COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
In a banner front-page headline, the Press Journal reported yesterday that state Rep. Debbie Mayfield is “sponsoring” legislation to reverse a 2011 bill she supported which stripped Florida cities and counties of the ability to further regulate short-term rentals.
In truth, Mayfield is not sponsoring the “Thrasher bill,” as it is known. Rather, Mayfield is jumping on a fast moving and increasingly crowded train filled with Florida legislators who have taken a beating at home for caving two years ago to lobbyists for Florida’s vacation and time-share industry. Mayfield is not introducing the legislation, but it simply one of a list of co-sponsors of the bill being introduced by two St. Johns County lawmakers, Senators John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, and state Rep. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton.
The proposed law restoring the right of cities and counties to regulate short-term rentals has the support of the Florida League of Cities, and locally has been supported by the Indian River County Commission, the Vero Beach City Council and the Indian River Neighborhood Association.
Vero Beach Mayor Richard Winger and Indian River County Commission Chairman Peter O’Bryan both went before the Indian River County Legislative delegation last week to urge Mayfield and state Senators Joe Negron and Thad Altman to support the bill restoring to cities and counties the authority to regulate short-term rentals.
The 2011 legislation went in effect June of that year prohibiting cities and counties from amending existing rules or putting in place new restrictions.
In June of 2012, the Indian River County Commission “clarified” county land-use regulations that planners had interpreted as restricting rentals of less than 30 days to commercial hotels and motels. In a 5-0 vote, the Commission wiped away this long-standing interpretation of County Code and instead allowed owners of single-family homes to rent them out as vacation rentals to short-term guests by the week, or even the day. Now the County Commission wants the state legislature to restore its right to regulate short-term rentals.
Many legislators around the state who are supporting, or “co-sponsoring” the “Thrasher bill,” but who also voted in 2011 to appease the state’s vacation rental and time-share industry, are repeating the same talking points Mayfield is using locally.
Mayfield says she supported the 2011 legislation in hopes that allowing unlimited short-term rentals might slow the rate of home foreclosures. Interestingly, though, that reason seldom came up in 2011. Instead, Mayfield and others consistently argued at the time that they were simply protecting the rights of property owners to do what they will with their homes, regardless of the consequences to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Perhaps nowhere in the sate has the short-term rental issue been more front and center than in Vero Beach. Former City Councilwoman Tracy Carroll and her husband, John, are embroiled in a case with the City involving a home they own in the central beach and which they regularly lease short term.
After receiving two formal warnings, one in 2011 and another in 2012, the Carrolls were finally cited for a Code violation this summer. The Carroll’s appealed the citation to the Code Enforcement Board, arguing that the city’s regulation against short-term rentals is vague and thus unenforceable. The Board sided with the Carrolls, and the case is now before the Circuit Court.
Carroll’s support of and involvement in short-term rentals was made a major issue in the recent city council election, and may have been a contributing cause of her resounding defeat by Richard Winger and Amelia Graves, both of whom strongly opposed short-term rentals in residential zones.
Indian River Guardian 
Nice try Debbie. She must be feeling the heat ,generated by the citizens of Vero, that was created with the smashing defeat of her good friend Tracy Carroll. I am ,however , glad she reversed her position, but how will it “sit’ with Tracy and other friends like Charlie Wilson and Glenn Heran ?
Who is the person that is stating that crime is a direct link to short term vacation rentals. Why can’t they just can’t read the facts. First the facts prove otherwise. If you are a police officer or own a 30 day or more rental property you already know that Facts don’t lie. Many questionable people do need at least 30 days to destroy your home and or case and discover who is a home invasion or theft target in a neighborhood. Just check the police records in any community and the facts will change the way you vote. As a matter of fact short term renters are some of the most respected and responsable people I have ever met and their incomes far exceed a typical 30 day or more renter. Wake up complainers you are a dinosaur in the way you deal with facts. Just look at the extreme amount of income STRs bring in to the cities all accross America. Cities will lose millions, foreclosure will go out of site, business will close, homes will go into disrepair. Sites like Homeaway and VRBO are extremely aggressive on deadbeat careless dishonest homeowners and they are the lifeblood of all STR who enlist their services. The problem surfaces when there are lonely people that are envious or just plane jelouse. The real truth is sad because these complainers have nothing to do but complain about any issues that they can cling to. Vote out any elected official that will try to take away your property right. Ban together and sue the individual / s. causing the problem then sue the city of Vero Beach because they will most likely lose in the higher courts. Local business need to stand behind the STR for obvious reasons. Add to everything else STR have literally save thousands and thousands of homes from being foreclosed on and family still have a home To live in. You will never ever find a STR in disrepair these owner trully care about their vacation homes. Also be aware that other interest may be behind all of it like the motel hotel industry. Stand up for your rights people and ban together and fight fight fight.