Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at the Morning Business workshop meeting, the Palm Coast City Council continued to hammer away at the Short Term Rental ordinance. City Council members continued discussions on multiple aspects such as requiring background checks on renters, maximum occupancy, and other issues such as boating rules, noise levels for both daytime and nighttime, and what property owners should have listed in the online Airbnb and VRBO listings.
The discussion on STRs being required to do background checks was lengthy. Members of the public who own STRs came forward to speak, explaining that Airbnb and VRBO both perform background checks on the renters and the property owners/managers, to use their platforms. Throughout the discussion, the City Council ultimately decided to rely on the background checks provided by the online rental platform, and owners would have to sign documents verifying that their property is listed with a service that already provides background checks that meet or exceed the expectations of the City.
The discussion continued regarding maximum occupancy. STR owners spoke during public comment, about how the maximum occupancy should solely be based by the number of habitable rooms each house has, without a limit on a maximum number. Ultimately, City Council provided consensus that the maximum number of guests for STRs would remain at 10 people, excluding infants and toddlers.
Some changes that the City Council made to the ordinance were regarding emergency lighting. City Council has allowed for changes to be made to that portion of the ordinance, where battery operated lights will sufice, instead of the more expensive options previously recommended. Multiple members of the council discussed adding boating rules to the welcome packets that would need to be provided to renters when they visit Palm Coast and stay in an STR.
Also during the discussion, Vice-Mayor Pontieri stressed her desire to see verbiage added to the listings outlining that these rentals are in residential neighborhoods, as well as notes in house rules about some of the City’s ordinances. She explained her position by outlining how this may help curb some of the more wild groups of people renting homes for parties, bachelor parties, or other loud and rowdy groups.
The discussion continued with council members discussing the best way to help provide accountability and stability to the issue for long term residents in Palm Coast. Ultimately the changes outlined above will be made in the ordinance, and it will be heard for the first read on December 17th at the morning business meeting, and a second read currently scheduled for the first meeting in January.
