OCEAN CITY — Resort officials are seeking to put some teeth in the ordinance regarding sleeping in cars after receiving recent complaints.
Councilman Wayne Hartman said during Monday’s meeting the town has received increased complaints about individuals sleeping in cars in violation of a city ordinance and urged City Solicitor Guy Ayres and City Manager Doug Miller to look into increasing the penalties for the illegal activity. Hartman said the complaints were related to some of the groups the resort has attracted recently.
“There is a correlation between some of the groups that we have that are sometimes disrespectful and a little unruly and sleeping in cars,” he said. “We addressed this through local ordinance and changed the fine from $25 to $100, so I would like to ask our city attorney and city manager if they can look at this further and see if we can take it from a municipal infraction to a misdemeanor and see if that would have any impact on making a stiffer fine or penalty.”
There is a section in the municipal code specifically related to sleeping in cars entitled “use of vehicles for sleeping quarters.”
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24 comments:
Yes we must stop these evildoers from not spending way too much for a crap room in oc.
DITTO 1238PM. If you're like me you could be taking a nap in the car while waiting for my wife!
With the benches at the transit centers already occupied by homeless, why is it worse to sleep in a car?
The town doesn't have the police force to enforce such violations in addition to all the other scummy people coming into town to wreak havoc.
Jeez. These people have a lot of time on their hands. if you are going to give a misdemeanor to people sleeping in their cars what do you give to the homeless people sleeping under the Boardwalk and in the parks.
Being poor or non-white tax.
Talk about nothing better to do. What if they were tired from driving and wanted to rest instead of killing someone on the road in an accident? I guess the hotels and grungy roach inns aren't making enough money on tourists! My god what a threat to society someone sleeping in a vehicle better get the SWAT team in if the vehicle has tinted windows or maybe there might be two people in the car OH MY! Talk about a joke of a town!
I believe this is a violation of civil rights?
On another note, how is it that anyone can sleep "under the board walk"? It is sitting literally on the ground. Am I missing something?
"Anonymous said...
The town doesn't have the police force to enforce such violations in addition to all the other scummy people coming into town to wreak havoc.
August 5, 2016 at 12:54 PM"
We were just recently talking to someone who has one of the nicest places on the Boardwalk. It is one of the originals redone over. They told us they were disgusted. They said they spent millions redoing their place and OC isn't holding their end of the bargain. In other words they want people to restore and keep up their properties but when it comes to keeping OC up as a whole the officials have failed miserably.
Before the sea wall was built in the 1980s you could crawl under the boards north of 8th st. If people said they were staying at The Underwood Hotel it was code for sleeping under the planks
I guess they should just drive drunk will that make u happy.?
I am sure if this was taken to court by the ACLU, this law would be struck down as discriminatory to the poor. Many people are forced to live in their cars, and as long as they are not parking illegally, what does it hurt?
If the town won't enforce vagrancy laws and stop all the bums from literally living on the benches and bus shelters, they should not be permitted to fine people from sleeping in a car. At least these people are feeding the parking meters.
3:13
NO! It's called being responsible. If you are driving DON'T DRINK!
If they allowed people to sleep in cars think of all the people trying to clean themselves and changing in the public restrooms. Do you really want the town to have to pay to take care of these people that will spend little to no money in the town? These people are just freeloaders. They expect everything to be given to them. They will be the same ones that won't tip a waitress no matter how good the service was. Ticket them and sent them heading West.
3:06
Thank you for the clarification about the "boards".
Stupid. What's not illegal in ocean city? You can't smoke on the boardwalk or the beach, you can't walk your dog on the boardwalk, ride a bike or skateboard. Hell, you can't even carry a pocket knife. The most over regulated place... so if you have too much to drink, rather than drive, you can't sleep it off in your car? What about after working 20 hours? You can't take a nap prior to going home? Lawsuit waiting to happen.
Any lawsuit would have to get a venue outside of the county to have any chance of success.
Sleeping in cars is on the rise, lately due to certain protesting "Groups" arriving.
-These people come from Baltimore City and other areas without plans to stay in a hotel, motel as respectable people do.
-They come here to wreak havock and get a "free" stay in OC. Enough is enough for the freeloaders and scum.
-If you drink- don't drive.
-If you are simply waiting for someone during normal business (non-bar) and hours of 8AM-10PM- you likely can tell the officer that.
-Car sleepers from 11PM- 7AM: TROUBLE.
In the 70's and 80's sleeping in a vehicle was an offense you could be arrested for. Was originally created because of the hippie generation and the sleeping in vans. Most of the police officers just made the violators move on
How is it okay for RV owners to sleep overnight in the Walmart parking lot?
12:54
Walmart is not in the town of Ocean City. They can do what they want with property they pay for.
Walmart likes those campers, they spend money in Walmart while there.
I've seen people sleeping under the boardwalk, on benches and chairs at motels in the early morning hours. Young people especially do this to save money on the cost of a motel. Some even work there, but cannot afford the cost of a room.
What? No penalty to sleep in a bus shelter or bench?
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