OCEAN PINES – Ocean Pines Association officials are encouraging residents with concerns about rentals in the community to attend next week’s meeting of the Worcester County Commissioners.
On Oct. 15, the commissioners will host a public hearing regarding proposed changes to Bill 19-3, which relates to boarding and lodging rentals. Several members of the association’s board met with Commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting last week to discuss the bill.
“It needs to be fully vetted to the public during that public hearing on the 15th so I encourage all those who are interested in that topic — apparently it has become noteworthy here in Ocean Pines — I strongly recommend if you can make the time to get up there to attend that public hearing I ask that you do so,” said Doug Parks, association president, at last week’s board meeting.
Initially, the board was expected to discuss asking the commissioners to delay approval of the bill at last week’s meeting.
“Bill 19-3 well intended to improve on a situation where properties are rented for short periods of time (one or two days, or a weekend),” Director Steve Tuttle wrote in the board packet. “It does not address the major issues being faced by our residents. The increase in rentals by Airbnb, VRBO or similar has resulted in properties being rented in Ocean Pines as capable of housing 10, 15 or more people for short periods of time. In some cases, the properties are 3-bedroom dwellings never intended to house 10 or 15 people and the vehicle parking is insufficient to accommodate on the property the vehicles of the renters.”
At the start of the meeting, however, Tuttle said he’d like to withdraw the motion because during the discussion with Bertino and Bunting the board had been assured that changes could still be made to the bill.
“The bill in question is not in final form,” he said. “The language is expected to change before being enacted, and I believe the resulting bill will be more favorably define the issues on occupancy limits and some of the other issues that we’ve been concerned about, so I’d like to withdraw it at this time.”
In an interview, Bertino acknowledged that the bill was still in draft form and that citizens would have the opportunity to voice concerns at the public hearing. The bill, which eliminates inconsistencies in the existing code, revises definitions and establishes new regulations—including occupancy limits and parking requirements—for short term rentals of one- and two-family dwellings, can be viewed on the county’s website.