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Local officials are discussing a ban on short-term rentals across a number of large neighborhoods in the vacation town, as a response to complaints about rowdy parties and crowded streets. Though high-schoolers have for years descended in droves during Beach Week to sunbathe, dance and drink, some say the problem is spilling over to quieter districts of single-family homes such as Mallard Island and Caine Woods.
"What we're finding is our quality of life is being impressed on so to speak. ... I want to be able to enjoy my backyard, just like they want to enjoy their hooting and hollering," said Geoffrey Robbins. The dentist and former chair of the city's Planning and Zoning Commission lives in Mallard Island, a bayside enclave known for its powerful, politically connected year-round residents.
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30 comments:
So more govt intrusion into my life and property...oh thats right 'we' can't own and real estate due to tax laws and 'eminent domain' so the govt always owns it and can tell us what we can and can not do on it and with it! I believe that once a person has paid off his mortgage and paid taxes on it for 30 yrs. or age of 72, they should be exempt from all property taxes! It is the only way one would truly 'own' a piece of property otherwise it's still belongs to the 'Tax Man'!
Another elitist--happens to be a dentist--who thinks he should control free-enterprise--
Go back to dentistry and leave people to be successful with their rentals without government intervention
OC wants your money--but only on their terms--go figure
hmmm.....the powerful and politically connected.
Want to be able to tell OTHER homeowners, NOT so "connected", what they can and cannot do.
Doesn't the city have some VERY strictly enforced noise and nuisance laws on the books right now?
Some voices are easily silenced. Others, not so much.
If you don't like the "party" atmosphere, why the heck did you move to a resort?
We rented a lovely home in OC for a week and the home owners mentally ill son broke in the home and forced us to flee. The cops could not find us because they are seasonal employees and don't know the lay of the land...and to make things even lovelier...we were not given our money back from the real estate agency because we left of our own free will. I do not step foot on that island during the summer months.
I didn't know there were any mentally ill people in OC.I thought they all chose to swim in the ocean while a hurricane was out there of their own free will.
"What we're finding is our quality of life is being impressed on so to speak. ... I want to be able to enjoy my backyard, just like they want to enjoy their hooting and hollering,"
It's this person for real. First off that neighborhood is horrible. The houses are so close you can hear your neighbor fart when they inside. On top of that OC is resort town and certainly was long before this person was born. If you want peace and quiet move to a farm outside the city.
A totally waste of a discussion for the council because if passed and challenged in court the town will ultimately lose. "Ocean City's proposal, designed to "protect the character and compatibility"--is going to go over as well as their permitting reasons for the street performers did. Who in the hell is advising them legally!
Old people trying to take over the resorts they control Bethany now.
what's good for the goose is good for the gander?
pretty sure if you own a house you can let whom ever you want stay there...
It is a resort town. Noise and drunk tourists are something they are going to have to deal with. The only other thing would be to not allow rentals in certain sections. The only way to do that is to have a HOA that puts it in the contract.....however I don't know how that will work with existing homes only new ones sold.
I love how people come on this blog and comment about how people should get over it because OC is and has been a resort town. Yada Yada Yada(apologies to Seinfeld). Yes it is a resort town but all the people who make this comment obviously don't have any idea how much the town has changed since the 70's and 80's.
I'll start with some perspective, north OC is almost as far away from the inlet as Berlin is and West OC is closer to the inlet than mid town by the RT90 bridge. Prior to the opening of the RT90 bridge the "resort" part of OC didn't really extend much past 33rd st. I remember going to OC in the mid 70's the night of my high school graduation and after 11pm it was almost deserted past 5th st on the boardwalk. A lot of the north end condos and neighborhoods were built in the 70's and 80's and the tenor of OC then was much different than today. The night clubs that were up that way were few and catered to an elderly almost retired crowd. At one time even into the late 90's OC was: young people lower boardwalk, families upper boardwalk to about 70th st, and older retired people from 70th to the Delaware line. That demographic split doesn't exist anymore and is part of what is becoming the problem in OC. The party crowd has steadily moved north and it has rightfully upset some long time residents. However those same residents haven't anyone to blame but themselves because they are the ones who continually voted in people whose only vision was how to get more money and not how to maintain the character of OC.
Nothing against Seacrets but they are one of the main contributors to the existing character and state of what OC has become. What started out as a locals only hangout has now become a major industry that creates a 2 mile backup along Coastal Hwy every summer weekend and during full and new moons.
Me I knew it was a lost cause to continue living in OC so I moved and sold my home of 25 years. A lot of people are not fortunate enough to be able to do what I did. I know I'm wasting my time with this comment but please all of you stop saying "quit complaining you knew you were living in a resort". Because you don't know what you're talking about.
"Robbins, who urged the commission to take action on the issue in May after a house near his was being rented weekly, said the goal is to protect homes that have greater value thanks to the peace and quiet of the surrounding community.
"The purpose of zoning is to protect the values of property and get the highest and best use. … The highest, best use is to maintain quality of life," said Robbins, who has lived in the Mallard Island community since 1979."
He's wrong. Rental income puts a floor on property values. Without it, in recessionary times, home prices fall so far that everyone loses. It's what is called regulatory arbitrage, when regulations effect the price on a property such that there are distortions in the market.
Economics 101.
Best to allow rentals with strict rules that will be enforced.
It's all or nothing. A government can not just arbitrarily pick and choose what "neighborhood" can rent short term and which ones can not. Yes, no sense in even discussing this. No one second thought let them discuss, recommend and council pass an ordinance. Lawyers will have a field day.
It's the old buyer's beware and putting your forward thinking skills to use. Ah let's see---resort town, tourists renting, seasonal employees renting, neighborhood with houses on top of each other, anything can happen with the neighbor's house in the future.....maybe honey, we should think about a farm somewhere out of OC.
9:03-I get what you are saying but when making a major investment such as a house you really need to put your forward thinking skills in high gear. People tend to only think of the pros and cons of the moment which is a huge mistake. That county owned park in your back yard that was a major factor in your decision to buy the house 30 years ago may end up a detention center one day or the county's new waster water treatment plant.
Sorry people I tend to agree! I've lived in ocean pines for 21 years and there are a few homes near me that are rented out weekly in summer most of the time to good families with kids. These families are always respectful and keep the noise to a minimum but every once in a while a family gets in and all hell breaks lose. They forget that some of us have to be up for work in the morning! We are not on vacation!
Hurry Fall !!!!!!!!!
9:26 This is 9:03 and I agree with what you say. That is why I mention that the residents brought a lot of this onto themselves with who they voted into office. Yes buying a home is a major investment of time and money. All the more reason to be vigilant about who you vote into office. When I use the word "you" here I'm speaking of the collective you not just the individual you. A well thought out zoning plan in OC 30 years ago would have eliminated a lot of the problems that exist now. But the many subjugated their responsibility to the few and are now paying the price.
When I bought my condo I could watch the sun rise and set from my window. 10 years later I no longer could watch it set. No one wanted to join in to keep codes enforced.
Eventually a 3 story building height becomes 4 or 5. Eventually residential zoning becomes commercial and vice versa. People go in front of the council or zoning commission and get shut down. Towns use eminent domain to take property they shouldn't be able to. The local government becomes bigger and more powerful. It takes on a life of its own. People just let it slide. I'm not just talking about OC. There are a lot of people in OC that try to stop the craziness and the greed but others keep falling for the same old BS from politicians and keep voting idiots in. It's happening in the entire country and people just sit back and let it happen. I'll admit I was a quitter and left OC. I also have the means and the ability to quit this country and move to another if it comes to it. But mostly I get tired of people saying simple minded statements about OC being a resort.
There are plenty of other resort towns in this country that manage to keep the character of the town the same for more than a decade or they take steps to take their town back.
It's our town, our state, our country. It doesn't belong to the politicians or the government unless we let it.
I agree with you again 11:03 and the politicians need not look any further than with themselves. The gentleman complaining was on the planning board. OC lost it's charm and character because of people who lack forward thinking skills and made decisions because they want to keep their old friends and make new ones they think are influential like builders and developers.
Now they are reaping exactly what they sowed.
I'm sure at the time there were those who told them this was going to happen but they certainly didn't want to hear "negativity" from those darn "obstructionists" who want to prevent us "from moving forward."
will never work , and good luck trying to enforce it
I think OC has done every little thing they can possibly do to deter OC from staying a middle class to upper middle class family vacation destination.
A few weeks ago I got to talking to a very nice couple in a DE restaurant who said they are selling their condo on the OC boardwalk they have owned since they 80's because of skateboarders on the boardwalk all night. It causes their dog to bark which is disturbing others in the building. After spending nearly every summer at the condo, for many years always with dogs, they've hardly been able to use it this summer. They were actually looking at homes in DE the day I got to talking with them.
It is a complete lack of the, all actions have consequences, governing process on the part of the elected officials.
Ocean city lost its charm, family atmosphere, and class along time ago...and its not coming back. Families wont keep coming back and oc will continue to lose.....eventually being a washed up shore town...oh wait its already that.......town is over run by folks who simply dont cate about anything else but $$$$. Oc is a dirty, classless, run down, overpriced beach town....nothing more
Anonymous said...
So more govt intrusion into my life and property...oh thats right 'we' can't own and real estate due to tax laws and 'eminent domain' so the govt always owns it and can tell us what we can and can not do on it and with it! I believe that once a person has paid off his mortgage and paid taxes on it for 30 yrs. or age of 72, they should be exempt from all property taxes! It is the only way one would truly 'own' a piece of property otherwise it's still belongs to the 'Tax Man'!
August 16, 2014 at 4:36 PM
If you had those heathens described in the article living next door to you I am sure you would welcome them with open arms now wouldn't you. I am confident you have purchased supplies in advance for the welcoming party.
Anonymous said...
A totally waste of a discussion for the council because if passed and challenged in court the town will ultimately lose. "Ocean City's proposal, designed to "protect the character and compatibility"--is going to go over as well as their permitting reasons for the street performers did. Who in the hell is advising them legally!
August 16, 2014 at 7:55 PM
So when did you become the judge and jury? How do you know the town will lose?
The best thing to do is have the Town of Ocean City come up with a Nuisance Code where after a set number of complaints like police action called to that address the property owner can be charged criminally. Problem solved.
This is a bad idea and will hurt property values. What about the person that bought a home with the idea of renting it out to offset the expenses. Ocean City has a strict noise ordinance. He can call the police if the noise becomes too loud. They actually have a meter to read the noise levels. Anyway, it will probably pass. You have a city councilman who is also the President of the Caine Woods Homeowners Association & a Mayor that sells real estate and represents large condo projects for developers as their listing agent. On a side note my wife and I bought our first home 20 years ago in Caine Woods. When we were moving in the neighbor came over and asked me if I bought the house. I said yes. He said that he hopes he doesn't have problems with me like the last guy. That was our welcome to the neighborhood.
They tried this in Atlantic City a few years ago. Landlords took it to court and won.
I am currently attempting to sell my condo in the 147th street area. When I first purchased it the area was considered a peaceful family area. The place was kept spotless.
The summer months were busy of course but things would settle down at a reasonable hour. Winter months I had the place almost to myself ..but I never had a problem until after the recession. Units now sit empty except for the summer moths when they are rented out to groups of people who can come up with a weeks rent. Now I cannot get to sleep in the summer months for the noise and the winter month now are made up of homeless looking for a place to flop. The homeless population does not seem to leave like they once did after the summer. If I leave anything on my boat or in my car..it is stolen and If not locked up someone may sleep in it. I've had enough of the area and I am hoping to sell at a reasonable price but thinks have not seemed to pick up here. I will be taking a loss on this one.
There is a difference b/w Partying and Criminal Mischief....
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