The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board is recommending a dual approach to regulate vacation rentals.
For several months, the board has been meeting to discuss recommendations for a transient public lodging establishment ordinance, similar to existing vacation rental ordinances in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
Additionally, the board is dissecting the comprehensive plan and land development code to limit new, large homes and encourage smaller homes in the city.
Bradenton Beach commissioners met in a workshop Jan. 24 to discuss the P&Z’s recommendations for the TPLE.
The TPLE would replace the currently suspended quality-of-life ordinance that was adopted in 2015. It would allow “transient use of residential property” upon issuance of a license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation along with a city business tax receipt and a yet-to-be-enacted TPLE license.
The QOL ordinance restricted the number of people who can stay overnight in a rental — two guests per bedroom plus two people — but there was no mechanism to enforce occupancy.
According to Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale, the inclusion of the DBPR license is the “trigger point” for enforceability, giving police the right to perform administrative property inspections.
At the Jan. 24 workshop, city attorney Ricinda Perry said she does not see much difference between the current QOL and the proposed TPLE. She said if the commission decides to throw out the QOL ordinance instead of revising it, they would have to go through a new legal review.
“I struggle to see the difference between the two ordinances and the one already done seems to be a better solution,” Perry said.
Perry wrote the QOL ordinance.
She suggested the commission hold a workshop with P&Z members to discuss the recommendations for the TPLE.
The board agreed.
Perry also asked if she should proceed with the records request to Anna Maria that came into question at the Jan. 19 commission meeting.
At a Jan. 10 workshop, Bradenton Beach commissioners asked city attorney Ricinda Perry to research how Anna Maria and Holmes Beach handled occupancy issues with short-term rentals, including what the cities paid in legal disputes.
In a Jan. 10 email to Anna Maria clerk LeAnne Addy, Perry said she was requesting records on behalf of Bradenton Beach. She said the commission tasked her with collecting the records, and apologized for the size of the request.
On Jan. 19, Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon said he was concerned the request is “burdensome” to the city.
On Jan. 24, commissioners agreed that Perry should proceed with the request.
On Jan. 25, the P&Z board met and continued discussing proposed changes to the LDC.
Changes being considered include a maximum lot size of 5,000 square feet, with the maximum square footage of a home limited to 2,000 square feet.
Additionally, the board is considering using a “bedroom-area ratio” relative to the size of the structure, to determine the maximum number of allowable bedrooms in a newly constructed home.
“I believe this is a better way to go about dealing with occupancy issues,” P&Z member Reed Mapes said Jan. 25.
The board also is considering a ratio where no more than 85 percent of the first-floor habitable area may be planned for the second level of living space.
The board agreed to continue discussion at its next meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
The joint TPLE workshop with the city commission and the P&Z board will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at city hall.