Public comment during the Jan. 10 Bradenton Beach commission’s workshop on a transient public lodging establishment ordinance began with comments from planning and zoning board member Reed Mapes.
Mapes said it is important for the commission to read the comp plan. He said the city is required by the state to limit density due to the problems that could result during an emergency evacuation.
“We are putting ourselves at risk,” Mapes said. “We have agreements with sewer, water and trash that all say we must keep our population where it is today and not allow it to grow.”
Mapes suggested the commission not think of “density” as the number of people in a house, but rather that increasing the short-term population has long-term effects on the entire city.
He also said the city “can no longer patchwork the land development code and comp plan.”
“We need to go through both of them and get them corrected, sooner or later,” Mapes said.
Tom Mattern, a resident of Runaway Bay condominiums at 1801 Gulf Drive N. said he has concerns for the P&Z’s signage recommendations. He said requiring a TPLE to show the unit is not owner-occupied could invite theft.
Mattern also said he agrees with Commissioner John Chappie’s suggestion to research current state and local law before creating new regulations.
Adam Jenkins, a real estate agent and property manager at Edgewater Real Estate, 104 Bridge St., said he agrees with the need for rental regulations but he also has concerns.
He said he agrees that notice should be given before an administrative inspection.
He also said he thinks existing properties that can support occupancy of more than eight people should be grandfathered if the eight-person maximum occupancy is adopted.
Jenkins finished public comment, saying, “At the state level, there is a large conversation about changing rental properties from a residential zone to a commercial zone.”
Jenkins suggested this would create conforming use and code enforcement issues.
The next TPLE workshop will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.