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A Advisory Legal Opinion - Vacation Rentals -- Municipalities -- Land Use <br />Florida Attorney General <br />Advisory Legal Opinion <br />Number: AGO 2014-09 <br />Date: November 13, 2014 <br />Subject: Vacation Rentals -- Municipalities -- Land Use <br />Mr. Kerry L. Ezrol <br />City Attorney <br />City of Wilton Manors <br />3099 East Commercial Boulevard <br />Suite 200 <br />Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308 <br />Paae 1 of 6 <br />Zio. 1.)r <br />A,D / <br />RE: VACATION RENTALS - MUNICIPALITIES - LOCAL GOVERNMENTS - LAND USE - <br />regulation of vacation rentals by municipalities. s. 509.032, Fla. <br />Stat. <br />Dear Mr. Ezrol: <br />You ask the following questions: <br />1. Does section 509.032(7)(b), Florida Statutes, permit the city to <br />regulate the location of vacation rentals through zoning? <br />2. May the city prohibit vacation rentals which fail to comply with <br />the registration and licensing requirements in section 509.241, <br />Florida Statutes? <br />In sum: <br />1. Section 509.032(7)(b), Florida Statutes, as amended by Chapter <br />2014-71, Laws of Florida, allows a local government to regulate <br />vacation rentals, but continues to preclude any local law, ordinance <br />or regulation which would prohibit vacation rentals or restrict the <br />duration or frequency of vacation rentals.[l] It would appear <br />therefore, that zoning may not be used to prohibit vacation rentals in <br />a particular area where residential use is otherwise allowed. <br />2. Section 509.032(1), Florida Statutes, makes the Division of Hotels <br />and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional <br />Regulation the regulatory agency for transient lodging facilities. <br />Section 509.241(1), Florida Statutes, makes operation of such <br />facilities without a license a misdemeanor of the second degree. The <br />statute specifically recognizes that local law enforcement may provide <br />immediate assistance in pursuing an illegally operating facility, but <br />311.3 <br />http://www.myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/printview/5DFB7F27FB483C4685257D900050D... 2/10/2015 <br />