Popular beach town rejects noise, trash and traffic as it weighs stricter vacation rental rules

A popular Florida beach community is weighing tighter rules for its short-term vacation rentals after full-time residents have raised concerns about visitors' noise, overflowing trash and parking complications.

Rhonda Dorfman, president of Pensacola Beach Advocates and a full-time resident of the island, told Fox News Digital that one concern is giving law enforcement a clear point of contact when complaints are made at rental properties.

"It's not the three- and four-person families that come out to the beach," Dorfman said. 

Instead, she said, some homes "sleep 30 or 40 people - and that is where we're getting the problems."

Large groups can also put pressure on parking and trash collection, she said.

Trash left outside between guest checkouts and scheduled collection days has also become a concern, she indicated.

"That trash sits out there in the heat. It stinks. It's ugly," she said.

Noise can become another issue at night, with Pensacola Beach's noise ordinance taking effect at 10 p.m., according to Dorfman.

Still, she noted that vacationers come to Pensacola Beach to enjoy themselves during the summer.

"You work 50 weeks out of the year, you save up for your vacation, and you want to have a good time," she said.

"We know you're here on vacation, and we want you to have a wonderful time, but you are in a residential community," Dorfman said. 

Some Reddit commenters have pushed back against criticism of visitors, pointing to the economic activity that tourism brings to the Pensacola area.

Other commenters highlighted the appeal of visiting Pensacola Beach despite its crowds.

"The beaches are beautiful," another commenter wrote, while advising travelers to "pack your patience" when the area becomes particularly busy.

"We don't want to get rid of short-term rentals," she said. "We want our low-density residential communities to still feel like a community."

She said officials are looking at regulations used in other Florida communities, including Gulf Breeze, Anna Maria Island and Panama City, as they consider what could work for Pensacola Beach.