PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Since moving to Indian Rocks Beach in 2016, Jorge Blassino has witnessed the transformation of his community.

Dozens of homes are currently offered for short-term rentals and vacation homes can be rented on websites such as AirBNB and VRBO.

“It’s almost like you close your eyes and as soon as you open them again, almost half the neighborhood has become AirBNB,” Blassino said. “It seemed to happen overnight. It happened very, very quickly.”

According to Blassino and other neighbors, the change led to disruptive late-night parties, parking problems and an increase in littering.

“It used to happen mostly on weekends,” Blassino said. “Now it happens virtually any time of day.”

But Blassino says many of those problems were addressed last year when Indian Rocks Beach passed an ordinance that sets comprehensive rules for vacation rental owners and renters.

Former city commissioner Lan Vaughan helped pass the ordinance.

“I was very happy and very proud to have voted ‘yes’ here,” he said.

Now Vaughan is concerned. After seven lawsuits were filed challenging the regulations, the city entered into mediation with the plaintiffs. As a result of that mediation, city staff are proposing a plan to amend the ordinance and weaken it in Vaughan’s opinion.

“It would literally take your teeth out,” he said.

On Tuesday, commissioners will discuss the possible changes during a meeting at 4 p.m. in City Hall.

One would allow vacation rentals to have a higher occupancy rate than they currently have, provided a home has the required number of “habitable living spaces.” Another change would no longer allow the city to suspend or revoke a vacation rental’s license after multiple violations.

Vaughan stands behind the regulation, which he says has been thoroughly studied and designed, and hopes the current Commission will reject the proposed changes.

“I think the city commission should stand firm,” he said.

Blassino hopes so too.

“You have to stand up for what is right,” he said.

However, Denise Houseberg, mayor of Indian Rocks Beach, does not believe that the proposed changes would represent too great a sacrifice for the ordinance overall.

According to Houseberg, a lengthy legal battle would ultimately damage the city’s finances.

While she acknowledges that there is still great division in the city on this issue, she hopes that both sides will reach an amicable solution.

Click here to view the possible changes to the Short-Term Rental Regulations.