OCEAN CITY, Md. - With nearly 9,000 short-term rentals in Ocean City, town officials are considering new regulations to address their impact on residential neighborhoods.
The Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission has outlined proposed changes that will be presented to the Town Council.
Key proposed changes include:
Rental Duration in R-1 Districts: Properties in the R-1 single-family residential district may only be rented for a minimum of 31 consecutive days. This measure is intended to reduce turnover and preserve the residential character of these areas.
Occupancy Limits: For properties in R-1 and MH (mobile home) districts, overnight occupancy would be limited to two persons per bedroom, plus two additional occupants. Children aged 10 years and younger would be excluded from the count. These limits would apply between midnight and 7 a.m.
On-Call Property Managers: Property owners must designate a responsible person to address issues at the property. This individual would be authorized to arrange repairs, address code violations, and respond to other concerns. Additionally, they must be located within 60 minutes of the property.
Local resident John Felts expressed doubts about the feasibility of enforcing these rules.
“It sounds good on paper, and they can try if they want,” Felts said.
Felts also voiced particular opposition to the 31-day minimum rental requirement for R-1 zones, saying people vacationing during the summer time usually only stay for one week.
“I personally think it’s already so ingrained and it will not work,” he said.
Another Ocean City resident highlighted the economic challenges of renting properties for a full month.
From the perspective of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the restrictions are intended to discourage short-term rental activity in residential areas.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will review these proposals during a meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. If approved, the changes will advance to the Town Council for a first reading.