The Cocoa Beach City Commission voted 3-2 on second reading to make short-term rental regulations citywide and, by a separate 5-0 vote, approved a 30-day reduced-fee window that temporarily lowers the initial registration fee to $500.

The ordinance (No. 1695) expands Chapter 26.5 of the city code — previously applied only in RS-1 residential zones — to cover the entire city. The accompanying resolution (2025-3) creates a 30-day reduced-fee period for vacation registration and late fees; commissioners said the reduced fee is intended to encourage prompt compliance.

Why it matters: City staff presented an enforcement cost estimate that led to proposed higher fees and to requests for additional enforcement staff and vehicles. Supporters said stronger, citywide rules are needed to curb disruptive “bad actors” and to fund enforcement; opponents argued the city’s fee estimates are too high, that a single flat fee is unfair across unit types, and that the commission should adopt a tiered, data-driven fee schedule.

The vote and votes-counts
- Ordinance 1695 (second reading): passed 3-2 (Commissioner Jackson — Nay; Commissioner Robinson — Nay; Commissioner DeMulci — Yes; Vice Mayor Williams — Yes; Mayor Capizzi — Yes).
- Resolution 2025-3 (30-day reduced-fee window / reduced registration fee): passed 5-0.

Debate and implementation concerns
Supporters said citywide rules would give enforcement staff consistent authority across neighborhoods and commercial districts. City staff and commissioners cited an internal estimate of the incremental costs of citywide enforcement — including additional code officers, vehicles and a larger enforcement footprint — as the reason for raising registration and annual fees for RS-1 properties earlier in the process.

Several public commenters urged a more measured approach to fee levels and to distribute enforcement costs fairly. Eric Hadden, a hospitality worker and vacation property owner, warned the commission against “punish[ing] the operators for doing the right thing” and urged a less punitive fee structure for compliant owners. Catherine Funderburk Swingle, who identifies herself as a vacation property owner, asked the commission not to apply the citywide fee structure in predominantly commercial zones and urged that inspection and other departmental fees be consolidated into a single registration fee.

Commissioners split on how quickly and broadly to apply the new fee schedule. Commissioner Jackson voted against the ordinance, arguing for more analysis and a tiered fee that reflects differing burdens on city services (for example, comparing a one-bedroom condo to a five-bedroom house). Other commissioners said delaying the ordinance would prevent the city from acting on complaints and from enforcing against repeat offenders.

What the 30-day reduced-fee window does
Commissioners approved a one-time 30-day reduced-fee period tied to the registration program. Under the resolution commissioners adopted, the reduced initial registration fee is $500 for the 30-day window; staff said receipts dated after the commission’s approval and after grant/permit requirements are met would be eligible (work begun before grant approval or permitting generally is not reimbursable under grant rules discussed elsewhere in the meeting).

Next steps and remaining questions
City staff and the city attorney said the city can revisit fee amounts by resolution if subsequent analysis shows enforcement costs differ from current estimates. Several commissioners asked staff to “sharpen the pencil” and return with more granular cost and compliance data, and members of the public urged a tiered structure based on advertised occupancy or a property’s functional size rather than a single flat fee for all unit types.

The commission directed staff to refine the fee calculations and noted a timeline that allows the reduced-fee window to begin immediately once the ordinance is final and the resolution is applied. Commissioners said they expect follow-up material and possible fee adjustments in subsequent meetings.

Votes at a glance (other formal actions during the meeting)
- CRA: Accepted 2024 annual Community Redevelopment Agency report — approved 5-0.
- CRA: Accepted the CRA annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) FY2024 — approved 5-0.
- CRA: Commercial Visual Improvement Program grant for Dirty Birds Tiki Bar (142 Minuteman Causeway) — motion to table (tabled by Commission).
- CRA: Commercial Visual Improvement Program grant for Cosmic Tiki (101 N. Atlantic Ave.) — approved (vote recorded as passed by motion).
- Contract award: Schindler Elevator Corp., not to exceed $200,000, to replace malfunctioning elevator components in the parking garage — approved 5-0.
- Consent agenda (including budget workshop scheduling): approved 5-0.

What was not decided
Commissioners debated but did not finalize a tiered fee structure at this meeting. Multiple commissioners and members of the public asked staff to return with a refined cost-of-service analysis before applying the citywide fee schedule to all property types.

Quotations (from meeting record)
- "Let's not punish the operators for doing the right thing and focus on the bad actors," said Eric Hadden, a hospitality worker and vacation property owner, urging a measured fee approach for compliant operators.
- "If you are adopting a policy that reflects cost of service, please review these costs for all businesses," said Catherine Funderburk Swingle, a vacation property owner, asking the commission not to apply the new fees in purely commercial zones without the same cost review.

Ending
Commissioners approved the citywide ordinance and the short grace period but asked staff to return quickly with more detailed, property-type-specific cost estimates so the commission can consider tiered fees or other adjustments. The commission set a schedule of follow-up work and signaled it may revise fee levels by resolution after reviewing staff’s refined analysis.