OCEAN CITY – A resort committee took no action this week on two requests to operate pedicabs in Ocean City.
On Monday, members of the Ocean City Police Commission were presented with separate requests from two pedicab operators to offer their transportation services in town.
“We had two requests, one from a more established provider and one from a newer provider, to offer pedicab services, which is a rickshaw bicycle with a two-seat attachment,” City Manager Terry McGean explained. “The more established person I believe wants to operate during Oceans Calling and then for a longer period as well. The other gentleman I believe just wants to operate, period.”
McGean said he wanted to gauge the commission’s interest in allowing a pedicab company to operate in town.
“We figured we would start here,” he said. “As far as putting this out on Coastal Highway, I have huge issues with it. As far as putting them on the Boardwalk, it’s a little less of an issue.”
Councilman Lloyd Martin, commission chair, said he liked the idea but questioned the timing, as the Oceans Calling Festival is set to kick off on Sept. 30. He also questioned if pedicabs would add to the congestion the upcoming festival would create downtown.
“Putting them out on the street when we have 30,000 people downtown and driving on Baltimore Avenue, that creates traffic problems,” he said. “I think it’s great if you didn’t have any other modes of transportation, but you have other modes of transportation, and this is just going to jam things up.”
McGean agreed.
“Honestly, this is not providing any sort of relief in terms of moving people,” he said. “It’s a nice little ride, but that’s all it is.”
Commission members pointed out that they had already seen one pedicab operator offering rides at last month’s White Marlin Open.
McGean, however, noted that the company did not receive a business permit to operate.
“At this point, there’s no business license for it,” he said.
City Solicitor Heather Stansbury agreed, noting there was nothing in Ocean City’s code to grant a business license to a pedicab company.
“It’s not a contemplated use,” she said. “So either the Mayor and City Council will have to give him a business license after, perhaps, a hearing at a work session, or we’d have to do a code amendment to allow this operation.”
Stansbury noted that the Mayor and Council voted last week to allow bicycles on the Boardwalk throughout the Oceans Calling Festival. She argued, however, that it was too late to incorporate any changes that would allow a pedicab company to operate during the event.
“If there’s any desire for it, we can come back to you with recommendations as to how it can be codified …,” she said. “I think it should come as a recommendation from this committee before it is brought to the Mayor and City Council because it would be a code amendment.”
McGean said it ultimately came down to the commission’s desire to pursue the matter. Throughout the discussion, commission members said they were concerned about pedicabs taking up travel lanes, utilizing parking spots and speeding down the Boardwalk.
“You can allow them on the Boardwalk the same time as bicycles, but I’m not sure if that does them much good. Or you can also say they are allowed on any city street – that would excluded Philadelphia Avenue, Coastal Highway, Baltimore Avenue south of 15th Street – where there are bike lanes,” McGean explained. “You end up limiting it to almost nothing.”
Council President Matt James, commission member, said he would rather see pedicabs be added to special events and incorporated into the application process. Mayor Rick Meehan, however, said its impact as a transportation service would be minimal.
“It’s not really a people-mover, it’s an experience,” he said.
With no further discussion, commission members agreed they had no interest in moving forward with the matter.
