OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council’s held its first legislative session in several weeks on Monday, approving a public hearing regarding conveying a portion of land near 61st Street, the first reading of a MOU between the city and county over a spray irrigation system at Eagle’s Landing and officially receiving the deed to park land from the county.
Developer Seeks Land
A request came before the council to close and convey a portion of Seabay Drive north of 61st Street and to convey a portion of land along the west side of the Tennis Center property.
According to City Engineer Terry McGean, the developer of the old OC Health and Racquet property is interested in acquiring a portion of the Seabay Dr. Right-of-Way between 61st Street and the State Highway Route 90 Right-of-Way along with an adjacent 20-foot strip of land at the tennis center. The development of the old OC Health and Racquet property is slated to be built into a Marriot Hotel.
Staff has no objection to the closure and sale but are recommending the developer provides an access easement to the city over the 8-foot landscape buffer for occasional maintenance of the tennis courts and a potential future well site as well as improvements to 61st Street and potential shared use of the parking spaces with the tennis center be part of the future sale negotiations.
The Mayor and City Council voted unanimously to forward the matter to a public hearing and have the property appraised at the developer’s expense.
City, County Deal On
Spray System Advances
According to City Manager David Recor, the Mayor, City Council and Worcester County Commissioners have reached an agreement, documented in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to work together on the construction of a new spray irrigation system at Eagle’s Landing Golf Course.
This system will allow the treated wastewater effluent from the new Mystic Harbour Wastewater Treatment facility to be stored and spray irrigated on golf course lands.
The MOU benefits the city by providing a new irrigation system for Eagles Landing Golf Course and benefits the county by providing an environmentally beneficial means for effluent reuse.
The financial impact for the City in capital improvements, credit for equity and future capital charges and compensation for 40 years of EDU charges is a benefit valued over $2 million.
The council voted unanimously to approve the MOU in its first reading.
Bayside Park Deeds
Transferred To City
This week Mayor Rick Meehan announced the accomplishment of working with the county to gain the deeds to the bayside park between 3rd and 4th streets.
Meehan pointed out under the town’s Strategic Plan one of the top priorities states improving the working relationship between the town and Worcester County.
“I certainly think working with Worcester County to develop a MOU is a step in that direction and another step is also at our request have secured the deeds to the 3rd and 4th streets ball field properties,” he said. “Those properties have been owned by the county and we have been trying to gain a long-term lease or the deeds to that property for a number of years, and we have preliminary plans to develop that property to enhance the recreational facilities.”
Meehan explained a stipulation to that agreement is that the land will remain a recreational use or it will revert back to the county.
“Those are two steps forward, and I commend the council and the County Commissioners for working together and moving in that direction,” he said.
According to Councilman Joe Mitrecic, who serves as chair of the Recreation and Parks Commission, the commission is scheduled to discuss the development of the Bayside Park next week.
Council Requests Plan
On Rental Properties
In May, an issue was broached by former long-time Planning Commissioner Dr. Geoff Robbins, who pointed out many properties in the town’s R-1 zoning designation are being rented to weekend warriors in otherwise tranquil areas of the resort set aside in the zoning code for year-round residents.
Ocean City, like most municipalities, has strict zoning codes that designate areas where certain rentals are allowed. Naturally, a large portion of the resort is a hodgepodge of hotels, condos, apartment buildings and other single-family and multi-family dwellings, but certain areas of the city have been zoned R-1 to allow for quiet residential use free of weekly, weekend or even daily rentals.
City ordinance prohibits more than four unrelated people renting in the R-1 district. It’s a law adhered to in many communities, especially in resorts and around college campuses such as Salisbury, where multiple students often share a residence in a residential neighborhood.
This week Council Secretary Mary Knight asked for a formal plan of action and discussion regarding the matter.
“What is occurring is a lot of rental properties are with more than four unrelated people in those properties,” Knight said. “I know there was meeting and discussion in early May with Planning and Zoning, and public hearing was promised at this meeting … and there hasn’t been a public hearing. I know right now we have unenforced codes. I know that Salisbury has tackled this situation. I don’t know, and that is why we need to have a public hearing, if Ocean City wants to be perceived like the Outer Banks where you have managements that rent to 17 to 20 people.”
Bus System Consultant
Could Be Coming To OC
Mitrecic requested in an upcoming work session for council to discuss hiring a traffic consultant to analyze Ocean City’s bus system.
“We need a new set of eyes to look at where we can increase revenue and ridership, and possibly streamline the system,” he said. “I believe the bus system has become stale and I think a new set of eyes should look at it.”
Knight agreed with Mitrecic, pointing out other jurisdictions have updated their bus systems to include smart phone apps to tell riders where the buses are and when to expect arrival.
“I would hope this analysis could cite information showing increased ridership, the effectiveness, etc. I think it is a very timely suggestion,” she said.