Manatee County Set for Vacation Rental Regulation Vote, but Officials Are Split

5/12/2025

Manatee County, Florida, will decide on new regulation of short-term rentals in unincorporated Manatee County next month, but the vote could be split. County commissioners started the process on Jan. 28, when they asked staff to work toward plans to regulate rentals. The staff presented an update on those efforts during a recent meeting shortly before commissioners voted to direct that a proposed ordinance be presented for approval in June. Some municipalities, including Bradenton and those on Anna Maria Island, already regulate vacation rentals, but the unincorporated county does not. Florida law prohibits municipalities from regulating certain aspects of vacation rentals, such as duration or frequency of rental, unless the local government adopted such rules before June 1, 2011. But it does allow them to require registration, permits, safety inspections, quiet hours, occupancy limits, and parking rules, and to set up a fee structure.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL) (05/08/25) Jesse Mendoza