OCEAN CITY, Md. - Businesses in Ocean City can now get signs approved faster after the Town Council passed a new ordinance that removes the council from the sign approval process. The council also read the ordinance during a work session on Sep. 29.
Before the ordinance passed, businesses had to submit an application to the Town Council, which would review the request and vote on whether to approve the sign.
Under the new rule, businesses can apply directly to the town's zoning administrator or city engineer, eliminating a step in the approval process.
For some business owners, the change could help avoid delays they have experienced in the past.
Ahmed Elbadrawy said he previously struggled to get a sign approved while trying to advertise a discount.
"we tried to get a sign out there for like a discount for people to come in. You know, like having a good deal and everything. But it was a it was a huge step because we had to go through a lot of process and a lot of people to go to get this done, actually. And it had like it took a long time," Elbadrawy said.
While the change could make it easier for businesses to advertise, some people on the Ocean City Boardwalk expressed concerns about how a faster approval process could affect the town's appearance.
"I'm kind of mixed on the idea of it being streamlined versus a council, because with council you get to kind of, determine the esthetics of the city more so," one person said.
The ordinance took effect immediately, allowing Ocean City businesses to begin submitting sign applications directly to the zoning administrator or city engineer without first seeking Town Council approval.
