Keep Renters In Check - The Rules Apply To Everyone- A Rant

Recently the City of Belleair Beach received multiple calls to report dogs being on the beach. It turned out to be just one dog, who is owned by a renter. Many other rules are being ignored as well. On 20th Street there's a truck with a "Signs Now" magnet on it ( a violation of city code), parked pretty much all day everyday at a rental property. And no, it's not an ignorant employee, it's the ignorant owner of the company. Same goes for Bayshore Drive @ 20th Street - there's a pickup truck with a "Bovis" logo on it parked overnight every night. In this case it's an ignorant employee of Bovis Lendlease. A year ago any other resident would have been cited within a week of the violation, without anyone calling to report it.

These people think because they are renters they don't have to follow the rules- they can just plead ignorance. Meanwhile they are disrupting the serenity we once had -the very thing that made us want to live here. We chose Belleair Beach because it wasn't like those other towns with their riff-raff. What's worse is they laugh if you threaten to call the police, claiming the police tell them the homeowners call the police all the time for nonsense. They are told "don't worry about them calling us", "these people (the homeowners) call the cops for every little thing" "I don't hear your dog barking".

So, we are expected to put up with early morning pow-wows( loud conversations in the a.m. before work with a LOT of coughing). And there's the after-work pow-wows - I'll have to watch Slingblade again to figure out what it is they talk about. And the barking dogs, that never stop. I am a dog lover. I have a dog, I've had many dogs, almost everyone in town has a dog. BUT, they behave. They do not disturb the neighbors. I'd mention the diesel trucks, but they are not against the law. Change has turned our "resort community" into a "working class" community.

Times are different in this era of "change". Our sleepy community has changed. And we have to do more than complain, we have to respond. Many homes have been turned into rentals, housing people who do not care about our community, contributing to the decline of our way of life. We have to stand our ground. Owners of these properties must be held accountable. The City and the Sheriff have to enforce the rules, no matter how trivial they think they are - they are OUR rules. If you don't like it leave.

That been said, I do not mean in any way to disparage renters. I myself was a renter for many many years. But, I obeyed and respected the rules and other's right to enjoy peace and quiet.

So, as homeowners, we need to enforce the rules. We need to call the city, call the sheriff, do whatever is necessary to preserve our way of life. This is our town. Owner's and renters of these transient properties must be held accountable. I have to imagine that the owners of these homes would be mortified to know that their tenants were behaving in such a way. But, maybe I'm wrong. They left - why should they care. Well, because when they come back - and they will - they expect everything to be as they left it. Peaceful, pleasant, quiet....

What can you do? If you know a home on your block is being rented, verify that the owner has a rental permit from the city. If you see violations, call the city or the sheriff. Don't feel ashamed, you pay taxes for these services. If we don't exercise our rights, we will lose our peace, our enjoyment of our property, and our property values.