The council faced intense scrutiny from residents and property owners over the proposed fee structure for short-term rentals. Ken Wler, a concerned speaker, questioned the fairness of imposing fees on condominium owners without offering corresponding services. He pointed out that condo associations already manage noise, trash, and security issues independently. Wler suggested that any new fee should be uniformly applied across all transient accommodations, including hotels and timeshares, to equitably distribute public safety costs.

Echoing similar concerns, Tiffany Edwards, a property owner, argued that the fee structure seemed inequitable, particularly as hotels would be exempt due to state statutes. Edwards urged the council to ensure accurate data on short-term rental listings before implementing any fees, emphasizing the necessity for funds to address broader public safety issues rather than just administrative costs.

Further complicating the debate, a council member highlighted the dramatic increase in service costs due to rising tourism. They noted that Destin’s resident population of fewer than 15,000 is dwarfed by the influx of tourists, which has led to skyrocketing costs for services such as lifeguarding and law enforcement. Specifically, beach safety responses increased from 60 to 75, and beach attendance surged from 1,964,644 to 2,911,111. The costs associated with lifeguard services rose from $100,000 to $282,000. These statistics underscored the financial strain on the city, necessitating a more robust fee structure to support essential public services.

Amidst these discussions, the council proposed a new registration fee of 30 cents per square foot for short-term rental properties. The proposal aimed to create a more equitable fee structure that reflects the income potential based on property size. However, this suggestion sparked further debate about fairness, particularly concerning how the fees transitioned from initial proposals of $100 to $300 to the current 30 cents per square foot. Some council members argued that a flat fee structure might be simpler and fairer, especially for condominium owners who might face disproportionately higher fees under the proposed model.

In a related discussion, the council addressed staffing challenges at Joe’s Bayou, where only one of the three budgeted part-time positions is currently filled. Concerns were raised about illegal activities occurring after the lone attendant’s shift ends at 3:00 p.m. Suggestions included adding more staff during peak times and installing live-stream cameras to aid enforcement. The council unanimously agreed to explore the costs associated with live video surveillance.

The council also revisited the issue of code compliance staffing, noting that the department was operating at 50% capacity. A motion was proposed to maintain the current code compliance schedule while considering expanded evening hours in 2025. Discussions included the potential for on-call officers to handle nighttime issues more cost-effectively. Additionally, the council debated whether crossing guard duties could be reassigned to alleviate some of the strain on the Code Compliance team.

Attention then turned to the Morgan Sports Center playground, where the council re-approved a contract with GameTime for playground equipment due to a lower price. The need to address staffing shortages for crossing guards was also discussed, with a motion directing the city manager to engage with Destin Elementary School to explore collaborative solutions.

The latter part of the meeting focused on various park and recreational facility updates. The council discussed ongoing and planned improvements for multiple parks, including Norago Point Park, where construction is set to begin in September and last for nine months. The council agreed to close the park entirely during this period for safety reasons.