OCEAN CITY — The future of a new Starbucks in Ocean City could hinge on the availability of short-term parking spaces on a public street, but resort officials on Wednesday were reluctant to make a special accommodation and change as many as seven spots.
Harrison Group representatives G. Hale Harrison and Mark Mayers came before the Ocean City Police Commission on Wednesday morning with a special request to change seven existing full-time parking spots on 17th Street near Baltimore Avenue to 20-minute load and unload spots to accommodate a plan to convert an existing Subway restaurant into a Starbucks. They explained the future success of the business hinged on customers being able to park close and get in and out quickly.
City Engineer Terry McGean, who presented the plan, said there was precedent for altering some parking spots adjacent to businesses at different locations around the resort. For his part, Harrison said the company owned property on both adjacent blocks and there was ample parking available on the company’s three auxiliary lots to accommodate their hotel guests and compensate for the changes to the seven spots adjacent to future Starbucks.
“This is a unique situation where we have properties on both blocks,” he said. “Our request is actually less in terms of the number of spaces.”
While somewhat sympathetic to the needs, Police Commission members were reluctant to change seven spots on a public street to accommodate a single business.
“What would I tell other retailers?” Councilman Dennis Dare asked. “What retailer wouldn’t want a dedicated parking area on the street? I’m concerned how we would look at similar requests.”
Council President Lloyd Martin agreed and asked if converting fewer spaces could achieve the desired goal.
“I don’t have a problem with maybe two spaces, but seven seems a little much,” he said. “It’s hard to give seven spaces away.”
Mayor and Acting City Manager Rick Meehan said the spots in question are prime spots.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people look at that as available beach parking,” he said. “I think a couple of spots would be consistent with what we’ve done, but anything more than that is a little much. It’s a lot to take away seven spots in the ocean block.”
In the end, the commission voted to recommend changes to only two spots to the full council.