After years of debate, Indian Rocks Beach officials have opted to maintain their existing ordinance regulating short-term rentals.

The controversy surrounding short-term rental properties, such as Airbnbs and VRBOs, continues to stir tension in the Pinellas County beachside community and beyond to Seminole, Dunedin, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, and other localities.

Many longtime residents are urging city commissioners to strictly enforce the 2023 regulations, which aim to manage issues tied to short-term rental properties.

Local news station WTSP has covered this evolving issue for several years. In the past year, commissioners have revisited the rules, weighing whether to relax them due to concerns about legal challenges and potential litigation costs.

In January, the commission voted in favor of easing the restrictions but postponed final approval during a scheduled second reading in February.

On Wednesday, the city held a code compliance and special magistrate hearing where fines were levied for reported violations, including failure to register rental properties. The city had previously announced it would resume notifications and enforcement proceedings in March, following delays caused by consecutive hurricanes last fall.

“There are properties that have had police respond half a dozen times, yet they’ve never been brought before the magistrate,” said Bob Coplen, a resident of nearly four decades. While he supports recent enforcement efforts, Coplen believes more needs to be done to address issues such as noise, parking, and other disturbances.

In response to resident concerns, the city launched a dedicated phone line this month for reporting non-compliant rental properties.

Meanwhile, resident and rental owner Matthew Barrowclough continues to push back against the city’s policies. He argues the enforcement of the ordinance is inappropriate and said legal appeals remain a possibility.

“The city is still enforcing something it shouldn’t be,” Barrowclough told WTSP, criticizing the fines handed down on Wednesday and raising questions about the legal process.

The short-term rental debate is also gaining traction beyond the beach, as Pinellas County commissioners have recently implemented stricter regulations across inland areas as well.

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(Image credit: Spectrum News/Brian Rea)

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