OCEAN CITY, Md. - With nearly 9,000 short-term rentals in Ocean City, the town council is considering new regulations to address the increasing demand on residential neighborhoods. Proposed changes include a minimum stay requirement and stricter occupancy limits for rentals in R-1 single-family and MH manufactured housing districts.
One proposal would mandate a minimum rental period of five to seven days for single-family and manufactured homes, a change some residents believe could reduce weekend-only stays that bring in high traffic. Regular visitor Charles Walker expressed his support for the extended stay proposal, saying, “Well, five to seven days, I think that would be a pretty good idea. People, they just come for the weekend, have a good time, and they’re gone.” Another proposed regulation aims to cap occupancy at two people per bedroom.
However, this suggestion has sparked pushback from landlords, who argue that these changes could affect their income. One local property owner voiced concerns, saying, “Everybody comes down for three or four days. They don’t come for a week anymore because they can’t afford it. It’s gotten bad.”
With opinions split on the proposed changes, the Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission plans to discuss the regulations further before hosting a public hearing on Nov. 19.