Miami fines mogul for renting out his mansion for parties

Miami is slapping red-light camera mogul John Petrozza with a six-figure fine after he racked up numerous violations for illegally renting out his Belle Meade Island waterfront estate for pandemic-era parties.

The Miami City Commission unanimously voted last week to charge Mr. Petrozza $229,500 for short-term rental violations at his 8,000-square-foot mansion that overlooks Biscayne Bay.

Commissioners were not willing to negotiate the price, as the attorney representing Mr. Petrozza asked, and said he would serve as an example to deter future bad actors.

Miami’s Belle Meade Island is a secluded, quiet oasis on a barrier island not usually frequented by tourists in the same way South Beach is. Neighbors of the offending property have continuously complained about loud parties and said it was like having a nightclub next door.

At the height of the pandemic in June 2020, the mansion could be found on Airbnb listed at $3,500 a night and described as a “great party space”, WSVN7 reported at the time.

The property was first cited Oct. 14, 2020, for work without a permit and short-term rental violations. A settlement was approved by the code enforcement board with a finding of guilt with no fine.

In February 2021, Mr. Petrozza was cited again for the ongoing, illegal rentals. The commission heard the matter in March 2021 and ordered Mr. Petrozza to comply and stop renting his property.

Belle Meade Island is designated as a T3 Sub-Urban Zone. Under the city’s zoning code, residents in a Sub-Urban Zone can’t rent out their property if it isn’t for predominantly permanent housing, so homes can’t be used as temporary lodging.

In August 2021, the mansion hosted a Las Vegas-themed rager, complete with a Bengal tiger. After reports from shocked neighbors circulated, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it was a properly licensed exhibition.

“[Mr. Petrozza] is a repeat violator without any regard for the neighborhood, for the authorities, or for anybody,” said Commissioner Manolo Reyes. Mr. Reyes said he had even heard that the parties led to drag racing in the streets.

Marcy Resnick, a Miami attorney representing Mr. Petrozza, said she had no knowledge of the street racing. However, code enforcement officer Robert Santos-Alborná said he had it on record from law enforcement that the races did occur.

City of Miami Attorney Rachel Dooley stated facts of the case and detailed how large busses would show up and drop people off for the weekend. In some cases, the home was rented to shoot music videos, which is an illegal commercial use. Ms. Dooley said the renters were a nuisance to the neighbors who complained constantly.

“So that means they were destroying the quality of life of that neighborhood,” Mr. Reyes concluded.

Chairwoman Christine King, who represents Miami’s Fifth District, which includes Belle Meade Island, made it clear that there was no room for negotiation due to the repeated violations.
“I have been clear from when this issue came before me that I expect to receive the full amount that is due the city,” Ms. King said.

The property showed it complied as of June 1, 2022, when it was taken off rental sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. However, the city didn’t close the case immediately and left it open in the event Mr. Petrozza continued renting the property over the summer. The city had listed the official compliance date as Sept. 2, 2022, which made the lien run to $270,500.

However, at the March 23 commission meeting, the code enforcement officer said the department was willing to move the compliance date to June 1, 2022, as there was no proof of rentals after then. This reduced the total liens against the property to $229,500, which includes a $5,000 irreparable harm violation.

“We should keep this in mind for the future, these are repeat violators… that didn’t care for the quality of life of their neighbors or their health and safety in what they were doing,” said Commissioner Joe Carollo.

Commissioners concurred that they wouldn’t compromise when it came to egregious violations.

“I think he’s going to be an example to other people that we’re not taking it lightly when you go to a neighborhood and you start destroying the quality of life in the neighborhood… there are consequences,” Mr. Reyes asserted.