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Melbourne Beach workshop advances broad short-term rental rewrite as residents clash over fees, limits and enforcement
Summary
At a Dec. 16 workshop, Melbourne Beach commissioners reviewed a draft ordinance to regulate vacation rentals townwide, debated eliminating an owner-occupied exemption, and weighed occupancy, parking, guest‑screening and noise rules after hours of public comment that split residents and hosts.
MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. — Melbourne Beach commissioners spent a Dec. 16 workshop reviewing a sweeping rewrite of the town’s short‑term rental rules that would apply regulations townwide, require registration and inspections, and add new screening, parking and noise controls.
The commission directed staff to move the draft toward a first reading in January after lengthy debate over whether to preserve an owner‑occupied exemption and how to balance enforcement with residents’ privacy and businesses’ costs. Town Attorney Ryan Knight told commissioners the goal was to align the chapter with the town’s Land Development Code and modernize language so the town’s regulations are clear and enforceable.
Commissioners discussed several policy choices that will shape the ordinance: whether to remove references to RS‑1/RS‑2/RS‑3 zones and make the chapter apply across all zoning districts; a hybrid occupancy model (two people per bedroom with a hard cap such as eight or a higher maximum by exception); a default three‑car parking rule with case‑by‑case adjustments for properties with larger driveways; and a new requirement that online listings display the…
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