OCEAN CITY, Md. - With 8,930 total licensed rental properties in Ocean City, including 230 in R1 zoning districts (Single-Family Residential Districts), the council is weighing options to address the impact of these rentals on neighborhoods.
One proposed regulation would require a minimum stay of at least seven days for short-term rentals in single-family homes and manufactured housing. The council believes that this measure could help reduce noise disturbances and improve neighborhood safety by limiting the turnover of guests.
Another potential rule under consideration is changing the occupancy restrictions for short-term rentals. At present, the only restriction limits no more than four unrelated persons from occupying a dwelling overnight, a rule that has proven difficult to enforce.
The council are looking to limit overnight occupancy in residential rentals to two people per bedroom, plus two additional guests. For example, a three-bedroom rental can accommodate a maximum of eight people overnight, with children under 10 not counted in the total.Â
Local resident Angela Johnson supports the council's efforts, particularly regarding noise control. "Downtown with all the bars and stuff, they get rowdy at night," Johnson said.
To ensure compliance with these potential regulations, the council is also considering requiring short-term rental properties to display a sticker on the door indicating the maximum occupancy. Additionally, the council discussed the possibility of hiring a local business to manage all short-term rentals in the area.
The Ocean City Council has sent these proposed regulations to the Ocean City Planning Commission for review.