Ocean City City Council Regular Meeting - May 18, 2026
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Ocean City City Council Regular Meeting - May 18, 2026
The Ocean City Mayor and City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, May 18, 2026, beginning shortly after 6:00 PM. Council President presided. Councilmember Savage was absent. The meeting included a proclamation, consent agenda, multiple ordinance readings, public comments, and council discussions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes from Regular Session #8 (May 4, 2026).
- Acknowledged Pension Committee draft agenda (May 20).
- Acknowledged Transportation Committee (May 12) and Green Team (May 13) reports.
- Approved private event request for the 4th Annual Beach Tennis Maryland Open (July 31 – August 8, 2026).
- Approved transfer of Taxi Medallion #172.
- Motion carried 6-0 (Councilmember Savage absent).
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Mayor read a proclamation recognizing National Safe Boating Week (May 16–22, 2026). Representatives from the Ocean City Power Squadron accepted and shared 2025 Maryland waterways statistics: 103 accidents, 7 fatalities, 33 injuries. They emphasized life jacket use, engine cutoff switches, boater education, and vessel safety checks.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Vince Gizrael (1408 Sailing Red, Ocean City) discussed the FY2027 operating budget. He argued the town should lower the property tax rate further than the one-cent reduction, citing a multi-year pattern where revenues were underestimated and expenditures overestimated (average $6.3M per year over 11 years). He criticized the growing advertising budget and questioned funding for a sports complex, noting feasibility studies are outdated (last with financial data from January 2020). He requested removing $1M earmarked for the sports complex to fund tax relief.
- Robert Canara (13201 Petrie Road) expressed strong support for Ordinance 2026-18 (increasing occupancy limits) but urged the council to relax enforcement on beds in dens, stating that as long as occupancy limits are not exceeded, furniture type should not matter. He shared personal experience of purchasing a home believing it had five bedrooms when it was actually zoned for three, and asked for empathy toward homeowners caught in ambiguous rules.
- Terry Miller (116 Bering Road) supported the occupancy expansion (plus-two) and called for a more welcoming approach to new homeowners (e.g., a welcome package). She noted that some reservations were canceled and real estate deals fell through due to recent enforcement actions. She also praised the city's plant grant program.
- Dale Cagle (Laguna Fist resident) requested allowing dogs on the Boardwalk between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM during the summer, noting that many businesses welcome dogs but early-morning boardwalk use is currently prohibited.
Discussion Items
- Second Reading – Ordinance 2026-15 (FY2027 Operating Budget): City Solicitor advised Councilmembers Buis and Heiser (newly elected, absent at first reading) to abstain. After public comment and council discussion, the ordinance passed 4-0 with Buis and Heiser abstaining.
- Second Reading – Ordinance 2026-16 (Boardwalk Pedicab Franchise): Passed 4-0 with Buis and Heiser abstaining.
- First Reading – Ordinance 2026-18 (Occupancy Standards – +2 per dwelling unit): The ordinance allows up to two additional occupants per unit, as reviewed at the May 12 work session. Extensive council debate focused on whether to enforce furniture restrictions in dens (e.g., prohibiting beds). Some members argued that if occupancy is not increased, the city should not police furniture. Others raised fairness concerns for owners who paid for three-bedroom units versus those with two-bedroom-plus-den. The council ultimately passed first reading 6-0 and directed staff to draft a written policy allowing beds in dens provided a minimum 120 sq ft living area exists (to be brought back for second reading).
- First Reading – Ordinance 2026-17 (Chapter 14, Business Licensing Cleanup): Passed 6-0.
- Resolution 2026-15 (Surplus Property Disposition ): Passed6-0.
Key Outcomes
- Approved : Consent agenda,FY2027 budget(4-0),pedicab franchise(4-0),occupancy standard first reading(6-0),business licensing cleanup(6-0),surplus property resolution(6-0)
- Directive to staff: Develop a written policy for second reading on allowing beds in dens when occupancy is not increased, except that a minimum120 sq ft living area must be maintained .
- Dog on boardwalk request : Councilmember Garrick acknowledged but noted enforcement concerns; no action taken.
- Memorial Day ceremony : Mayor announced ceremony onSunday May24 at1 PM at NorthDivision Street and Boardwalk.
Council & Manager Comments
- Councilmember Garrick thanked the Ocean City Recreation Boosters for funding pickleball nets.
- Councilmember Garrick defended the growing advertising budget (funded by room tax,not property tax) and reaffirmed commitment to a sports complex , citing strong demand and state support.
- City manager previewed the May26 work session agenda ,including closed session ,minutes approval ,Fifth Street Post Office demolition ,downtown parking update ,accessory housing legislation ,and council residency charter changes.
Meeting Transcript
They should abstain from those votes. Anything that's on second meeting, but nothing on first. So we just got do not go home. I can't open the meeting if you go home. No, we just got two. We just got a budget. Everybody go to nine. Budget. All right, good evening, everyone. Welcome to this council meeting. Today is Monday, May 18th, 2026, just after 6 p.m. First on the agenda, I'll turn the meeting over to Councilmember Gehrig for our prayer and pledge. Okay, good evening. Father God, we're grateful that you've given us another day today, another day to live, work, and serve in Ocean City, Maryland. Thank you for bringing us together tonight. We asked for your presence here this evening. We asked for your guidance and wisdom, help us to make the right decisions to be a blessing to our community and to you. And as we go our separate ways, maybe we seek ways to help others and always live in Jesus' name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Now I'll turn it over to the mayor. We have a proclamation recognizing National Safe Boating Week, May 16th through the 22nd, 2026. Brett, would you like to come up and join me? Two members of the Power Squadron. And the good news about this proclamation, it signals another signal that spring is in the air and that the weather's going to change, that the voters are going to be out. People are going to be joining us enjoying Ocean City. But we want to make sure that when they do that, they're safe. And I know that that's a not just tonight, but a year-long effort of the Power Squadron and what you do to promote safe boating, and I'm not going to steal your thunder. I'm going to let you speak to that. But I do have a proclamation, and I'd like to read this. And the proclamation is for National Safe Boating Week. And it's for May 8 16th to May 22nd, 2026. And it says, whereas for over 100 million Americans, excuse me, boating continues to be a popular recreational activity where boaters explore and enjoy America's beautiful waters. Whereas the waters surrounding Ocean Cities support multiple opportunities to enjoy fishing, crabbing, clamming, paddling, and other commercial and recreational activities. Whereas the United States Coast Guard statistics statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational voting fatalities in 2023. That approximately 75% of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Whereas approximately 87% of the deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had no boating safety education. Whereas the United States Power Squadron has been teaching boating and safety and operation for more than a hundred years. And the Ocean City Power Squadron has been teaching boating safety and education for over 40 years and performs free vessel safety checks. Now therefore, I Rick me and the mayor of the town of Ocean City, along with the City Council, do hereby proclaim the week of May 16th through May 22nd, 2026, has National Safe Boating Week in Ocean City and encouraged all voters to wear their jackets while voting on the waters surrounding Ocean City. So I present this to you, sir. Thank you, sir. You would like to say a few words? Please. Thank you both for your commitment to safety and to voting here in Ocean City. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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