OCEAN CITY — Resort officials this week approved a five-year extension for a north-end water taxi service.
Two years ago, amid some opposition, the Mayor and Council approved a conditional use request allowing for a water taxi service based at a canal adjacent to the Food Lion shopping center near 118th Street. The council ultimately approved the conditional use request for the OC Bayhopper with several conditions attached including designated pick-up and drop-off times, sound amplification and others.
The conditional use was approved for two years with the caveat OC Bayhopper representatives make a mid-summer and end of the year progress report. With the two-year conditional use set to expire, the planning commission earlier this month voted unanimously to send to the Mayor and Council a favorable recommendation for the requested five-year extension for the water taxi service at its current location with the same stipulations in place from the original approval.
The council on Monday voted unanimously to approve the five-year extension. Councilman Tony DeLuca made the motion to approve the extension.
“They’ve been a really great partner,” he said. “We haven’t heard any complaints. They have really stepped up and now they’re working with the Maryland Coastal Bays Program on some initiatives.”
During the planning commission’s public hearing on the requested extension in early March, Stephen Butz, one of the company’s owners and captains, said the five-year commitment represents an opportunity to grow the water taxi service. Butz envisioned the OC Bayhopper to become a mass transit system of sorts on the water. In order for that to happen, there will likely be some discussion between the company and town officials about gaining access to city-owned waterfront areas such as docks, piers and bulkheads, for example.
For now, however, OC Bayhopper officials were only asking for the five-year conditional use extension.
“We want to thank the Mayor and Council for giving us a chance,” he said. “We appreciate your faith in us. In order to build a water-based transportation system, we’re going to need a public-private partnership.”
Mayor Rick Meehan said the town would be amenable to expanding the operation, pointing at the company’s track record thus far.
“You’ve done everything you said you were going to do,” he said. “It’s been a great addition.”
