BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner.
During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board of a pending lawsuit in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Manatee County. C&D Properties of AMI LLC is fighting the regulation change, which treats vacation rental properties in residential areas as commercial properties for the purpose of assessing the district’s non-ad-valorem tax rate and performing fire safety inspections.
According to the complaint filed on Feb. 27, C&D Properties argues that the properties are residential, not transient public lodging establishments as the fire district identifies them under the Florida Fire Prevention Code.
The property owner is seeking to have its rights defined by the court, compensation for deprivation of rights and an injunction to stop the fire district from taxing the properties as commercial. The lawsuit lists two condominium properties in Holmes Beach at 101 67th St., Unit 3 and Unit 4.
The Florida Division of Corporations lists Lawrence Chatt as the registered agent and manager of C&D Properties. The case has been assigned to Judge Edward Nicholas. As of press time for The Sun, no hearing date had been set.