Sarasota to consider imposing regulations on mainland vacation rentals amid Airbnb growth

Sarasota resident Charlene Brusoe said at least four homes on her street in the last couple of years have become or will be vacation rentals.

Her neighborhood, Bellevue Terrace, is about 15 minutes from Lido Beach and close to stores and Pinecraft. She said that people have been buying homes in the neighborhood and renovating them for use as vacation rentals.

Brusoe lamented that many rentals in her neighborhood do not comply with the city of Sarasota’s requirement to rent for a minimum of seven nights, and are instead letting guests stay for shorter periods – sometimes as few as two nights.

“This is a residential neighborhood,” she said. “It should not be used for vacation rentals. It shouldn’t. … It’s not fair to the people who have been living here that these folks are coming in and have absolutely nobody to answer to for what they’re doing.”

As many Sarasota residents like Brusoe are aggravated by the growth of short-term rentals in their neighborhoods, the city of Sarasota is considering making its vacation rental regulations apply to the entire city. The city passed regulations in 2021, but they only apply to the barrier islands, not to mainland neighborhoods.

The City Commission will have a discussion on this proposal at an undetermined date, and the expansion of the vacation rental regulation program could potentially occur in fiscal year 2024-25.

How vacation rentals on Lido Key, other barrier islands are regulated

The City Commission passed an ordinance in 2021 that requires owners of vacation rentals on barrier islands to register with the city. As part of the process, the owner must pay a $250 application fee and the property has to be inspected. The owner must also designate someone to be available by phone 24 hours a day to respond to complaints.

Vacation rentals on the barrier islands also have to pay a biennial renewal fee of $150. In addition, rentals in single-family residential areas have a maximum occupancy of 10 people and those in multi-family residential districts can have up to 12 people.

These regulations don’t apply to owner-occupied rentals – when a person rents out a room in their house – or to condominiums, cooperatives or rentals offered for at least 30 days, according to the city.

Push for citywide Sarasota regulations

City neighborhood residents are advocating that the vacation rental regulations be applied to the entire city. A city staff member made a presentation about this topic in July, and she said the city’s vacation rental software has found an estimated 700 vacation rental properties in Sarasota’s mainland neighborhoods. It’s likely that some of these are owner-occupied, though, so the regulations wouldn’t apply to those properties.

In late July, the commission voted 4-1 – with Commissioner Erik Arroyo dissenting – to hold a future discussion on expanding the vacation rental ordinance.

Before that occurs, though, the commission will discuss proposed changes to the fees for the current vacation rental program on the barrier islands. City staff will recommend increases to the initial application fee, the renewal fee and other fees at the Sept. 5 commission meeting.

Flo Entler, president of the Arlington Park Neighborhood Association’s Board of Directors, said vacation rentals are “pretty prolific” in her neighborhood. She said people staying in the rentals are “very disruptive,” especially if there’s a pool in the home’s backyard.

She said the rentals have broken rules they’re supposed to follow, including allowing guests to stay for under seven days.

“It’s really affecting the peaceful enjoyment of our homes and the tranquility of our neighborhood,” she said.

Previously: Sarasota moves to regulate vacation rentals amid criticism over ‘hotel houses’

More background: City of Sarasota stalls on regulation of vacation rentals

Entler said “excessive noise” is the most prominent issue that arises from vacation rentals in her area. In another neighborhood – Bellevue Terrace – Brusoe said she and her husband could hear the loud music coming from the Airbnb next door one evening while they were watching TV.

Her son lives in the same neighborhood, and a couple of weeks ago, he saw a large bus drop people off at the vacation rental across the street from his home.

Brusoe said she and her husband, Michael, would like the city to require all vacation rentals in Sarasota to register and pay an application fee. But until that happens, she wants the owners of the rentals to be forced to follow the seven-day, seven-night minimum stay requirement.

What members of the vacation rental industry have to say about the proposal

Bradenton-based Gulf Coast Property Management manages many vacation rentals in the Sarasota-Manatee area, including some in the city of Sarasota. Zach Adair, the company’s director of customer services, said the restrictions Sarasota is proposing wouldn’t drastically affect the rental rates or revenue potential of properties. He said that regulations like these are “really for the betterment of the community as a whole.”

Gulf Coast Property Management would not support making the minimum stay requirement longer than seven days, though. Some communities require properties to be rented out for longer periods of time. But the city of Sarasota isn’t considering that idea.

Andy Moore, the broker and CEO at Gulf Coast Property Management, said he would like there to be more dialogue between property management companies and municipalities in general. He said the companies represent many vacation rental owners and can express their point-of-view.

Siesta Key businessman Michael Holderness manages many vacation rental units on the key, one of which is in the city limits. He said he’s supportive of the city’s proposal. Holderness said there should be someone that residents can call if there’s an issue with a vacation rental, which is an aspect of the regulations.

“Anytime we can better protect core neighborhood values, we should,” he said.

Bradenton rentals: Bradenton to update vacation rental rules to include condos, deadline to register extended

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: As Airbnb grows in Sarasota, city considers expanding regulations