Ocean City Board of Port Wardens Meeting - September 10, 2026

The Ocean City Board of Port Wardens met Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 301 Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, Maryland. The Board reviewed two minor and six major marine construction cases, approved the minutes of the August 13, 2026 meeting, and acted on the docketed applications. Staff recommendations covered cases PW 26-038 through PW 26-050 as advertised and posted.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: The Board approved the minutes from the August 13, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the 805 Penguin Drive case, a speaker raised setback issues and said letters had been sent to Baltimore and that a stop order had been discussed. Board members responded that the new construction itself was not in the setback and that the Board was only dealing with the new construction portion. The speaker also described having to shrink a planned pier from six feet to five feet, or to three feet if two boat slips were kept, and referenced a person named Jackie not wanting “toys” around.

Discussion Items

• Minor Case PW 26-044 (321 White Heron Court): Staff read a request to install 132 linear feet of replacement vinyl bulkhead, not exceeding 18 inches channelward, with owner Phillip Creek and applicant Stacey Hart & Associates. Conditions included Town of Ocean City open-water bulkhead standard 8.0, an 18-inch channelward limit, engineered plans for bulkheads exceeding 100 feet in length, MDE approval at building permit application, and completion of all marine construction within 18 months of the Board decision.
• Minor Case PW 26-045 (10607 Point Lookout Road): Staff read a request to repair, by vinyl replacement 18 inches channelward, about 60 linear feet of deteriorated timber batter-pile bulkhead with new batter-pile bulkhead, owner Mark Souders. Conditions included Town of Ocean City open-water standard 8.0, an 18-inch channelward limit, MDE approval at building permit application, and completion within 18 months.
• Major Case PW 26-038 (227 N. Heron Drive): Staff read a request to install 60 feet of replacement vinyl bulkheading, construct a new 6-foot by 19-foot dock, drive two mooring piles, and install one boatlift, with all work extending 13.5 feet channelward; owner Mary Ring. The transcript reads “227 North Herring Drive” in one place, while the agenda lists 227 N. Heron Drive. Conditions included Town of Ocean City canal standard 6.1, an 18-inch channelward limit, five-foot setbacks and/or letters of no objection including any HOA, MDE approval, and completion within 18 months.
• Major Case PW 26-046 (143 Pine Tree Road): Staff read a request to install 40 feet of replacement vinyl bulkhead including six batter piles, plus a boatlift, owner Brian Horn. Conditions included Town of Ocean City canal standard 6.1, an 18-inch channelward limit, a boatlift installed per manufacturer’s specifications not exceeding 31.5 feet channelward, MDE approval, and completion within 18 months.
• Major Case PW 26-047 (603 Harbour Drive): Staff read a request to install 42 feet of new vinyl bulkhead 18 inches channelward, owner Carol Hunter. Conditions stated that all existing marine structures rebuilt or reinstalled must meet Town marine construction standards and that the new bulkhead would bring maximum channelward extension to 38 feet. Five-foot setbacks and/or letters of no objection, MDE approval, and completion within 18 months were required.
• Major Case PW 26-048 (1556 Teal Drive): Staff read a request to relocate an existing boatlift by removing two pilings, redriving them, and installing two new additional pilings, with a maximum channelward extension of 38 feet, owner Ty Williams. Conditions required pilings reinstalled under Town of Ocean City Marine Standards not exceeding 38 feet, MDE approval, and completion within 18 months.
• Major Case PW 26-049 (778 94th Street, Unit 201, Slip 18): Staff read a request to install one boatlift on existing pilings with a maximum channelward extension of 28 feet, owner Christopher Shelton. Conditions included MDE approval and completion within 18 months.
• Major Case PW 26-050 (805 Penguin Drive): Staff read a request to install a 6-foot by 44-foot perpendicular pier, owner Jacqueline DeGroft, applicant Stacey Hart & Associates. Discussion focused on setback concerns, existing pilings, and whether the Board could consider only new construction. The Board approved the project as part of the staff recommendation as advertised and posted.

Key Outcomes

• The Board approved the August 13, 2026 meeting minutes.
• The Board approved all eight docketed applications: PW 26-044, PW 26-045, PW 26-038, PW 26-046, PW 26-047, PW 26-048, PW 26-049, and PW 26-050, subject to the conditions read into the record. Standard conditions included MDE approval at the time of building permit application and completion of all marine construction within 18 months of the Board’s decision.
• The transcript records a voice vote call of “all in favor” near the end; no numerical tally was recorded.