The Ocean City Council voted 4-2 on Monday to extend the town’s short-term rental moratorium for another year, moving its expiration date to Jan. 3, 2027. The decision continues a halt on issuing new rental licenses in residential neighborhoods and mobile home communities.

OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Ocean City Council voted 4-2 on Monday to extend the town’s short-term rental moratorium for another year, moving its expiration date to Jan. 3, 2027. The decision continues a halt on issuing new rental licenses in residential neighborhoods and mobile home communities.

The vote came after weeks of discussion and follows a recent work session where council members reviewed an internal survey outlining their positions on potential changes to the town’s rental regulations.

Reaction to the extension was mixed. Homeowner Terry Miller said she and others feel their concerns are being overlooked, saying “They really don't care what the voters said.” Miller, who helped lead July’s referendum effort overturning an earlier rental ordinance, said she plans to petition for another vote. “We've got a great team and I think we'll succeed again,” she said. “And I hope at some point the mayor and council will listen and start focusing on real issues.”

Mayor Rick Meehan said extending the moratorium gives the council time to continue evaluating long-term solutions. “There's an awful lot of things that we are now beginning to discuss that have been brought forward,” he said. Meehan added that preserving the stability of neighborhoods remains a priority. “This is about having areas in town that people know,” he said. “They know that they're not going to be experiencing large turnovers of population or a lot of traffic or a lot of changes in their neighborhood. That's what it's really been all about.”

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All of these ideas would only apply to short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and mobile home communities according to the council. 

Town officials are considering several regulatory options, including requiring a seven-night minimum stay, freezing or capping short-term rental licenses, limiting how many rentals a single owner or corporate entity can operate and allowing only one renter per seven-day period. All of these ideas would only apply to short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and mobile home communities according to the council. 

Meehan noted that if new rules are adopted before Jan. 3, 2027, the moratorium could be lifted earlier than currently scheduled.

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Kevin joined the CoastTV News team in November 2023 as a video journalist. He is a Rowan University graduate with a degree in radio television and film and a minor in sports communications. While at Rowan, Kevin worked at the campus television station, RTN, and was also a member of the Rowan radio station, 89.7 WGLS-FM.

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