Discussion scheduled on rental issue dispute

REDINGTON BEACH – Ronald and Marilyn Riley went to Town Hall to seek advice. The Rileys wanted to build a single family house in a residential zoned district. They asked former Town Clerk Larry Bittner if the town allowed short term rentals of such property.Bittner allegedly told them it was the town’s policy to allow short term rentals. Bittner evidently was unaware that the town’s zoning ordinance did not allow short term rentals. The rule has been on the books for some time but, according to the town’s code enforcement officer Mark Davis, has been largely ignored. The Riley’s said they were misinformed and, therefore, should be allowed to go forward with their plans.Redington Beach Town Attorney Dominic Amadio attempted to clarify the problem in a June 30, 2005 letter to the commission. Amadio explained that the town should cite anyone in a single family residential district who rents for less than 181 days. But since the Rileys were misled, the town could provide relief because the alleged misinformation took place before Amadio’s clarifying letter. Consequently, the commission scheduled a special meeting for Aug. 9 to hear the Riley’s plea to be grandfathered in.Steven A. Williamson, an attorney for the Riley family said, “The Riley’s asked all the right questions. If staff doesn’t know the rules, you can’t expect the Riley’s to know. After the June 2005 letter nobody can complain but before that they are grandfathered in.”Williamson said he has a recorded conversation of Bittner telling the Rileys that short term rentals are OK.Amadio said that each case should be examined on a case by case basis to determine whether or not short term rentals could be allowed, although violators of the zoning ordinance should be cited unless they can prove that prior to Amadios’ letter the town told them that short term rentals were allowed. In such a case the use could be grandfathered in.Tax millage rateThe town’s financial consultant Linda Mahnke said that the current year’s millage rate of 2.2560 would be adequate provided the town lower what she described as the town’s “piggy bank” budget, a fund that would provide for a new town hall, seawall and other such projects.“Make your budget have a lower amount in the piggy bank budget and you will be OK,” she said. “The only question is how much you want in the piggy bank fund.”