Village may loosen B&B restrictions

WELLINGTON — Wellington doesn’t have any bed-and-breakfast inns in the village now, but that could be changing.

The Village Council unanimously approved the first reading of a code change that would lighten a strict barrier that has prevented business owners from starting B&Bs, but it tightens other restrictions, preventing them from going out of control.

The pro-business change was bumping the maximum number of rooms from five to eight on lots larger than 5 acres. The previous maximum of five rooms made it tough for the businesses to turn a profit. Smaller lots of 2 to 5 acres would still only have five rooms at most.

But the changes wouldn’t allow these businesses to start popping up everywhere.

“We do recognize that it’s probably not going to happen except under unique circumstances,” Mayor Anne Gerwig said.

It would establish new requirements like a connection to public water and wastewater. It also says that only permanent stables can be used for horses. Tents to house horses would not be allowed.

There are also still protections in place from B&Bs opening too far into neighborhoods. They can’t be too far off major roads and they can’t be too close together. It also requires a live-in owner or manager, which allays a council concern of a large corporation or “absentee owner” from creating a faceless business.

The idea has bounced between committees, going to the council in May before they sent it back down to the planning board.

It could be a hot issue in Wellington, especially in the equestrian preserve. Hotels and motels around the area are notoriously packed during the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Closer options, like a B&B in the equestrian preserve, would likely be a hot idea for riders who spend time in Wellington only to compete. The new limit for a single stay in one of the B&Bs would be 30 days.

Though hotels and apartments have been banned in the equestrian preserve after a referendum in March, bed-and-breakfasts were specifically mentioned as something that wouldn’t be affected by that measure.

It will come back before the council at a future meeting, and officials are looking for public input before voting on it for the final time.

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