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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – November 3, 2026

Mayor and City Council & Boards — Tuesday, November 3, 2026

BodyOcean City, Maryland

SessionMayor and City Council & Boards

DateTuesday, November 3, 2026

StatusNEW · FILED

Video Record

0:00 / 5:41

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Call to order the November 3rd meeting of the planning and zoning commission.

0:07

We cannot approve the minutes because we don't have a quorum of who was here at the last meeting.

0:13

So we move on to approval of the finding of fact.

0:26

For the conditional use for the escape, escape room at 13113 Coastal Highway.

0:35

Conditional use in the LC1 local commercial districts to permit an interior tenant fit out with an amusement use that the mayor and city council may approve in keeping with the uses specifically permitted in the LC1 district.

Speaker 2

0:55

I wasn't even here.

0:56

So I guess the question always comes to do we have can we get rid of this as a conditional use?

Speaker 1

1:02

We don't have a quorum for the approval

Speaker 3

1:04

for our findings

Speaker 1

1:06

because they weren't here.

Unassigned speaker

1:10

Um

Speaker 2

1:12

is that how we've done it in the past?

1:13

I mean, is it uh do we have to have a quorum of people who were here or just people attending?

Speaker 4

1:19

We generally don't

Unassigned speaker

1:20

have to care.

Speaker 2

1:22

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

1:22

Do you be able to go on the watch?

Speaker 1

1:40

We will need to wait on the finding of fact until the next meeting.

Speaker 2

1:44

Does that hold up their permits or their ability to it does?

1:49

See this this is one of those things that shouldn't be a conditional use at all, right?

Speaker 4

1:53

George

Speaker 2

1:53

is

Speaker 4

1:53

working on that.

Speaker 2

1:54

Interesting.

1:56

Interesting enough.

1:57

We tried our best.

1:58

Right.

1:59

Okay.

2:00

But it requires the mayor of city council to do

Speaker 3

2:03

that.

2:04

Um your next meeting will actually be presenting a draft amendment to.

Speaker 1

2:14

So that said, um, we don't have anything else.

Unassigned speaker

2:20

All

Speaker 2

2:21

right.

2:21

Staff comments.

Speaker 1

2:22

Any comments?

2:23

Any staff comments?

Speaker 3

2:25

Um, the next meeting, November 17th, Dumser's Dairy Land on the boardwalk that's 14 south of the Atlantic.

2:32

Um their site plan redevelopment will be on the agenda for you guys, um, as well as the draft um amendment for escape rooms in L C one and SC1.

2:43

So, and of course, minutes and findings.

Speaker 4

2:49

Is that who we're missing?

Speaker 3

2:51

He I believe he'll be back from Florida then, but we'll confirm.

Speaker 4

2:54

Yeah, confirm, because otherwise we we'll have an issue.

Speaker 2

3:00

And then this has to go to the mayor and council after we do it.

3:04

Okay.

Speaker 1

3:07

So that said, don't have a motion to

Speaker 2

3:10

well, we have the election of all of secretary.

Speaker 1

3:12

Oh, that's right.

3:13

Yes, we

Unassigned speaker

3:14

do.

Speaker 1

3:15

Election of um secretary.

Unassigned speaker

3:19

Do

Speaker 1

3:19

I have second

Unassigned speaker

3:22

that

Speaker 5

3:24

I'll put that on on the audio, please?

3:26

Sorry.

Speaker 6

3:30

I move to nominate Gordon as secretary of the planning commission.

Speaker 2

3:35

I'll second that.

3:36

Will you take this honorable role, Mr.

3:38

Mr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

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Zoning And Land Use████████████████████████████38%

Summary of Proceedings

Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – November 3, 2026

The Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission met on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at City Hall. Because enough commissioners who had attended the previous meeting were not present, the commission could not approve the October 20, 2026 minutes or the ScapeX/Escapomania findings of fact. The commission did elect a new secretary and received staff updates for the next meeting.

Approval of Minutes

The commission could not approve the October 20, 2026 minutes because there was no quorum of members who had been present at that meeting.

ScapeX, LLC/Escapomania Findings of Fact

Approval of the findings of fact for the escape room conditional use at 13113 Coastal Highway (PZ File #26-12100002) was postponed to the next meeting because the necessary quorum of commissioners from the prior meeting was not present.
The postponement delays the applicant's permits. In discussion, a commissioner said this type of use should not be a conditional use at all; staff were noted to be working on a draft amendment, but removing the requirement would require Mayor and City Council action.
After the commission acts on the findings, the recommendation must go to the Mayor and City Council.

Election of Officers

Gordon Kretser was nominated by Commissioner Pam and seconded by Commissioner Palmer to serve as secretary; he accepted and was elected by the commission.

Staff Comments

Staff announced that the next meeting is November 17, 2026. It will include the Dumser's Dairy Land site plan redevelopment on the Boardwalk, a draft amendment for escape rooms in the LC-1 and SC-1 districts, and the postponed minutes and findings.
Staff said they would confirm whether the missing commissioner would be back from Florida by the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

Approval of the October 20, 2026 minutes and the ScapeX/Escapomania findings of fact were deferred due to lack of quorum.
Gordon Kretser was elected secretary of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The meeting adjourned after the commission completed the election and staff comments.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
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