VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach Planning and Zoning Board agreed to new city codes that, if enacted by the Vero Beach City Council, could potentially put two boarding houses in Central Beach out of business.
An attorney for Irene “Renee” Snyder cautioned the board and said that changes to code were akin to more government and less rights for property owners.
The City Council will discuss the matter at a public hearing Aug. 20.
The matter of Snyder’s Banyan Road and Shore Drive boarding houses came to light after a Central Beach man hired an attorney to see that the city actually enforces its laws on the books.
City Planning Director Tim McGarry said the city’s laws were antiquated and outdated. Boarding houses have never been allowed within the city, but McGarry said changes to the code, namely on the matter of dwelling units, needed to be specified more clearly.
The new proposal says that a homeowner may rent out only one room or suite, thus allowing a housekeeper or nurse to lawfully be able to live in a home in a single family residence. A home may be rented to a family or a group of people, but the people must have a communal living arrangement, such as a traditional family.
Snyder rents outs rooms individually. Each rooms are equipped with microwaves and refrigerators.
Snyder came under fire by her Banyan Road neighbors who said they were tired of the constant stream of tenants coming and going from the four-bedroom house. It was not uncommon to have multiple cars parked in the front yard.
The City Council will also vote on a new ordinance that would make parking on the grass on a lot the size of Snyder’s unlawful. Under the proposal passed by the planning and zoning board, cars could be
parked in the grass as long as they were more than 25 feet from the property line.
