Short-Term Rental Regulations in Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Background image taken by Andy Sholly, Indian Rocks Beach, FL resident.

Indian Rocks Beach enacted short-term rental regulations under Ordinance 2023-02 in August 1, 2023. The ordinance aimed to address concerns about noise, overcrowding, parking, and overall community impact of the large influx of short-term rental properties.

Key Regulations

Trash Management: Short-term rental owners in Indian Rocks Beach must be in compliance with Chapter 50 - Solid Waste code:

1. Cans are required to be brought to the curb prior to 7:00am on the scheduled day of service. (Note : containers may be placed curbside after 7:00pm the day before collection day.)

2. Cans must be removed from the curb by 7:00pm on collection day. 

3. Owners cannot accumulate trash for more than four days.

4. Owners must conceal garbage containers from public view.

Indian Rocks Beach has been been strictly enforcing these waste regulations on rental properties. Rental owners often hire a valet trash service, such as WasteMates, to prevent fines and ensure trash gets collected on collection day. Rental owners can view the full waste code on websites such as Municode Library.

Occupancy Limits: Short-term rentals can accommodate a maximum of two guests per bedroom, plus two additional guests, with an overall cap of 12 occupants per property.

Parking Requirements: Rentals must provide at least one on-site parking space per bedroom for single-family and two-family dwellings. Two on-site parking spaces are required for multifamily dwellings containing one or two bedroom units.

Noise Restrictions: Sound levels are limited to 60 decibels during the day (7 am to 6 pm) and 55 decibels at night (6 pm to 7 am).

Building Code Compliance: All short-term rental properties must adhere to Florida Building Code standards, regardless of when they were built. The owner must also identify the business tax receipt number on the exterior of the property and include the phone number for the primary designated responsible party of the property.

Community Response and Legal Challenges

While some residents have welcomed the regulations, many short-term rental owners argue that the rules are too restrictive. Several lawsuits have been filed against the city, challenging occupancy limits and other provisions. On the flip-side, many full-time residents desire more regulations. If you drive through Indian Rocks Beach, you'll be sure to notice a sea of "Homes Not Hotels" signs.

In response to ongoing legal disputes and pushback from property owners, the Indian Rocks Beach City Commission is considering potential revisions to the ordinance. 

For more information and the latest updates, visit indian-rocks-beach.com. The full 2023-02 ordinance can also be found at on the Indian Rocks Beach website.

This article was written by Josh Sloan, co-owner of wastemates.org. As residents of Pinellas County (FL), we understand the devastation of hurricane Helene and Milton. If there's anything we can do to help, please reach out to josh@wastemates.org.