Rental Registration Ordinance Passes On Second Reading

The Marco Island City Council met on December 5th for its only meeting during the month of December due to the Christmas Holiday Season. However, it was a month in which they would be able to put to rest a major bit of unfinished business which began with the successful citizen initiative to establish a Short-Term Rental Registration Program for the island.

On August 23 voters came to the polls to overwhelmingly vote to establish the registration program which passed by a 4,304 to 3,264 vote margin. This, after stiff opposition from the island’s highly influential real estate industry both locally and statewide, that saw significant financial resources pour onto the island to defeat the proposed registration program.

The rental debate has been a significant issue on the island over the last decade or more. Homes that were usually occupied by younger families who worked in local hotels, restaurants and other local establishments were quickly snapped up and utilized for the more lucrative short-term rental market which returned a higher return on investment.

Local authorities began receiving more complaints ranging from overflowing trash and excessive noise to overnight parking on swales due to overcrowding. Attempts to deal with the issues by implementing stricter regulations and noise ordinances were deemed inadequate.

Feeling they were being ignored, citizens took matters into their own hands and petitions began to circulate regarding a short-term rental registration ordinance. State law withdrew the ability of the local jurisdictions to deal with the root causes of some of the underlying issues such as duration of stay, therefore leaving local jurisdictions with limited options as to how to deal with the associated problems.

On Marco Island the creation of a Short-Term Rental Registration Program similar to Ft. Lauderdale was one such option and it was passed in August of this year by an overwhelming majority of Marco Island residents but required two public hearings and votes by council.

At the December 5th meeting of the Marco Island City Council that Ordinance was approved by a 4-3 vote on the second reading. Vice Chair Jared Grifoni, Councilors Becky Irwin and newly elected Councilor Darrin Palumbo voted against its implementation, while newly elected Board Chairman Greg Folley, Erik Brechnitz, Rich Blonna and Joe Rolla voted to support the ordinance which had the support of the residents of the island.

City staff will now work on implementing the ordinance and setting up a system which is workable.