A Blog about Florida Homes For Sale and Central Florida CommunitiesRecently posted or modified blog posts in the category - Downtown Orlandohttps://www.floridaishome.com/blog/Copyright FloridaIsHome.com2021-08-05T12:55:36-07:00tag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:8339History of Orlando Florida: 10 Facts You Should KnowA Brief Look into the History of Orlando, Florida: 10 Facts You Should Know
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/Blog-Posts/history-of-orlando-fl.jpg" width="450" height="300" alt="SW View from Lake Eola with banner title for Orlando Real Estate" title="History of Orlando, Florida: 10 Facts You Should Know" style="margin: 10px; float: left;" />
Orlando is such a livable city, but before you make the move, you should learn more about the history of Orlando Florida.
A Brief Look into the History of Orlando, Florida: 10 Awesome Facts
When you think of Orlando, you might only think of theme parks and palm trees.
But there's a lot more to this Florida landmark than you may realize.
Orlando has a rich history going back to it's mid-1800's founding. So if you are thinking it's all just Mickey Mouse and long lines for rides, you're missing out!
In this post, we'll go over some of the storied history of Orlando, Florida, as well as some fun facts about Orlando that may surprise you.
You'll get a better sense of what an interesting city Orlando is, and why it's more than just a theme park hub!
Sound interesting? Keep reading to find out more!
1. What's In a Name?
There is a huge amount of debate as to how Orlando got its name. Here are a few of the theories.
Two of them involved a man named James Speer, who was a local politician and judge in the area that became Orlando. Some people claim he named the town after a man who worked for him, named Orlando.
But others say that Speer was a big fan of the Shakespeare play, "As You Like It" and named the city after the character, Orlando.
Another story tells of a traveler named Orlando who was passing by nearby Tampa, Florida, with his herd of oxen. He became ill and died there, and after the local buried him, they would refer to the spot as "<a href="https://www.orlando.gov/Our-Government/History" title="Orlando . GOV website for Orlando History" target="_blank">There lies Orlando</a>."
Yet another story tells of a man, Orlando Reeves, who lived slightly north of the area. He apparently carved his name into a tree nearby, and settlers who came later assumed it was his grave.
When the Seminole War started years later, the area surrounding the tree got the nickname "Orlando's Grave" or sometimes just "Orlando."
2. A Cheating Judge
Judge James Speer isn't just rumored to have named the area. He also cheated his way into getting Orlando named Orange County's seat.
There was an election in 1856 to choose the seat, and Apopka was considered the favorite since it was close to navigable waters.
But Speer wasn't having it. On the day of the election, he threw a picnic for a bunch of militiamen from Sumter County. While giving them free food, he asked them to vote for Fort Gatlin as the county seat.
And when an Alabama man, who owned nearby land, offered up some of it for a courthouse, the decision was sealed. The seat was moved from Fort Gatlin to Orlando.
3. Dr. Phillips, I Presume?
The famous Dr. Phillip Phillips is a name Orlando residents know well. There's an area of Orlando named after him, as well as a <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/blog/10-fun-things-you-can-do-in-downtown-orlando/" title="Fun Things to do in Orlando Florida" target="_blank">Performing Arts Center</a>.
But what most people don't know is that he wasn't actually a doctor! He was certainly a philanthropist, an innovator in the field of citrus growth, and more.
But there's no record of him ever becoming a doctor, even though he insisted on being called Dr. Phillips.
View <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/dr-phillips/" title="Homes For Sale in Dr. Phillips" target="_blank">homes for sale in Dr. Phillips Area</a>
4. Testing Ground for DDT
In the post-WWII era, the US Government looked for a suitable place to test DDT on large swaths of agriculture to see if it would kill all the harmful pests.
They chose Orlando, and sprayed 14,000 cows with it. After it successfully killed all the horn flies and roaches, Orlando officials got excited. They asked for a huge supply of it to spray in restaurants, hoping to kills mosquitoes and other bugs.
Before long, trucks were driving around town, spraying it everywhere!
5. A Cross Between What?
The University of Central Florida had, for a very brief time, a fairly embarrassing mascot: <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/mighty-mascots/" title="UCF Website for PAST MASCOTS" target="_blank">The Citronaut</a>.
You're probably wondering what that is. You're not alone. It's a made up character that's a cross between an astronaut and an orange. Yup, you read that right.
Fortunately, they came to their senses and abandoned the mascot quickly.
View <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/ucf-area/" title="Homes For Sale near UCF" target="_blank">homes for sale near UCF</a>
6. Failed Theme Parks
Disney certainly set a high bar when it comes to theme parks. But that didn't stop other ones from trying!
There have been many imitators over the years, and most of them didn't stay open long. Or never even opened at all.
A short list includes Six Flags Stars Hall of Fame Wax Museum, Little England and Circus World. There was also Boardwalk and Baseball, Splendid China, Winter Wonderlando, and Bible World. Quite the variety!
7. A Murderer Origin Story
The first person to settle permanently in the area was <a href="https://www.orlando.gov/Our-Government/History" title="Orlando . GOV website for Orlando History" target="_blank">Andrew Jernigan</a>. He arrived in 1842, after the Seminole War. Of course, he wasn't actually the first settler, since the Seminole Indians had been there for a long time prior.
But after they were driven out after the way, Jernigan and his family settled in the area.
He became a state representative but got into trouble in 1859. After he was involved in a deadly brawl and was a murder suspect, he was sent to jail. But he escaped twice, and ultimately fled to Texas.
He waited 25 years before returning and had been all but forgotten by then.
8. A Buzzy Name
Orlando was actually part of Mosquito County. In fact, most of central Florida was a part of the behemoth insect-named county.
But this was before Florida was a state. In 1845 it got statehood, and Mosquito County was split into several other counties. That included Orange County, where Orlando is.
But the name had its stigma. For years afterward, the land was sold in the Orlando area with the promise of 'no insects.'
9. Let's Keep Trying
Orlando has had several mottos over the years. It started out as "The Phenomenal City" and then shifted to "The City Beautiful".
There was a contest to rename it in 1900, and the winner was "The Magic City". That name beat out "The Queen City" and "The Picturesque City."
At one point in the 1960's they tried "Action Center of Florida" but it never quite caught on with the locals.
10. Keep Looking at Me, Swan
Lake Eola is famously home to some gorgeous swans. But people might not know they are actually courtesy of an English delivery.
Charles Lord moved from England in 1895, and he was so fond of the way the swans looked on the Thames River in London that he decided he'd mirror that in Orlando.
He struck a deal with the city and they paid to have four swans shipped directly to Lake Eola. And their descendants have been swimming in there since!
The History of Orlando, Florida<br />Now you know a bunch of fun and interesting facts about the history of Orlando, Florida.
So next time you visit there or <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/blog/the-5-benefits-of-owning-a-condo-in-downtown-orlando/" title="5 Benefits of buying a Downtown Condo" target="_blank">consider buying</a> a condo in this flourishing area, you'll be able to share your knowledge with everyone around!
View <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/downtown-orlando-condos/" title="Downtown Orlando Condos For Sale" target="_blank">Downtown Orlando Condos For Sale</a>
If you have any questions, or want more info, <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/contact/" title="Contact the Florida Is Home Team" target="_blank">contact us</a> today!2019-03-13T08:37:00-07:002019-05-15T10:54:42-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:7895Downtown Orlando, North Quarter - One-Way to Two Way ConversionOrlando Considers Changing Some One-Way Streets
<a href="http://www.cityoforlando.net/cityclerk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2018/07/20180709-North-Quarter-Phase-1-Presentation.pdf" title="North Quarter District: One-Way to Two Way Conversion Study" target="_blank">View the file provided by City of Orlando</a>
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/Blog-Posts/What-is-North-Quarter.jpg" width="447" height="400" alt="One-Way to Two Way Conversion Study Location" title="North Quarter District: One-Way to Two Way Conversion Study" style="float: left; margin: 10px;" />Check out the more details, and <a href="https://pulseofcentralflorida.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/orange-avenue-to-become-two-way-street/#like-14891" title="Pulse of Central Florida - Orange Ave" target="_blank">feel free to comment</a> on the <a href="https://pulseofcentralflorida.wordpress.com/" title="Pulse of Central Florida" target="_blank">Pulse of Central Florida</a> Website. where Ashley Edwards goes into more details.
Special thanks to <a href="https://pulseofcentralflorida.wordpress.com/author/ashleyedwards0321/" title="Other Posts by Ashely Edwards" target="_blank">Ashley Edwards</a> for a great write up and helping us stay aware of "<a href="https://pulseofcentralflorida.wordpress.com/2018/12/05/orange-avenue-to-become-two-way-street/#like-14891" title="Pulse of Central Florida - Orange Ave" target="_blank">word on the street</a>"!2018-12-11T09:07:00-07:002021-08-05T12:51:50-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:7521Video - 2018 Report Ranks Florida 4th<a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html" title="Orlando Sentinel Live Video" target="_blank" onclick="window.open('https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html','Orlando Sentinel','location=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes,width=800,height=600,left=C,top=C');return false;"></a>
<a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html" title="Orlando Sentinel Live Video" target="_blank" onclick="window.open('https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html','Orlando Sentinel','location=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes,width=800,height=600,left=C,top=C');return false;"></a>
<a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html" title="Orlando Sentinel Live Video" target="_blank" onclick="window.open('https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html','Orlando Sentinel','location=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes,width=800,height=600,left=C,top=C');return false;"></a>
<a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html" title="Orlando Sentinel Live Video" target="_blank" onclick="window.open('https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/103753041-132.html','Orlando Sentinel','location=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes,width=800,height=600,left=C,top=C');return false;"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/Blog-Posts/Florida_ranks_4th.jpg" width="400" height="222" alt="Orlando Sentinel Live Video Intro" title="Orlando Sentinel Live Video" style="float: left; margin: 10px;" /></a>
Florida's Education still get's a C+
The highest rank achieved was a B+ ?
Florida Ranks 26th in Nation
I am wondering if any of this was graded on a curve, and if so, did someone make a mistake?
In <a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/quality-counts-2018-state-grades/highlight-reports/2018/01/17/florida.html" title="EDWEEK - Florida Earns a C on State Report Card" target="_blank">January 2018 EDWEEK.ORG</a> began a report that was recently updated with the following statistics:
Florida finished 4th in K-12 Achievement Index earning a C+
Florida finished 35th in Chance For Success earning a solid C
Florida finished 39th in School Finance earning a D+
The U. S. as a whole recieved an over-all grade of a C, and Florida as a whole recieved a C.<br />This is considered more proof that Florida while not exactly being the top tier education platform in the Unites States, it definately is not under performing conpared to other states.
<a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/quality-counts-2018-state-grades/highlight-reports/2018/01/17/florida.html" title="EDWEEK - Florida Earns a C on State Report Card" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/Blog-Posts/Florida_Earns_a_C.jpg" width="600" height="490" alt="Florida Education scores compared to US" title="EDWEEK - Florida Earns a C on State Report Card" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 10px;" /></a>
One might even argue, if Florida had a state tax and paid teachers what they are worth... (a whole other arguement, meant to imply teachers are worth WAY more than they are paid, yet no endorsement of a state tax!) ... then Florida would rank higher than many of the other states.2018-09-21T10:17:00-07:002018-09-21T09:46:45-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:7069Rowena Gardens<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/Leu-Gardens-Sign-05a.jpg" width="250" height="188" alt="Harry P Leu Gardens Street Sigh" title="Harry P Leu Gardens" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" />Recently voted one of the top places to live in Downtown Orlando, Rowena Gardens is not a large neighborhood / community but the location is hard to beat! Cental to both North and South Orlando attractions, this neighborhood beats the traffic and has quick access to great weekend attractions such as Leu Gardens, Orlando Science center, Winter Park shopping and dining and so much more! 2018-05-23T07:58:00-07:002018-07-26T10:27:52-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:69034604 Santee Open HouseCollege Park - Orlando, FL
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/2018-04-25_Santee_04.jpg" width="233" height="155" alt="4604 Santee St Orlando, FL Front Door" title="4604 Santee Front Door" style="float: left; margin: 5px 10px;" />
Open House
Sunday April 29th 1pm to 4pm
Details: 4604 Santee Street, Orlando FL 32804
UPDATED - Electrical
UPDATED - Windows
UPDATED - Kitchen
UPDATED - Appliances
UPDATED - Master Bath
UPDATED - Fresh Paint
UPDATED - Landscaping
This home is being offered Pre-Market, so if you are looking to save money then stop in this weekend and see if first hand! <br />If you have any questions please contact Brady at (407) 625-5583
Want to compare this new listing to what is on the market? <br />Check out our other College Park homes currently for sale in Orlando. 2018-04-27T10:28:00-07:002018-06-04T09:00:05-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:643425, 50 & 70 Story Medical Buildings Proposed for DowntownWith so much information out there, I thought I would compile some info into one place that helps put some things in perspective..
First off my search started via the <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/classified/realestate/os-downtown-orlando-health-tower-20180206-story.html" title="Architect poses Vertical Medical City complex for downtown" target="_blank">Orlando Sentinel Article</a> by Mary Shanklin and Nasseem S. Miller
1. The current possible location as of today is: <br />
2. Projected Milestones for construction as reported by Brendan O'Connor in the <a href="http://bungalower.com/2018/02/06/ponte-health-looking-plop-40-story-vertical-medical-city-downtown/" title="PONTE HEALTH LOOKING TO PLOP 40-STORY VERTICAL MEDICAL CITY IN DOWNTOWN" target="_blank">Bungalower Article</a>, that includes a lot of information including today's notable buzzwords for urban visionaries...
<a href="http://bungalower.com/2018/02/06/ponte-health-looking-plop-40-story-vertical-medical-city-downtown/" title="PONTE HEALTH LOOKING TO PLOP 40-STORY VERTICAL MEDICAL CITY IN DOWNTOWN" target="_blank"></a>(1) APPROVAL FOR DEVELOPMENT ; SUMMER – FALL 2018<br />(2) FOUNDATION / SITE PACKAGE ; SPRING – SUMMER 2019<br />(3) BREAKING GROUND ; FALL – WINTER 2019<br />(4) BUILDING PACKAGE ; SPRING – SUMMER 2020<br />(5) BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ; WINTER – SPRING 2020<br />(6) CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION ; WINTER – SPRING 2023<br />(7) OCCUPANCY ; SUMMER – FALL 2024<a href="http://bungalower.com/2018/02/06/ponte-health-looking-plop-40-story-vertical-medical-city-downtown/" title="PONTE HEALTH LOOKING TO PLOP 40-STORY VERTICAL MEDICAL CITY IN DOWNTOWN" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://bungalower.com/2018/02/06/ponte-health-looking-plop-40-story-vertical-medical-city-downtown/" title="PONTE HEALTH LOOKING TO PLOP 40-STORY VERTICAL MEDICAL CITY IN DOWNTOWN" target="_blank"><br /></a>
3. Apparently the location has not been secured, and nothing has been submitted to the city, therefore while there is speculation this may or may not get off the ground and may or may not be 25, 40, 50 or 70 stories tall.... etc...
In short, Downtown Orlando is growing, and developers from across the country are seeing what potenial Downtown Orlando still has on the horizon. In my opinion Orlando does need to grow-up and not out... and right now it looks like that may actually happen!
Here is another great discussion with some information and varying opionions if you find time... UrbanPlanet - <a href="https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/118371-vertical-medical-city-40-story-medical-high-rise-proposed/" title=" Vertical Medical City | 40-Story Medical High Rise [Proposed]" target="_blank">Verticle Medical City</a>
Brady Pevehouse<br /> specializing in <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/downtown-orlando/" title="Downtown Orlando Homes For Sale">Downtown Orlando Homes For Sale</a>
Photo credit: <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2018/02/07/1b-vertical-medical-city-planned-for-downtown.html">https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2018/02/07/1b-vertical-medical-city-planned-for-downtown.html</a>2018-02-09T08:20:00-07:002018-07-26T10:37:12-07:00Brady Pevehousetag:floridaishome.com,2012-09-20:6435Downtown Orlando Vacation Rental Rules For Buyers / OwnersConsidering A Purchase For A Short Term Rental?
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/airbnb-logo.png" width="170" height="127" alt="Short Term Rentals Orlando" title="Downtown Orlando Short Term Rentals" style="float: left;" />Orlando treats AirBnB and VRBO Vacation Rentals as what they are... short term rentals. <br />Recently the Orlando Sentinel ran an article out of the Sun Sentinel which included what is currently going on the Federal scene regarding regulations and added a little info regarding the intentions of many Florida cities and municipalities:
Cities say they are trying to keep neighborhoods from becoming more like tourist districts, even though state law prohibits cities from banning vacation rentals outright.
A short-term rental, in most cities, is defined as a neighborhood property that is available for rent for less than 30 days, three or more times a year.
<br />Take a look at the current rules for <a href="http://www.cityoforlando.net/city-planning/short-term-rentals/" title="The City allows short-term rentals in the following situations:" target="_blank">Orlando Short Term Rentals</a>
Short-Term Rentals<br />Due to the increasing popularity of online short-term rental websites such as Airbnb and VRBO, the City of Orlando is experiencing a growing number of homes being rented out in whole or in part for short-term stays. Short-term home rentals are generally defined as the rental of a residential property (house, condominium, room, garage apartment, etc) for periods of less than 30 days.
The City allows short-term rentals in the following situations:
Bed & Breakfast – in certain zoning districts (most multi-family residential districts, and non-residential areas), an owner-occupied home or apartment can be rented for lengths of stay ranging from one night to seasonal. Bed & Breakfast businesses must also comply with any state licensing or mandates in order to operate in the City of Orlando.
Commercial Dwelling Unit – in certain zoning districts, residential zoning districts excluded, a room or home can be rented for a length of stay between seven and 30 days. This is a typical “seasonal” rental or traditional short-term rental use.
Hotel/Motel – stays less than seven days have been considered hotel/motel uses since 1991, and are limited to non-residential zoning districts.
Most short-term rentals are not allowed in the City of Orlando.
With the increased popularity of short-term rentals, City Planning officials have explored changes to the City’s ordinances related to short-term rentals; however, state laws limit the City’s ability to amend our ordinances.
In 2011, the Florida legislature passed new laws preventing local governments from passing new rules for short-term rentals, and further refined this preemptive language in 2014. The statute provides that local rules that existed prior to 2011 are “grandfathered” and are unaffected by the state’s new laws.
FAQ<br />Can I rent out my entire home as a short-term rental?<br />Most standard residential zoning districts do not allow for short term rentals.
If your home is located in a non-residential zoning district, or zoning districts where multi-family residential is allowed, you may be able to rent out your home as a Commercial Dwelling Unit for a length of stay between seven and 30 days. A business tax receipt is required from the City’s Permitting Services Division to establish this commercial use.
An accommodation that allows for a stay less than seven days is considered a hotel/motel, which are not allowed in most residential zoning districts.
Can I rent out a room in my home, condo or apartment or a garage apartment as a short-term rental?<br />If you occupy your home or apartment full-time, and your residence is located in a multi-family zoning district, you could apply to make your residence a Bed & Breakfast for lengths of stay ranging from one night to seasonal. The residence is required to be owner-occupied and sometimes requires a Conditional Use Permit from the City Planning Division.
An accommodation that allows for any stay less than seven days that is not a Bed & Breakfast is considered a hotel/motel. These are not allowed in most residential zoning districts.
I thought Orange County is collecting Tourist Development Taxes on short-term rentals. Doesn’t that mean short-term rentals are allowed in Orange County?<br />The Orange County Comptroller has negotiated an agreement to have Tourist Development Taxes remitted on Airbnb rentals. This does not allow for the operation of Airbnb rentals in all areas of Orange County. In fact, Orange County’s zoning and short term rental ordinances only allow for short-term rentals in approximately 4% of the county.
What should I do if my neighbor is renting out his or her residence, or part of his or her residence, and I have complaints?<br />The City is currently enforcing the illegal use of short-term rentals on a complaint basis. Complaints from residents about short term rentals have included: too many vehicles at the residence, noise and garbage impacts, and their dissatisfaction for having people coming and going often. If you have a complaint about your neighbor’s short-term rental operations, please contact the City’s Code Enforcement Division at (407) 246-2686 or <a href="http://www.cityoforlando.net/code-enforcement/">cityoforlando.net/code-enforcement</a>.
Can my Homeowner’s Association regulate my ability to rent my home on a short-term basis?<br />If your residence is within a homeowners association (HOA), you should check whether there are further limitations on the use of the property through their particular HOA’s Rules & Regulations, Covenants and Restrictions (CC&Rs).
The City does not enforce these contractual obligations of a HOA, but it is common that most homeowner associations require minimum rental periods of six months or greater.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/image/VRBO-Logo.png" width="275" height="89" alt="Orlando Florida Short Term Rental" title="Downtown Orlando Vacation Rentals" style="float: left; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px;" />Now I will admit, I have received 2 calls in the past few weeks from potential buyers who are interested in purchasing a home, specifially for the use of short term rentals, and I informed them of my perception of the above information. Sure we can look at the AirBnB website and see that people are renting out entire houses... (Orlando is in the process of finalizing a work-around that allows, owner occupied short term rentals, where a homeowner can rent out a portion of their home, if the host is "ON-SITE" at the time of the rental) <br />Ordinance No. 2018-3 <a href="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/file/FloridaisHome/Homesharing_FINAL_12-21-17.pdf">Homesharing_FINAL_12-21-17.pdf</a>
Here is a key fact that exists, if this passes: <br />In the <a href="https://orlando.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=43744&MeetingID=934" title="CITY OF ORLANDO COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM " target="_blank">COUNSEL AGENDA SUMMARY</a>:
The Land Development Code's accessory use Section in Chapter 58 is proposed for an amendment to incorporate these requirements, which includes
a registration process via planning official determination;
a subordinate area or number of bedrooms will only be allowed in residential zoning districts to control their negative secondary effects.
In other words, the entire unit cannot be rented out as a short-term rental, nor a majority of bedrooms on the site. <br />The property owner or tenant (if approved by notarized permission of the property owner) must be present when hosting guests from only a single party.
Elements of Orlando’s Proposed Program.
Hosted Short-term Rental regulations will be drafted into the “accessory use” section of Chapter 58 of the City’s Land De-velopment Code, separate and apart from the Commercial Dwelling unit standards, and contain the following:
Only hosted visits—where the resident is present, is allowed. A use where the entire unit is rented for a short-term rental is only allowed as a Commercial Dwelling Unit under existing code requirements, which have zoning location limitations.
Only a single booking is allowed at a time; otherwise, the use will be considered a Bed and Breakfast, which are limited in their location, are sometimes required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit, and have further state licensing requirements.
On-line registrations and annual payment of fees to the City will create an opportunity to easily comply with City requirements and will count towards the Business Tax Receipt requirements of the City; posting of the registration to the on-line platform provides transparency to neighbors and easier enforcement by City staff.
Ensuring that the property remains as a residential use allows our residents to supplement their household incomes, without exacerbating the City’s housing crisis. A subordinate amount of bedrooms devoted to short-term rental or the use of an on-site accessory cottage ensures that the short-term rental use remains an accessory use to the primary residential use of the property.
Proof of residency requirements ensures that the unit is the hosting residents’ primary residence; two forms of proof of residency will be required (e.g. OUC bill, driver’s license, etc.).
The Planning Official shall be authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations regarding the implementa-tion of the above elements of the above short-term rental program.
Related Code Amendments.
Since the City is reconsidering how and where short-term rentals are allowed within the City, two additional related code amendments are proposed to slightly modify the Bed and Breakfast and Commercial Dwelling Unit standards:
The Bed & Breakfast requirements of the City requires that the property owner live on site; it is proposed that a pro-prietor live on-site. Since the hosted short-term rental proposal both allows tenants and property owners the ability to host, it makes sense that the City would not restrict Bed & Breakfasts exclusively to owner-occupied properties. Additionally, there is no appreciable difference in neighborhood impacts whether a proprietor or property owner is operating the Bed & Breakfast.
Should state law allow the City to modify our Commercial Dwelling Unit regulations, it is reasonable that the mini-mum seven night stay be deleted so that no minimum night duration stay is required. This will provide for a proper avenue for home sharing of the entire unit to occur in multi-family, mixed-use and activity center zoning districts, where these uses—including hotels/motels, are appropriate. This provision also allows the City to come into closer conformance with state law which seeks to limit a city’s power to have a duration (stay) requirement. A business tax receipt and other approvals are required to operate such a use according to current City codes. <a href="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/798/file/FloridaisHome/LDC2017-10011_-_Short_Term_Rentals.pdf">LDC2017-10011_-_Short_Term_Rentals.pdf</a>
My Opinion>
Now while I will continue recieving calls for what I believe are top areas for short term rentals, I simply have to advise that these buyers are assuming risk until this officially passes and is implemented. Right now the proposal was suggested to go into effect July 2018. But again as you can see from the number of rentals that are available on numerous websites, as well as the overwhelming positive feedback that Orlando homes, and Owners do not disappoint.... some owners and investors are taking the risk and enjoying reduced competition.
What remains to be seen is, once this passes will there be an influx of investors ready, willing and able to abide by the law, and will that create another buying opportuntity that further increases property values in Downtown Orlando?
Here are links to what I believe to be the top areas of Orlando for these types of investments based on my research and beliefs.
<a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/college-park/" title="College Park homes for sale">College Park homes for sale</a><br /><a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/downtown-orlando/" title="Downtown Orlando homes for sale">Downtown Orlando homes for sale</a><br /><a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/winter-park/" title="Winter Park homes for sale">Winter Park homes for sale</a>
Brady Pevehouse<br /> specializing in <a href="https://www.floridaishome.com/downtown-orlando/" title="Downtown Orlando Homes For Sale">Downtown Orlando Homes For Sale</a>2018-02-06T06:14:00-07:002021-08-05T12:55:36-07:00Brady Pevehouse