| Editor’s Note: The following letter Indian River Neighborhood Association Executive Committee Chair Honey Minuse was emailed to the organization’s membership yesterday.URGENT NOTICE, CITY OF VERO BEACH
Rental Codes Tossed Out. No Restrictions Now in Residential Neighborhoods Shock waves have been going through Vero Beach’s single family neighborhoods since the City’s Code Enforcement Board saw fit to apply their own interpretation of the City’s ordinances opening the way for unrestricted rental homes throughout the City. The back story involves a Vero Beach couple renting out, for short periods of time, a home they owned on the barrier island. Documentation was provided on the rental website. There was no required state license and hence, no taxes in this regard were paid. Further, it was in violation of city codes that restricted rental periods to 30 or more days. A citation was issued but the violations persisted. Neighbors continued to complain and subsequently the couple was fined. They appealed the fine to the City’s Enforcement Board where, until recently, the husband had been a member. On August 14th the matter came before the Code Enforcement Board which ruled in their favor by a 3-2 vote, saying the code was “vague”, ignoring the City’s long-standing restrictions. This action has now opened up every barrier island and mainland neighborhood in Vero Beach to short term, transient, “vacation” rentals, for any period of time: a day or two, a long weekend, two weeks, etc. A growing public voice finds this unacceptable. The values and esthetics of Vero Beach is now altered. The stability of the city’s neighborhoods is threatened. The quality of life, the peace, safety and general welfare of the people of the city is now compromised. Tourism at the city’s hotels and eating establishments will feel the impact of this as surely as the people of residential neighborhoods. The urgency of this email is due to the fact that at the next City Council meeting on September 3rd the Council Members will be asked to approve an appeal of the Code Enforcement Board’s action to the Circuit Court. Without this appeal the City of Vero Beach will no longer have protections in place for the security of neighborhoods and all will be lost. Council members Dick Winger and Jay Kramer voiced concern when this matter was brought up at the last Council meeting and we feel they will support an appeal. However, we do not know how Council Members Craig Fletcher and Pilar Turner stand on this matter. Since three votes are required, and Tracey Carroll must recuse herself, it is important that at least one of them support this appeal. We ask you to make your concerns known to them via email to Craig Fletcher at CFletcher@COVB.org and Pilar Turner at PTurner@COVB.org. We know the information in this email comes as news to many who are out-of-town for the summer. In fact, since there has been scant coverage on this matter by local media the information has been disseminating by word of mouth. There is one website however that we can refer you to and we urge you to read an excellent article there by clicking on this link. For those who are in Vero Beach we encourage you to attend the September 3rd, 6 p.m. meeting to voice your concerns and support an appeal of the Code Enforcement decision. All that we value is at risk. Sincerely, Honey Minuse, Chair Executive Committee |
Indian River Guardian 
It is good to see the iRNA finally do something beneficial for the community.
We commend Honey Minuse and the IRNA for recognizing the possible long-term effects of allowing short-term home rentals in our neighborhoods. There are excellent accommodations both on the island and on the mainland that have all the necessary business permits and facilities. In fact, I believe a new facility may be built between the Twin Pairs at 6th Ave. in the near future. We welcome vacationers to Vero, but our neighborhoods are our sanctuaries and we will protect them.
I have always wanted Vero Beach to be more progressive, but these short-term rentals are clearly not in anyone’s best interest but for the already wealthy who don’t care to keep the Vero Beach “image.” Yes, come from Ft. Lauderdale for a peaceful small town, then proceed to make Vero into a small Ft. Lauderdale. The very epitome of greed.
I still think Honey was remiss when she talked about the back story in not divulging the name of the couple that the letter was about….Namely, Vice Mayor Tracy Carroll and her husband John.