Atlantic Beach council approves paid-parking program, permits short-term rentals and advances special-event rules; votes at a glance

Atlantic Beach Town Council approved multiple ordinances and procedural items on March 3, 2025, voting to change short-term rental rules, advance a paid-parking program and establish special-event permitting guidelines while reasserting financial oversight for a rebuilt Beautification Committee.

Short-term rentals: Interim Town Manager Linda Cheatham summarized Ordinance 2-2025, which changes short-term rentals from a conditional use to a permitted use; council approved the ordinance on second reading by unanimous vote. Cheatham described the amendment as a clarification of current practice rather than a new allowance.

Paid parking and code rewrite: Council advanced Ordinance 4-2025 on a first reading to implement paid parking on several public lots and to begin rewriting the Town Code general provisions. Mayor Pro Tem John David said projections place gross parking revenue between $250,000 and $400,000 annually; he said the Town’s share in year one would be about 45 percent (after expenses and revenue sharing with landowners), moving to roughly a 50-50 split with the parking company in option years. Council approved the first reading and asked staff and the town attorney to prepare edits.

Special-event permits: Ordinance 5-2025 would require event applicants to provide estimated attendance, security plans and to submit applications roughly 60 days in advance, with exceptions allowed. Council discussed the 60‑day timeline and Ms. Cheatham confirmed exceptions are included; the first reading passed.

Other actions: Council approved the second reading of Ordinance 1-2025 (amending Housing and Land Use elements) with strike-through edits on a 3-1 vote (Councilwoman Gore opposed). The council reestablished the Beautification Committee, asked staff to ensure committee funds are processed through Town accounting, and set a nominations deadline of March 20, 2025. The council also moved approval of minutes and adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

Why it matters: the paid-parking program could generate modest recurring revenue for town services; permitting short-term rentals as a permitted use changes local land-management rules that affect property owners and rental operators; special-event permitting introduces a process to manage public safety and logistics for larger gatherings.

Next steps: Ordinance 4-2025 and 5-2025 advanced on first reading and will return for further edits and subsequent readings as required; staff were directed to incorporate council edits and to work with the town attorney on final language.