Madison Arnold | Pensacola News Journal

Escambia County staff are looking into a potential ordinance to help better regulate short-term vacation rentals.

Commissioner Robert Bender said he directed legal staff to research an ordinance that could increase communication between the county and those with vacation rentals with some sort of required registry of owners, management companies and their contact information. The goal of the ordinance would be to better know which homes are rentals and how to get in contact with owners or managers should a problem arise with their guests.

The state doesn't allow for much local control over short-term rentals and it preempts local governments from banning the industry.

"There was always question about what could be done because of the preemption," Bender said, adding that some ordinances similar to what county staff are researching have popped up around the state and withstood legal challenges.....

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https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/12/07/escambia-county-looks-short-term-vacation-rental-ordinance/3808421001/