Cocoa Beach commission approves first reading of citywide vacation-rental ordinance amid debate over fees and grandfathering

The Cocoa Beach City Commission voted 3-2 on first reading to adopt Ordinance 16-95, which would change Chapter 26.5 of the city code to regulate vacation rentals citywide rather than only in the RS-1 single-family zoning district.

The ordinance’s passage on first reading came after more than an hour of public comment from rental owners and residents who said the proposed registration fees— which some speakers described as thousands of dollars per unit—would be onerous for small owners and long-standing properties. Several speakers asked that condominiums and other properties already permitted as transient lodging be exempted or grandfathered.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the item as an effort to bring short-term and vacation rentals into a consistent, enforceable citywide system. Supporters said registration and enforcement are necessary to address noise, parking and repeat nuisance complaints; opponents said the proposed fees and enforcement approach risk punishing compliant owners and harming small, long-term investors.

What the commission decided and why: The ordinance, described by staff as using the state definition of…