FENWICK ISLAND – Town officials will hold a public hearing later this month regarding a moratorium on new hotel construction.
Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to approve on first reading an ordinance that would reestablish a two-year moratorium on the issuance of permits or licenses related to new hotel or motel construction after a previous moratorium expired in February. A hearing to gather public comments has been scheduled for July 24 at 3 p.m.
Last month, a draft document was presented to the Fenwick Island Charter and Ordinance Committee that included a 15-month moratorium on new hotel construction. The committee, however, agreed to forward a favorable recommendation to the town council after extending the timeframe to two years.
“The C&O committee unanimously agreed to make it a two-year moratorium,” said Councilman Bill Weistling, chair of the committee. “We figured that timeframe would give us enough time to see how the hotel does – both the positive impacts and the negative impacts – by next fall.”
In 2016, the town council voted to establish a moratorium on new hotel construction following an extensive debate regarding the former Sands Motel.
Developer Spiro Buas purchased the motel – located on Coastal Highway – in 2015 with plans to construct a new, upscale hotel in its place. In doing so, he proposed an ordinance change to the town code that would allow for one motel room per 600 feet instead of one motel room per 1,000 feet, allowing the Sands to expand from 38 rooms to 65 rooms.
Despite outcry from nearby residents, the council at the time voted 5-2 to approve the ordinance. However, a two-year moratorium on new hotel and motel construction was also put forward.
As part of the moratorium, the town would not issue permits, licenses or other approvals involving new hotel and motel uses. And in February of 2018, the council voted to extend its ban on hotel construction another two years while the town considered the impacts of the new hotel on Fenwick Island.
Since the moratorium expired in February without any action from the town council, a discussion on issuing a new moratorium was deferred to the charter and ordinance committee.
Following the public hearing later this month, the ordinance will go before the town council again for a second reading.
