Fellow Winter Park Residents,

Please share with friends and neighbors.

City Commissioner Todd Weaver supports short term AirBNB rentals in Winter Park. This from the July 27, 2022 commission meeting:

“Commissioner Weaver – Said he conducted research on short term rentals and found that a Chamber survey revealed the need for more hotels, but he feels more rooms are needed and would prefer that city residents get revenue from room rental versus hotels. He provided information on other agency’s regulations which he consolidated and prepared a proposed ordinance which he provided to Mr. Knight.”

Astute observers may recall that Weaver was an “AirBNB Superhost” when he decided to run for city commission in 2018. When brought to his attention that short term rentals (less than 30 days) were illegal in Winter Park, Weaver told the Orlando Sentinel “It was an innocent mistake,” and added that he had been donating proceeds from the rentals to various charities (as if that somehow excused violation of our laws).

Weaver continued to rent the “cottage” on his property at 1051 Lake Bell Drive since his election in 2019; itself a violation of our codes that state: “Guesthouses or garage apartments as permitted accessory uses may not have a kitchen area or cooking facilities. They also may not have separate utility meters or be rented, let or hired out for occupancy whether compensations be paid directly or indirectly.”

Further, Weaver’s conversion of a “shed” permitted in 2000 into an illegal rental “cottage” with bath and kitchen facilities was performed without a required permit. Additionally, evidence exists that Weaver enclosed and improved an open garage port into living space without a required permit.

Weaver’s promotion of short term rentals as a commission member makes it clear he putting his self interest before your interest as a single family homeowner. (Why would a city commissioner write his own proposed law?)

While Weaver can propose anything he wants as a commissioner, we can and should understand his true motivations and character. Please tell all members of the commission to abandon consideration of short term rentals in Winter Park single family neighborhoods. Write them at mayorandcommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org.

Regards, Pete Weldon