Manatee County vacation rentals: Commissioners order draft rules

BRADENTON, Fla. - Manatee County leaders are moving forward with plans to regulate short-term vacation rentals after residents urged officials to crack down on recurring neighborhood disruptions.

Vacation rental regulations

What we know:

Manatee County commissioners reviewed proposals Wednesday to handle long-standing issues surrounding short-term rentals like Airbnb’s and Vrbo's. Board members directed staff to draft a new ordinance to bring back in 30 to 45 days. 

In the meantime, commissioners want code enforcement officers to address immediate noise complaints, including loud parties, and noise from outdoor sports courts. However, five open code enforcement positions remain frozen, requiring officials to figure out a staffing plan.

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Resident community impact

What they're saying:

Residents in several west Manatee County neighborhoods say a small number of high-occupancy rentals create constant problems with noise, overflowing trash, and packed streets. Pine Meadow HOA representatives noted that while most rentals are well-managed, five properties hosting up to 20 guests generate most complaints. 

Resident Richard Hicks said the noise prevents basic living. 

"They can't hear all of it, but the bass is so loud it goes through our house," said Hicks. "I haven't even been able to sleep in my own bedroom now for a year, because of the noise." 

Commissioner George Kruse emphasized finding balance.

"We want to make sure we are protecting the good actors and stopping the bad actors so that everybody can live peacefully in Manatee County," Kruse said. 

Property owner perspective

The other side:

Rental owners argue that sweepingly broad rules penalize responsible hosts instead of bad actors. Property owner John McNaught told commissioners the county should enforce existing rules rather than build new bureaucracy for thousands of residents who already follow regulations.

Short term rental program costs

By the numbers:

Preliminary staff projections for a program covering 3,000 short-term rentals include:

• $1.5 million in first-year costs to add 11 staff positions.
• $237,000 annually for specialized short-term rental tracking software.
• 50 to 75 weeks to process 3,000 initial applications.
• $600 in total estimated fees per property, including a $450 registration fee and a $150 inspection fee.

State preemption laws

The backstory:

Florida law limits how local governments regulate vacation rentals. Manatee County cannot ban short-term rentals, cap total numbers, limit rental frequency or regulate homes as commercial operations solely because they operate as rentals. 

That forces local officials to focus strictly on safety inspections, occupancy, parking, noise, and trash.

Future public input

What's next:

Wednesday's meeting was a work session where no final decision or vote occurred. Once staff prepares the draft ordinance, the county will gather public input and schedule public hearings before any final adoption.

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