COCOA BEACH, Fla. – A Central Florida beach town now has the most expensive fees for registering a vacation rental home in the entire state.

Cocoa Beach is raising the registration and renewal fees by five times for short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods.

The sharp increases divided audience members at Thursday night’s commission meeting.

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“You’ve gotta do something because Airbnbs, I’m sorry, they do not belong in a residential neighborhood,” one man said

Mayor Keith Capizzi was the only member of the commission voting against the substantial hike in fees.

“I don’t like raising fees for people that are doing it properly,” Mayor Capizzi said. “I have absolutely no qualms about raising the fines through the roof.”

Just to start running a vacation rental home now will cost an owner $2,500.

Airbnb said that’s the most expensive application fee in the entire state and by more than $1,500.

The company released a statement to News 6 that read in part, “Dramatically increasing registration fees—potentially to the highest level in the state—risks undermining these residents’ ability to share their homes and welcome visitors.”

All members of the commission, but Mayor Capizzi, also voted to raise the yearly renewal fee for owners to $1,500. It was just $325.

“To those who say we’re charging fees too high, just listen to what some of me and my neighbors have had to endure over the last year,” another man said during public comment. “First of all, after one party at a short-term rental down the street from us, we picked up 16 beer bottles floating in the canal.”

City Manager Wayne Carragino told News 6 reporter James Sparvero the new fees will help with shifting the costs of regulating the vacation rentals from the taxpayers to the owners and help with enforcement, as well.

“As it currently stands, the enforcement is a burden on the city and we don’t have the staff to properly enforce the issue,” Carragino said. “So this will give us the opportunity to hire the staff.”

Carragino then responded to opponents of raising the fees who say it will hurt owners and tourists.

“They are running a business here. And if they’re gonna run a business here, they’re gonna have to play by our rules,” he said.

The city is looking right now to hire a code enforcement officer. Anyone interested can apply on the city’s website here.