever is greater, is maximum occupancy.
Augello said she feels the bill is well-written enough that it may have a better chance of passing where vacation rental pre-emption bills have failed at the state level in the past.
Commissioners also decided to enter into an agreement with Sunrise Consulting Group for legislative consulting services at a cost of $4,500 per month.
Rather than replacing the city’s current lobbyist firm in Tallahassee, Mayor Judy Titsworth said the city’s team at Sunrise would work with the city’s lobbyist at the state level. One of their main tasks, she said, would be to represent the city’s interests at the local level with Manatee County representatives for project funding and other issues affecting the city.
