04.03 Meeting Minutes
Short term rentals under fire: Dave Ennis of Primo Drive spoke during public comment about the growing problem his street is facing with short term rental properties. Primo Drive is allowed by the code to have weekly short term rentals, but Ennis said the problem is the number of people in the house at a time.
“I came here to paradise, but 20 screaming kids in the pool is not paradise,” he said.
Primo Drive’s residential properties are often bought by investors, who in turn don’t live there and instead rent the property.
“We’re losing our neighborhood,” he said.
Vice Mayor Tracey Gore has brought up the issue at previous council meetings.
“Our residential is being shoved out. I know it’s a nightmare to enforce it. I know it’s a problem for other towns too,” she said.
Kara Stewart, Community Development Director, said the Local Planning Agency had been working with the Fort Myers Beach Fire District, as the department has a voluntary short-term rental registry for safety and inspection purposes. The town, however, could not demand entry to a home and there was not enough staff resources for code enforcement to direct a heavy focus on the rentals.
2017 Fourth of July grand marshall selected: Town Council members were supposed to submit nominations for the 2017 Fourth of July parade grand marshall at the meeting. However, Council Member Anita Cereceda suggested that the selection could tie into another prestigious town award – the Citizen of the Year could automatically be named the marshall. Her councilmembers agreed with the idea. The 2017 marshall will be Miffie Greer, who was the 2016 Citizen of the Year.
“Wave with one hand, throw candy with the other,” Mayor Dennis Boback advised Greer.
She said she’d have to practice her wave.
LPA vacancy filled: Lorrie Wolf was nominated to fill now-Council Member Bruce Butcher’s vacancy on the LPA. She faced three other contenders: Forrest Critser, John Goggin and David Tezak. The council voted in Wolf with three votes.
“Start thinking about parking,” said Council Member Joanne Shamp.
More positions for the LPA will be left vacant in October, as well as other town committees. Shamp suggested the other candidates try to fill a position on an advisory board.