Indian Rocks Beach could change vacation rental rules following legal threats

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — The city of Indian Rocks Beach is considering making some major changes to what has become its highly controversial short-term rental ordinance.

Possible changes to the ordinance will be discussed at a city commission workshop set for 4 p.m. Tuesday at Indian Rocks Beach City Hall.

Earlier this year, seven vacation rental property owners filed lawsuits against the city challenging the ordinance that went into place in the spring of 2023. After the lawsuits were filed, the city entered into mediation with the plaintiffs and constructed a revised version of the ordinance.

Matthew Barrowclough is one of the plaintiffs and says they worked directly with the city manager and city attorney for a number of hours on the proposed rule changes.

“Going to mediation you can never guarantee you’re going to come out with something productive,” he said. “I can say having been there first hand and worked with the city, I’m pleased and thankful that we were able to come together despite our differences.”

Barrowclough says he started taking legal action last year, but it was put on pause as SB 280 worked its way through the Florida legislature. That bill would have given state oversight to regulate all vacation rentals and could have essentially voided the local restrictions in Indian Rocks Beach. Gov. Ron DeSantis ultimately vetoed the bill in July and Barrowclough says that’s when the plaintiffs’ discussion with the city picked back up again.

Changes would also be made to inspection rules and required posted signage.

A number of residents who have fought to keep short-term rentals out of neighborhood streets are frustrated and feel these changes would gut the current regulations in place.

Resident John Pfanstiehl says he feels the rules are fair and hold up to similar ordinances in beachside cities in other parts of Florida.

“They’ve been tested in many Florida cities and counties so the regulations we have in place are reasonable,” he said. “But overall, short-term rentals should not be a single-family residential neighborhoods. You shouldn’t have hotel businesses all over the place here.”

Pfanstiehl says he plans to attend Tuesday’s city commission workshop and wishes this case would be handled by a judge.

“They don’t see who comes in their house and don’t care who comes in their house. Many are out of state or out-of-town investors,” he said.

Residents on both sides of the issue plan to speak during the public comment portion of the city commission workshop. A final vote has not yet been scheduled.