Island officials learned in recent weeks their focus on limiting vacation rentals could be unraveled.
In Anna Maria, the gloves are going on.
A bill introduced by state Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, could undo vacation rental regulations Anna Maria enacted in recent years, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy told city commissioners Jan. 12.
Murphy said the bill would “take away all of our vacation rental work. Everything would be wiped out, right back to ground zero.”
Senate Bill 188 was filed Dec. 16, 2016, by Steube and referred Jan. 10 to the Senate’s regulated industries, community affairs and rules subcommittees.
The bill would amend legislation that regulated some aspects of vacation rentals. Steube proposes that “a local law, ordinance or regulation may not restrict the use of vacation rentals, prohibit vacation rentals, or regulate vacation rentals based solely on their classification, use or occupancy.”
The current law specifies that rules cannot legislate “the duration or frequency of rental.” Steube’s proposal would broaden the protection to all regulations passed after June 1, 2011, that apply to vacation rentals.
Murphy said the city needs a swift, strong challenge.
“Writing letters is a good effort … but I think we need to do more than write letters,” he said.
He proposed hiring a lobbyist.
Murphy said he spoke with the Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach mayors about requesting Manatee County beach concession money to pay for a professional lobbyist.
However, Murphy said, the other two mayors did not arrive at a consensus to fund a lobbyist.
“I recommend we go it alone,” the Anna Maria mayor said. “We have everything to lose and nothing to gain from this bill.”
Murphy tasked city attorney Becky Vose with vetting lobbyists for the position, while the city seeks a way to pay for the lobbyist.
Murphy also said a Holmes Beach resident had approached him about the bill, offering to donate money to fight the proposal.
Commissioner Carol Carter said the ManaSota League of Cities discussed the bill Jan. 12.
“Everyone was unanimously appalled that Steube would introduce such a bill. …The League of Cities will come out with a strongly worded letter to the governor, as well as the president of the Senate,” said Carter, Anna Maria’s representative to the league.
Commissioners Nancy Yetter and Dale Woodland suggested the city pursue a grassroots campaign to encourage people to call, email and write lawmakers.
“We’ve got to be very serious and use multiple different ways to get the message through,” Woodland said.
Carter said a competing bill introduced in the House by state Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach, would specifically allow rental regulations.
The House bill was referred Jan. 9 to the agriculture and property rights subcommittee, careers and competition subcommittee and commerce committee.
Carter said any grassroots efforts should include support for Richardson’s bill.
As a resident of Anna Maria I support the reversal. We’ve swung the pendulum way too far and have created a regulation industry; new city buildings, vehicles, and lawsuits. Now we have to pay for a lobbyist??!!
Air bnb and vrbo have deep pockets and have already taken action against HOA’s who have tried to curtail short term rentals.They are lobbying people like Steube.Time to make a stand before Manatee county becomes a vacation village!
Let’s hire someone to draft a letter to the editor in Steube’s home district newspapers challenging his position and challenging his role as a real estate attorney and possible self dealing. Let’s have his constituents exert pressure on him to represent them rather than outsiders that own the rental property!