Rezoning Opinion Wrong
Editor:
The editor’s conclusion in last week’s editorial concerning the lack of need for a new R1A district in Ocean City is faulty. He cites the prior statistics to conclude there is only a minor problem of renting in the existing R1 district.
At various meetings, residents have stated that instead of making complaints to the city they have attempted to deal with the problem renters directly or with the owners of the home. Additionally since this issue has arisen, there is a better understanding of the city codes that prohibit over four non-family members renting as well as each house having a rental capacity based on the bedroom square footage. This capacity is not found on any city web site and must be calculated individually. Then there is the city’s noise restriction. All of these three are administered by three separate departments-zoning, building inspection and police. If residents feel they have overcrowding with non-family members that are loud, they would have to call three different departments for enforcement. With this condition, can we be assured that the cited complaint statistics are accurate? And other than the noise issue, how enforceable are the other restrictions?
The editor seems to feel that non-family renters are the main problem and this should be more strictly enforced. At previous hearings, large family gatherings were also stated as a problem.
Attempting to have the rental agencies as the gatekeeper cannot hurt but there are many web sites that are used by R1 renters and after meetings on this issue, none of the web sites that I viewed states anything concerning restrictions on non-family rentals or the proper calculated capacities.
The editor fails to state a bigger problem and that is “mini-week” rentals that are from Friday to Sunday. Usually these attract large groups that arrive Friday night through Saturday. By the time they all arrive, party and are ready to leave, there is little enforcement possible except if they violate the noise restrictions.
As far as property values, the editor thinks that R1A property values would be lower if people couldn’t buy homes to rent. I beg to differ. The great majority of R1 owners want permanent owners as neighbors that respect the community and not renters who usually do not. There are instances that owners have sold due to renting which pressures values down.
An R1A district is needed. If the large majority of owners in an R1 community believe it would enhance their lifestyle and the serenity of the community, they ought to have an opportunity to be in an R1A district.
G.T. McAllister
Ocean City
Health Fair Reviewed
Editor,
The Ocean City AARP Chapter 1917 and its partners Atlantic General Hospital and the Mayor and City Council recently concluded its 29th Annual Community Health Fair at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. Over 600 attended the fair on Tuesday, May 5. This year we also partnered with the Blood Bank of Delmarva.
Much of the success of the fair belongs to Chairman, Doctor Melvin Friedman and Mrs. Dawn Denton, Community Education Manager of AGH. Special thanks to the staff of the Ocean City Convention Center.
We also wish to extend our sincere “thanks” to all the volunteers who gave of themselves to make this community fair the success it was.
I thank the following businesses that contributed so generously to the health fair: Center Plate Catering, Food Lion, Dunkin Donuts, Wal-Mart, Harris Teeter and Shoreline Technologies.
We look forward to another successful Community Health Fair in 2016.
Christopher R. Norris
(The writer is the president of the Ocean City AARP Chapter #1917.)
Advance Warnings Might Help Weekend
Editor:
I fully support all the letters I read last month concerning the numerous problems and violations caused during the Cruisin weekend.
What I didn’t see were proposed solutions to correct the havoc we endured. I have one. Do all of you remember last summer when the college students were on social media promoting “Take over the Beach” weekend in Ocean City. What did we do? We proactively posted on social media prior to the proposed weekend that we were bringing in the State Police, Berlin Police, Ocean Pines Police and other neighboring police forces to ensure we had the resources to control the crowds and issues citations when necessary.
Funny how when this news of what Ocean City was going to do prior to that subject weekend caused it never to occur. I believe that if we arrange for the same type of police support from outside Ocean City and publish it on social media that there will be a controlled situation in our town or that an abundance of tickets will be issued to curtail all the illegal activities taking place. Why can’t this be done again?
Jim McCracken
Ocean City
Vanishing Week-Long Vacation Troubling
Editor:
I love the series “Vanishing Ocean City”. I love Ocean City. I have asked my friends and family to surreptitiously scatter my cremated ashes in the ocean there when I kick it. I’ve vacationed in OC since I was born – over 50 years ago. My family owned property in OC for over 20 years.
Sadly, what’s really vanishing is my annual week-long vacation in OC. The rental prices at my beach in my state have reached the summit of vacation cost-tolerance. I could afford to stay for a summer week. But I won’t. I don’t like being taken advantage of and that’s what it feels like. I like to bring my family, but I could easily refurnish my entire living room for the price I’d pay for even a three-bedroom rental in Ocean City, much less something that would truly accommodate my family. I can fly three people to Florida, rent a car, and rent a large house with a private swimming pool, granite countertops, huge bedrooms with balconies and master baths, big screen TVs, free Internet, beach chairs and supplies and spend a week snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico on the white sand beaches for the same cost or less that I’d pay to spend a week in OC in a too-small, dated condo outfitted with the cheapest, ugliest and oldest furnishings to be had. I know this, because I did it last year.
This year, I thought, hey, let’s give OC a whirl again. Let’s see what’s out there because I love OC. Whether through a rental agency, VRBO, Homeaway or TripAdvisor, the astronomical rental prices coupled with the generally shabby condition of the inventory sent me packing – for Florida.
Hollis Burl
Ellicott City, Md.
Smoking Ban Unfair
Editor:
A few years ago, an inside smoking ban was implemented. It meant no tobacco products, lit or not, on the property at any time. I am a smoker and disagreed with new ordinance. Restaurant always have had non-smoking section. Now these anti-smokers have managed to get a smoking ban everywhere? Even outside. Where do these anti-smokers get the political power to get these ridiculous ordinances passed?
No smoking on the “public beach” or the “public Boardwalk.” I don’t understand how any smoke can bother anyone at either of these locations. There is a constant sea breeze keeping the air moving.
My wife and I are relaxing on the beach. We would like to smoke. Now we must make the trek to find this big orange bucket. Better than that, my wife and I are enjoying a nice meal in a patio environment. If in the middle of our dinner, we decide to take a break and share a cigarette, are we to leave our dinner sitting on the table getting cold? Don’t forget those pesky flies. I’m sure they are having a banquet while my wife and I stroll the boards looking for Mr. Orange Bucket. Is that fair?
I’m sure this ban will unfairly improve the businesses in front of the mighty orange bucket. To all you non-smokers at least play fair.
Kevin J. McNamara
Berlin