OCEAN CITY — In yet another odd sside to the ongoing pandemic, normal working hours and noise restrictions were relaxed this week for a midtown condominium project because of a work crew quarantined by COVID-19.
The Mayor and Council heard a request Monday to modify the hours of operation for mechanical and construction noise at a condominium project at Sunset Island. Planning and Community Development Director Bill Neville explained the structural integrity of one of the condo’s stair towers had been compromised by water damage and needed repairs.
The condo has two stair towers and residents and visitors have had access to one of them while the other is being repaired. However, with the arrival of Memorial Day weekend and the anticipated spike in visitors and residents, the Fire Marshal has required both stair towers be accessible, necessitating the completion of the ongoing project.
The project was on schedule for a pre-Memorial Day completion until one of the work crews had to be quarantined because one member of the crew tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, a request was made to modify the town’s construction noise ordinance to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in order to expedite the completion of the project. Under the town’s code, construction noise is limited to 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“The developer has asked for 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a limited time to June 20,” said Neville. “The project ran behind this year because of COVID-19 and the building is under a restriction from the Fire Marshal because they can’t use those stairs.”
Neville said the request has been approved by the condo association, which will notify its members of the construction time change. A letter from the condo association explains the situation.
“The Ocean City Fire Marshal requires that each building have two operational fire towers during the summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day,” the letter reads. “The construction schedule has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A work crew has been quarantined because of a worker testing positive for COVID-19. The extension of work hours through June 20 will assist greatly in meeting the Memorial Day deadline for opening the towers.”
The letter explains the extension to June 20 was being requested because waterproofing materials need to be applied once the structural repairs are complete. The council unanimously approved the request, pointing out the area is bordered on two sides by water and a third side by the town’s public works complex with only some residential areas to the north potentially impacted by the noise.
