Ocean City Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – August 5, 2025

The regular session of the Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission was held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Hall, 301 Baltimore Avenue. Commissioners considered approval of prior minutes, elected officers, and conducted a site plan review for the proposed Atlantic Edge condominium project.

Consent Calendar

• No consent items were presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public provided testimony during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Approval of Minutes (June 17, 2025): A motion to approve the minutes was made by Joel Brous and seconded by Palmer Gillis. However, the vote resulted in three in favor and three abstentions (from commissioners who were not present at the prior meeting). Because a majority was not achieved, the motion failed and consideration of the minutes was postponed to the next meeting.
• Election of Officers: The commission elected officers for the coming year. Joe Wilson was nominated by Palmer Gillis and seconded by Pam Robertson to continue as Chairperson; the motion passed unanimously (with verbal affirmation). Janet Hough was nominated by Pam Robertson and seconded by Palmer Gillis to continue as Secretary; the motion also passed unanimously.
• Site Plan Review – Atlantic Edge: The commission reviewed a site plan for the Atlantic Edge project, an eight-unit multi-family condominium development on two vacant lots (Lots 22 and 23, Block 22, Fenwick 4 Plat) at 14 142nd Street, zoned R-3A. The plan, revised July 25, 2025, proposes four duplex-style buildings: four units (five bedrooms, ~2,700 SF each) accessed from 142nd Street and four units (three bedrooms, ~1,850 SF each) accessed via a rear alley. The project was reduced from ten to eight units following Technical Review Committee feedback. Parking exceeds minimum requirements (26 spaces provided vs. 24 required), including tandem parking. Staff recommended approval subject to 22 conditions, including lot consolidation, condominium document submission, and alley improvements. Commissioners raised questions about alley access, parking space dimensions, sidewalk connections, and the location of a bike rack. The applicant team (Jeff Thaler, architect Rick Schoellkopf, and civil engineer Steven LeMasters) responded. The bike rack was confirmed to be installed on a concrete pad in the north-south corridor.

Key Outcomes

• Election of Officers: Joe Wilson was re-elected Chairperson and Janet Hough was re-elected Secretary, both by voice vote.
• Site Plan Approval: A motion to approve the Atlantic Edge site plan as presented was made by Janet Hough and seconded by Joel Brous. The motion passed unanimously (6-0). The approval is subject to the 22 conditions outlined in the staff report.
• Next Meeting: The commission scheduled a closed session for August 19, 2025, at 5:30 PM for training, followed by potential applications at 6:30 PM. Staff will send a reminder.
• Parking Discussion: A commissioner raised concerns about the impact of paid parking on neighborhood street parking, but the chair noted the topic was off-agenda and would be addressed in future meetings.
• Minutes Postponed: The June 17, 2025 minutes were not approved due to an insufficient vote; they will be revisited at the next meeting.