6:30 pm, Chapel by the Sea Fellowship Hall

Sunday, January 14, marked the 100th day of kidnapped civilians from around the world still held captive in Gaza. Join us in hope for their return. No need to register. Just show up. Feel free to bring an international flag representing the numerous countries of those kidnapped. Come walk with us.

To join our WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L3CWkaafysxL0vwFpB0ps2

Starting Jan. 14, we will walk weekly until everyone comes home safe. No obligation to be there every week. 

*We will walk wearing “red” shirts. You can also wear the project shirts, which can be purchased through Amazon run4lives.org/shirts

CODE COMPLIANCE
A Citizens Guide to Code Enforcement, City of Clearwater

Short-Term Residential Rental – CDC Sections 1-104.B & 3-919 • While Clearwater benefits, encourages and celebrates tourism, the city’s Code Compliance Division reminds residential property owners that the city enforces its shortterm rental ordinance. In residential districts, the city doesn’t allow a property owner to lease or rent their property for short-term periods, which is anything less than 31 days or a calendar month. Residential property owners who wish to rent their property can advertise for monthly rentals; they cannot advertise for daily or weekly rentals. • A residential use located on a residentially zoned property shall not include rentals for less than 31 days or one calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place rented for periods of less than 31 days or one calendar month, whichever is less. A residential use located on residentially zoned property shall not include an interval ownership, a fractional ownership or a timesharing unit.

State Reps Should Leave Vacation Rentals to Locals

Opinion from Samuel Hutkin, Clearwater Beach Association President

The Florida legislature is taking another run at the short-term rental issue and legislators continue to make the same mistake over and over again – taking power away from communities on an issue that is inherently local. A workable solution must recognize that reality. 

Tallahassee lawmakers need to come to terms with the fact that residential communities have a legitimate interest in knowing who is passing through – whether they’re a sexual predator or carrying a new COVID variant. An under-resourced agency in Tallahassee is never going to be able to manage challenges like this in every corner of the state, nor should it attempt it. 

Governor DeSantis said as much last session – stating that it was a bad idea for the state to take over full responsibility of managing vacation rentals, that it’s an issue best handled at the local level. 

The Governor is right on this one. Our state is just too big and too diverse. And, while there are a lot of issues that local governments aren’t equipped to handle, zoning and land use – which is really the core of the vacation rental issue – simply isn’t one of them. 

Issues connected to zoning and land use may be an awkward add-on for a state agency; however, it’s the central function of local government. Most of the resources within local government – outside of basic services like trash collection – are geared toward managing issues related to land use. Check your local city or county meeting agenda this week. Eighty percent of it will be focused on variances and proposed construction projects. 

Very few cities are interested in banning vacation rentals, despite the rhetoric. Most just want to get a handle on things – which certainly makes sense during a global pandemic. “Party houses” which have always been a problem, have become particularly problematic in the COVID-era. 

Many cities, in fact, embrace vacation rentals in all areas. And, there are even more municipalities – probably a majority – that embrace short-term rentals in certain areas. We are, after all, a tourism-based economy. But the mix that makes sense on Clearwater Beach may not make sense at Seven Springs or Lutz.

The truth is that platform companies like Airbnb, Amazon, Facebook, in a very short period of time, have transformed our world. Much of it’s for the better but it’s not without trade-offs. Airbnb and similar vacation rental platforms have upended many residential communities. 

State lawmakers need to partner with local municipalities, not demonize them, to mitigate the worst elements of this brave new world. Getting a handle on this issue is only possible with a cooperative effort between state and local government – they already do it for the licensing and siting of almost every other commercial operation from power stations to liquor stores. 

The good news is that our region will be determinative on the issue – beyond Speaker Sprowls and Senate President Simpson, Senator Hooper is Chairman of the second committee hearing the issue and area lawmakers are scattered across all the committees. It’s time for our area lawmakers to put aside rhetoric and address this issue in a comprehensive and holistic way. Samuel Hutkin, President of Clearwater Beach Homeowner Association

Lisa Hayes, Parking Enforcement Supervisor
Has provided the following information as a reminder of procedures.

Call numbers for illegal parking complaints in residential area Acacia Street and North:

Enforcement has been enhanced in the North Beach Residential District to eliminate illegal parking and enforce other safety violations. If you have a complaint regarding illegal parking in the North beach Residential District, please call the numbers as outlined below:

Daily from 8am – 6pm call 727-562-4707, opt 2 (Marina Parking office) or opt 3 (Supervisor). This office does not handle parking citations but will forward parking complaints to the enforcement team via the radio. Fastest way to get a live person.

Weekdays, 8am – 4:30pm, email parkingticket@myclearwater.com or call the Parking Enforcement office at 727-462-6312 (may need to leave a voicemail due to high call volume).

After 6pm, call the non-emergency number at the CPD 727-562-4242 and they will radio our staff in the field directly.

Call numbers to request Installation of parking spaces or no parking signage:
To request installation of parking spaces or “NO PARKING” signs along your property, call the Engineering Department at 727-562-4776 or Engineering’s main line at 727-562-4750.

Construction/Contractor Vehicle Parking Procedures
Unmarked construction vehicles must visibly display a business card on their windshield to show they are a legitimate business. It should include the business name, phone number, and address.
Notifications for construction/contractor parking needs that will take more than one day are be reported to the Parking System via email to parkingticket@myclearwater.com.
The email needs to include the following information:
• Name of Contractor
• Make and Model of Vehicle(s) (tag numbers if possible)
• Start Date and End Date of project
• Contact name, phone number and email
• Address/location of work being done

Clearly marked construction/contractor vehicles will not need to display their business card, however, all the above procedures will apply if they have parking needs for more than one day.

Citations will not be dismissed for failure to notify the Parking System of the arrangements or failure to display the business card on the windshield.

Block Party – Suspend Enforcement Requests
The resident would need to contact our Parking System at the main office line, 727-562-4704, between 8:30am – 4:30 pm Monday-Friday, with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice. We would notify Parking Enforcement.