Short Term Vacation Rental Ordinance Updates & Info

[WalCo]

See this SoWal Forum thread for background

Proposed Rental Ordinance Update?

Short term rental ordinance I heard about this a couple of days ago and finally got around to getting a copy. You guys are going to love this. The request to set up the first public workshop is October 26th. After reading I think you will agree a workshop on this ordinance is a waste of...

sowal.com

The public is invited attend and provide input on Walton County’s proposed Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance. Join County staff for a series of public workshops on the County Commission’s initiative to address the impacts stemming from short term rental activity in Walton County. Specifically, the workshops are intended to explore the following:

1. The public health, safety and welfare impacts of short-term rental of single-family residences on residential areas.
2. The short-term rental related impacts on public safety and public infrastructure in south Walton County.
3. The costs and benefits of implementation of a County registration/regulatory process for single family residential based short-term rentals.

Other topics related to short term rental regulation may also be discussed. Your input is welcome, and this is a great opportunity to help craft the ordinance that will ultimately be presented to the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners for consideration.

This advertisement shall serve as public notice that one or more County Commissioners will be in attendance and discussing actionable items which may later be voted on by the full County Commission.

Workshop Dates and Times October 7, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

October 21, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.



Workshop Location: South Walton Annex

31 Coastal Centre Blvd

Santa Rosa Beach FL 32459



Zoom Information:



Oct 7, 2021 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Telephone:

Dial:

US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799

Webinar ID: 872 3346 9658



Oct 21, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Telephone:

Dial:

US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782

Webinar ID: 851 1464 4707

 

[SUP Boarder]

I understood the moderator in the workshop last night to say that short-term rentals are "allowed" per Florida Statutes (?) HOAs cannot "prohibit" short-term renting. So how can some HOAs (like WaterSound Origins) "limit" short-term rentals? Anyone know more specifics on this?

 

[Stevenkhall]

The state statute prohibits local governments from prohibiting short term residential rentals in any zoning district. That law does not prohibit private covenants and restrictions from restricting the short term rental of units or homes within a project. That private “contract” between association and member is not affected by the statute that only applies to local government.

 

[Matt J]

The above is correct. Some local subdivisions have even restricted rentals completely, not even long term rentals allowed.

 

[WalCo]

Short-Term Rental Issues​

WALTON COUNTY SHORT TERM RENTAL IMPACT REVIEW​

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners is in the process of taking public input and collecting data to support its objective of reducing the negative impacts generated by the rapid increase in the practice of short-term rental of single-family residences within existing residential neighborhoods.

Part of the Board’s concern stems from ever increasing numbers of conversions of older existing homes to much larger residential structures designed to accommodate large numbers of short-term renters.
The Board has tasked the County Planning Department with generating draft proposals to regulate these structures and their landlord/owners to address public health, safety and welfare issues created within the neighborhoods around them.

The Department will also collect data on the impacts on public resources and infrastructure generated by these high intensity uses.
The staff has developed an initial draft ordinance which follows the format adopted by many of Florida’s coastal cities and Counties to create a registration/regulation system to address the most widely recognized impact areas. The Board has requested that staff take this draft out for a series of public workshops to take input from residents using the draft as a strawman for discussion.

INITIAL ORDINANCE WORKSHOP DRAFT​

STAFF REPORT - SHORT TERM VACATION RENTAL​

 

[WalCo]

Staff is recommending the creation and implementation of a Short Term Rental Vacation
Certificate program. Such program would establish minimum requirements such as:
Obtaining a Florida Department of Revenue certificate of registration for purposes of
collecting and remitting tourist development taxes, sales surtaxes, and transient rental
taxes; Obtaining a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation license
as a transient public lodging establishment; and maintaining initial and ongoing
compliance with the Short-term Vacation Rental Standards to be placed in the Walton
County Land Development Code plus any other applicable local, state, and federal laws,
regulations, and standards to include, but not be limited to, Chapter 509, Florida
Statutes, and Rule Chapters 61C and 69A, Florida Administrative Code.

The Short Term Vacation Rental Certificate program could also establish occupancy
limits based on the ability of the structure and site to safely accommodate and park
occupants. Alternatively, a standard occupancy maximum could be imposed without
regard for the site/structure. Under the occupancy by site/structure approach,
occupancy limiting factors could be based on available parking at a revised rate of one
space per three occupants, on-site sewage treatment system limitations, and other life
safety factors associated with the structure. Potential requirements of the ordinance
could be:

• Minimum life safety requirements and Initial and routine life safety inspections;
• The designation of a local responsible party;
• Minimum rental / lease agreement inclusions and requirements;
• Required posting of minimum vacation rental unit information such as: the
maximum occupancy of the unit, the maximum number of vehicles which can be
parked at the unit, trash collection requirements, quiet hours, sea turtle
information, and beach safety system information among other requirements;
• Remedy and enforcement provisions; and
• Vesting provisions.

 

[James Bentwood]

I don't like bureaucracy but it's been like the wild west in SoWal for many years. As I recall about 20 years ago the requirement of having a licensed broker in charge of rental companies was dropped and then anyone could manage multiple rentals. Now some of these companies who have benefited from that are now complaining about being regulated at all.

 

[Matt J]

I don't like bureaucracy but it's been like the wild west in SoWal for many years. As I recall about 20 years ago the requirement of having a licensed broker in charge of rental companies was dropped and then anyone could manage multiple rentals. Now some of these companies who have benefited from that are now complaining about being regulated at all.

Most companies seem reasonable. 30A Escapes is not. They argued this would hurt their business model. Their business model is not compatible with South Walton.

 

[WalCo]

The TDC is holding a Public Workshop on Short Term Rentals on January 28th at 1:30 PM at the South Walton Annex.

Short Term Rental Survey & Workshop

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners has announced that it is conducting a Public Survey about Short Term Rentals in Walton County. The input collected will be presented to the BCC for consideration of a proposed Short Term Rental Ordinance.
Please take the time to fill out.
Link is here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/shorttermvacationrentalsurvey

 

[WalCo]

The ordinance has received final approval after about a year and a half of work.

Vacation Rental Registration Program | Walton County, FL - Home Page

www.co.walton.fl.us

​

Notice to existing Short Term Vacation Rental Unit owners and operators:​

Walton County is in process of developing the necessary staffing and operational systems to implement the certificate requirement of the ordinance. This implementation is expected to take several months and beginning during the month of May (2023) existing short term vacation rentals will be notified on a rolling geographic basis that registration is required and available.​

​

Walton County Short Term Vacation Rental Certificate Program and Neighborhood Compatibility Ordinance ​

Download Ordinance (Adopted January 24, 2023)​

​

Walton County Livability and Tourism Coordinator Contact Info (Coming Soon)​

​

Online Short Term Vacation Rental Certificate Application (Link Coming Soon)​

​

Walton County Short Term Vacation Rental Guidebook (Coming Soon)​

​

Short Term Vacation Rental Unit Posting Materials​

Beach Safety Toolkit from Visit South Walton​

Walton County Noise Ordinance​

Account Suspended

By DOTTY NIST

An ordinance in the works for approximately 1 1/2 years received final approval at the Jan. 24 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the South Walton Annex.

This was the Walton County Short Term Vacation Rental Ordinance.

The ordinance amends the Walton County Land Development Code to create a new regulatory program for short-term vacation rental units in the county’s unincorporated area.

Associated with the program are host registration requirements for short-term vacation rental units and compliance requirements, including requirements associated with life safety. The ordinance sets building and design standards for short-term vacation rental units with the aim of compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods. Included with the ordinance are on-site parking requirements applying both to short-term rental units and new permanent residences south of the bay, with the rate of one on-site parking spaces per 900 square feet of living area to apply. read more ...