Pinellas public hearing on short‑term rentals ends with commissioners directing stricter occupancy and noise rules

After more than two hours of public testimony Feb. 25, Pinellas County commissioners gave staff clear direction to tighten parts of a draft short‑term rental ordinance: keep the 10‑person cap on rentals, preserve quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m., adopt a statutory bedroom definition to prevent non‑bedroom spaces from being marketed as sleeping rooms and count children toward the occupancy total.

The hearing opened with a staff presentation of a proposed rewrite that would add mandatory registration, building‑code inspections and a technology‑driven monitoring and complaint system. County Attorney staff reminded the public that Florida statutes preempt some local limits on STRs — for example, local governments may not ban vacation rentals or limit frequency/duration — but they can regulate aspects such as occupancy, inspections and local registration.

Nut graf: The proposed ordinance would create a registration and inspection system (a County Certificate of Use) supported by vendor tools that scan online listings, a 24‑hour complaint hotline and extra code enforcement staff. During the hearing residents described loud parties, blocked streets, unpermitted conversions and years of sleep deprivation; the board responded by directing staff to keep key protections and report back with refined ordinance…