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Final St. Augustine short-term rental meeting complete, now it's up to city commissioners to decide

St. Augustine Beach Vacation Rentals also offers pet-friendly rentals for visitors.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The future of short-term rentals in St. Augustine will soon be decided.

The topic of short-term rentals is one of St. Augustine's most hot button topics which is why a committee of diverse members was formed to try to come up with a solution.

Tom Day pointed out at least three short term rentals on his block alone. It's a trend he's seen change the fabric of his Saragossa Street neighborhood.

"It's a trend that's just beginning to explode this is happening all over the world," said Day.

Most of the short-term rental properties are concentrated in the already congested historic district.

"There are no rules and that's one of the reasons the committee was formed," said Day.

He's one of seven people who sit on a special committee for short-term rentals.

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On Wednesday, members gathered for their third and final meeting before handing over recommendations to the city commission.

Visitor Tish Pannozzo said having the option to stay at a short-term vacation rental when she visits St. Augustine is a good thing.

"I think it would be a mistake for them to just cancel them out they serve a purpose," said Pannozzo.

But Day said the goal is not to get rid of them.

"They do provide some benefits, they keep older properties maintained," said Day. "They allow people to stay in their homes longer, it is a source of income."

He just wants to see some rules in place.

"Let's monitor and regulate the behavior of the people who are occupying those buildings," said Day.

The city commission will review the committee's recommendations on Sept. 9.

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