Alleged short-term rentals, including historic property, face Coral Gables code hearing

By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The city’s Code Enforcement Board will hear five cases at its Wednesday hearing, including two unrelated properties cited for operating illegal short-term rentals in single-family zoning, one of them a designated historic residence.

The hearing convenes at 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 5, at 427 Biltmore Way, with a Zoom option available. Unlike the Development Review Committee, which offers technical comment only, the Code Enforcement Board holds a public hearing with sworn testimony and votes to resolve each case, following a set order of staff presentation, public comment and board discussion before a motion and vote.

A repeat violation, and a first case at a historic address

At 5001 Maggiore Street, the city has cited the property, owned by Enriqueta F. Castaneda, for operating a short-term rental in violation of the Single-Family Residential district’s ban on uses other than single-family occupancy. The case is marked a repeat offense, carrying an immediate running fine of $500 a day until compliance. That figure matches the city’s 2021 administrative order governing short-term rental enforcement, which sets $500 a day as the rate for repeat violations, after a $150-a-day first offense.

A second, unrelated case involves 131 Zamora Avenue, cited for the same violation and carrying the same required remedies: removing rental listings, ending short-term stays, and providing a compliant lease or registering the property as vacant. The Zamora case is listed as a new violation rather than a repeat, but its running fine is set at $250 a day, a figure that does not match either tier set out in the city’s governing order. The Gazette could not determine the basis for that figure from the public record and has asked the city to explain it.

The Zamora property is also listed separately under a “Historical Properties” heading on the agenda, apart from the other new cases. The Gazette could not confirm whether that placement reflects any distinct procedural requirement tied to the property’s historic designation, or whether it is simply how the city organizes cases involving designated historic homes for the board’s awareness. The property is owned by 3 Martinez Partners LLC.

Both violations fall under Zoning Code Section 2-101, which restricts single-family zoned districts to single-family use and states the intent to protect neighborhood character alongside “the civic pride and sense of stewardship felt by the citizens of Coral Gables.”

Also on the agenda

An obstruction case at 3247 Riviera Drive cites rebar left in the public right-of-way, a violation the code identifies as a potential danger to public health and safety; the remedy calls for immediate removal, with a $500 fine already assessed.

At 625 Tiziano Avenue, the city has cited the property owners for improper pruning of a Sea Grape tree, which the code enforcement officer’s comments describe as topping severe enough to constitute tree abuse under the city’s tree protection ordinance. The remedy requires a certified arborist’s report with a restoration plan and an after-the-fact permit for the pruning already performed.

A fifth case, at 60 Coral Way, cites a flashing neon sign displayed in a storefront window in violation of the city’s sign code, carrying a $100 fine and a straightforward remedy: remove the sign.

How to participate

The hearing is open to the public, and residents wishing to address the board on any item must sign in with their name and address at the recording secretary’s table. Written comment is not accepted in place of the sign-in process used for this hearing, unlike the Development Review Committee’s written-comment format.

Code Enforcement Ticket Hearing
Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 9 a.m.
427 Biltmore Way, First Floor Conference Room, Coral Gables
Zoom: us06web.zoom.us/j/82004327867

Author: Coral Gables Gazette News Staff