City of Vero Beach rental codes tossed out. No restrictions now in residential neighborhoods.
COMMENTARY
HONEY MINUSE
Shock waves have been going through Vero Beach’s single family residential neighborhoods since the City’s Code Enforcement Board saw fit to apply their own interpretation of the City’s Codes this past August. Their action has opened the way for unrestricted rental homes throughout the City.
The back story involves Vero Beach’s Tracy and John Carroll renting out, for short periods of time, a home they owned on the barrier island. Neighbors complained about the noise, litter and disruption to their lives.
This rental home did not have the required state license and hence, no taxes in this regard were paid
It was also in violation of long-standing City Codes that restricted rental periods to 30 or more days.
Finally, a citation was issued by the City of Vero Beach. The violations persisted. Neighbors continued their complaints and subsequently the couple was fined $50.
They appealed their $50 fine to the City’s Enforcement Board where, until recently, John Carroll had been a member.
On August 14th the appeal of the fine 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.
That action has now opened up every residential 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.
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 compromised.
That action also takes tourism away from the City’s hotels and restaurants.
The news quickly spread by word of mouth and a growing public voice found it unacceptable.
Letters, emails and phone calls began arriving at City Hall urging the Council to take action to overturn the decision by 3 unelected members of the Code Enforcement Board which changed the face of our community to more closely resemble Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and similar areas in South Florida.
On September 3rd the Vero Beach City Council voted to appeal the Code Enforcement Board action to the Circuit Court. The sum of $50,000 was appropriated to secure attorneys to present this appeal. Total legal costs cannot be ascertained.
It is not known when the Circuit Court will hear the case and the City’s rental restrictions are on-hold.
Indian River Guardian 
Finally, someone has written about the most important ,long lasting topic here in Vero. I cannot believe that after all these years of interpretation ,three people ,who are not lawyers ,can vote the way they did.which certainly will effect our lifestyle, property values and neighborhood stability . But lets face it, the three who said the laws were vague are friends of Tracy Carroll. According to VERO NEWS WEEKLY of Aug.8th, 2012 both Vero Beach Planning and Development Director Tim McGarry and city attorney Wayne Coment said (In reference to a state law allowing short term rentals) ” WE FEEL OUR ORDINANCE IS PRETTY STRONG FROM THE STANDPOINT OF PROHIBITING THESE KINDS OF VACATIION RENTALS’……”WE HAVE A USE THAT IS CALLED GUEST HOUSE AND TRANSIENT QUARTERS AND THAT IS ONLY ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND THAT DEFINITION FITS VACATION RENTALS”. To add further insult to Vero the July 12 th, edition 2012 of The Press Journal reported, ” CARROLL , WHEN APPROACHED ABOUT THE COMPLAINT AT TUESDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING, REFERRED QUESTIONS TO HER HUSBAND ,JOHN,A MEMBER OF THE CITY’S CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD. JOHN CARROLL COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR COMMENT”.