Proposed Alley Swap In OC Headed Toward Approval

OCEAN CITY — A proposed alley swap to accommodate a redevelopment project passed on first reading this week after a couple of concerns from a private citizen were allayed.

Last December, the Planning Commission reviewed a proposed site plan for the redevelopment of the old BJ’s on the Water property along the bayfront at 75th Street. The property has since been sold to connections to Ropewalk, which plans to develop the bayfront eatery Windward OC on the site.

The Ropewalk group operated the restaurant in its original footprint this summer as the Atlantic Beach House, but the long-term plan calls for the old restaurant to be replaced with a new two-story establishment on the same site with a sandy beachfront along the water, nearly 9,000 square-feet of dining areas, including over 700 square feet on a rooftop terrace and other amenities.

In September, the Mayor and Council had before them a request to close a city-owned, seldom-used east-west alley between 74th Street and 75th Street to accommodate the redevelopment project. Essentially what is a paper alley would be needed to accommodate the expanded parking for the establishment.

Under the proposal, the town would convey the 100-foot paper alley to the property owner. In exchange, the property owner would convey an easement to the town for a 100-foot section of alley that runs north-to-south between the existing parking lot and the back of the Quiet Storm surf shop.

The alley already exists and is 10 feet wide, allowing for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between 74th and 75th streets. With the property owner conveying an easement to the town at 10 feet wide, the north-south alley would essentially become a 20-foot wide alley. In a nutshell, the property owners would gain access to the under-utilized 100-foot east-west alley between 74th and 75th streets, while the town would get an expanded 20-foot alley running north to south between 74th and 75th streets.

When the land swap was first proposed, it was pointed out there was a utility pole in the portion of the public right-of-way the town was getting in exchange for the paper east-west alley, which would impede vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and limit the use of the entire 20-foot right-of-way.

The developer has since agreed to relocate the utility pole out of the town’s right-of-way. The developer also agreed to repave the 100-foot section of the north-south alley as part of its redevelopment plan.

Last month, the Mayor and Council held a scantily-attended public hearing, which was a requirement for the proposed land swap. Local resident John Medelin raised some concerns about the land swap at that time. On Monday, the elected officials had before them an ordinance on first reading, which appeared to be heading to approval with little or no discussion. However, Medelin reiterated some of his concerns raised last month.

“Why did we waive the appraisal?” he said. “The public should know when the town is giving away property.”

Medelin also took umbrage with the proposed access point to the restaurant’s parking lot.

“75th Street shouldn’t be the parking lot entrance,” he said. “It should be 74th Street where there is a traffic signal. If you’re heading north, you have to go the light at 77th Street and make a U-turn. It complicates the traffic.”

City Engineer Terry McGean attempted to allay some of the citizen concerns.

“The square footage of the closed alley equals the square footage of the easement that has been given to us,” he said. “The goal of making the swap is to widen the alley. We have half of it, and we look to get the other half so that it is much more convenient to access from the signal at 74th Street.”

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.