PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Residents at Indian Rocks Beach say they're still experiencing problems with short-term rentals, like noise and parking.
That's despite an ordinance going into effect in August. The goal was to help alleviate these issues.
Sandy Sullivan has called Indian Rocks Beach home for 35 years. He remembers a different version of his neighborhood.
"It was a residential neighborhood…a typical residential neighborhood. If you walk your dog, you're talking to a resident. You're not talking to someone who is renting the home," said Sullivan.
He said since then, a lot has changed.
"Now, we aren't neighbors. You don't know who you are talking to. If it's a neighbor or if it's a short-term rental. And short-term rentals don't normally come out and talk to you while you're walking your dog," said Sullivan.
Many residents say that's part of the problem.
"Well, in my case, with my windows closed, someone who is 1,000 feet away, I could hear them partying and playing loud music early in the morning," said resident John Pfanstiehl.
Back in August, an ordinance went into effect at Indian Rocks Beach, putting regulations on noise, occupancy, parking, and building code requirements.
Short-term rentals are now only allowed to have a maximum of twelve guests, regardless of how many bedrooms the home has.
It also requires there to be one parking space per bedroom.
Sullivan said the ordinance hasn't made much of a difference.
"I hear them complaining. They have a hard time sleeping at night time, plus they are having problems with the short-term rentals coming over onto their property," said Sullivan.
"Instead of there being two people in a house, you can end up with 15 or 20 people in a house," said Pfanstiehl.
While residents are still experiencing problems, vacation rental owners say they are doing everything they can to make sure both neighbors and visitors are happy.
"If you're legal and you're ethical, everybody will be happy," said Jason Conner.
Conner is a real estate advisor who works with short-term vacation rentals at Indian Rocks Beach.
"Everyone that is doing this is doing this as a business person, and we all want our business people to be successful," said Conner.
He believes most short-term rentals follow the ordinance's rules, but it's just a couple that makes the situation more difficult.
"What my wife, Carolina, and I are doing is trying to find a solution for everybody that we can respect each other's property, respect businesses, and at the same time preserve what we have at these beautiful beaches," said Sullivan.
Conner said he hopes people can be respectful going forward.
"We want our neighbors to be happy with us, and we want our clients to be happy and have a good time when they vacation," said Conner.
