Petition submitted seeking referendum on Ocean City rental moratorium

OCEAN CITY, Md. - On Tuesday, a group of Ocean City homeowners submitted a petition they say contains enough signatures to trigger a referendum challenging the town’s decision to extend a moratorium on new short-term rental licenses.

Resident Terry Miller said the petition includes more than the 990 valid signatures required to put the issue to a public vote. “We've been actively gathering signatures for the last 40 days in the rain, snow, sleet,” Miller said.

The petition challenges the Ocean City Council’s decision to extend the current moratorium for an additional year. The moratorium restricts homeowners in residential areas and mobile home communities from purchasing new rental licenses while the town considers updated regulations for short-term rentals.

Town officials have said the pause is intended to give the council time to consider potential rule changes to short-term rentals in those areas.

Miller, however, argues the decision goes too far. “This is not leadership. This is tyranny and cronyism. We should be trying to make the town wonderful for all of our residents,” She said.

The council approved the extension of the moratorium in December. With the petition now submitted, the town’s next step is to review and verify each signature.

According to Miller, each signature was required to be signed in person by a registered voter who lives within Ocean City limits. She said she is confident the petition meets the required threshold.

According to the town of Ocean City, if the Board of Elections determines that enough signatures are valid, a referendum election would be triggered. Until the results of that election are decided, the moratorium would be suspended.

That suspension would allow homeowners in the affected areas to once again purchase rental licenses during the interim period.