Where would Turner’s endorsee, Harry Howle, stand?
COMMENTARY
“An important question for voters to consider November 3 is where Turner’s endorsee, Harry Howle, stands on short-term rentals. Candidate Laura Moss, as well, owes it to voters to make her position clear. If two candidates are elected who are inclined to join Turner in worshiping at the alter of so-called private property rights, the people of Vero Beach, especially barrier islanders, can say goodbye to their quiet neighborhoods.”
MARK SCHUMANN
At a special call meeting of the Vero Beach City Council today, Councilwoman Pilar Turner, again casting herself in a one-person minority, argued City Code prohibiting the operation of transient, short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods is too vague, and is thus unenforceable.
Turner’s argument is essentially the same one forwarded by former City Councilwoman Tracy Carroll and her husband John.
Since the Carroll’s challenge to the City’s ban on transient rentals two years ago, the City Council has moved to clarify the meaning of “temporary,” as it relates to temporary, transient, short-term housing. The Council has also clarified the process for appealing code violations.
In both code violation cases heard by the City Council this morning, Planning Director Tim McGarry, backed by the Planning & Zoning Board, issued code citations after the property owners involved repeatedly violated, and thus essentially ignored, the City’s long-standing ban on transient rentals.
True to her Tea Party Libertarian leanings, Turner seems to believe property owners should be able to do whatever they want with their land. But let someone propose to build a ball bearing factor, or even a vacation rental “party home” next to her waterfront mansion, and watch Turner sing a different tune.
Turner’s tirade today against the City’s efforts to enforce a ban on short-term rentals is another example of her many double standards. She opposes any and all proposals to treat fairly the City’s employees, yet Turner shamelessly lets taxpayers cover the cost of her health insurance. She calls for continued cuts in spending, but is more than happy to have the city widen the roads and installing new curbing in her wealthy neighborhood – all to make room for more service vehicles.
An important question for voters to consider November 3 is where Turner’s endorsee, Harry Howle, stands on short-term rentals. Candidate Laura Moss, as well, owes it to voters to make her position clear. If two candidates are elected who are inclined to join Turner in worshiping at the alter of so-called private property rights, the people of Vero Beach, especially barrier islanders, can say goodbye to their quiet neighborhoods.
Indian River Guardian 
As usual, Mark is right on target in asking these questions of candidates Howell and Moss. Turner’s position in supporting the short term ‘transient’ rentals inside residential areas, making the ‘homes’ into overnight and weekly motels, is unforgivable. She said at the Council Meeting that she doesn’t want short term rentals, but then voted to allow them? And this was in contradiction to her own appointee at the Planning and Zoning Board, which voted 5-0 to reject the Charles Fitz appeal of our zoning laws. This issue should be made a ‘benchmark’ for any aspiring City Council member–NO to short term transient rentals in Vero’s residential area. Fitz should sell his Vero houses, go out to the county and open an unlicensed B&B there, where it is seemingly allowed. And as Councilwoman Graves clearly pointed out, anyone planning to open a ‘vacation home rental’ (aka transient daily/weekly guest house) should have first applied for a license. That State of FL. license for such activity–renting less than 30 days–is called a ‘transient dwelling licnese’, and clearly identifies short term rentals as running a transient guest house, just what the City Code prohibits. There is nothing vague about this use of transient in Fla. rental law. Even the State Senate uses this definition of transient in its Statute 509.242 “Pubic Lodging Establishments” showing in section 1 types of public lodging being (a) Hotel (b) Motel (c) Vacation Rental, etc. Any responsible business would inform themselves of this Statue and its meaning before opening up a transient public lodging establishment. Yet Fitz’s attorney is claiming that transient is not defined? Then the whole Fla. Statute using this term must be ‘undefined’ and too vague to apply?