OCEAN CITY — Councilman Terry Crowley Jr. wants the public to know the move to ban construction and other trailers overnight is really about providing more parking spaces.
Ocean City Council voted 7-0 last week on first reading of an ordinance that requires all trailers — construction, commercial or storage — to be off of the streets by 6 p.m. daily. Ordinance 24-19 also prohibits dumpsters larger than 10 cubic yards from being on the streets overnight and, with an amendment, require those dumpsters to be parked in front of the property where work is taking place.
The council and the city administration have long considered what to do with the proliferation of trailers that contractors and other business owners leave on the streets rather than take them with them when work concludes for the day. They believe some are left for the convenience of the owners and others to act as portable billboards for their businesses.
The trailers take up critical parking spaces, especially during the busy summer months when the population soars from around 11,000 to more than 100,000. Many of the trailers are left on city streets for weeks on end.
There is no change for boats and boat trailers less than 22 feet long. They may be parked overnight on city streets provided they are not there for three consecutive evenings. No vehicle over 22 feet or commercial vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds is allowed to be parked on city streets.
People convicted of violating the ordinance would be subject to fines of as much as $500 and imprisonment for as long as 90 days. City Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson explained penalties increase in severity on a cumulative basis and are meant as a deterrent for repeat offenders.
Councilman Keith Hartzell asked for the amendment to assure the dumpsters are parked in front of the work site. McCrosson said it is usually convenient for contractors to have the dumpsters at their sites, but the language could be added to the ordinance.
“Why I’m pushing for that language in the ordinance making it in front of the house is because they’ll jam up more spots,” Hartzell said, noting there are a few “bad actors” among the mostly responsible contractors.
He also asked about port-o-potties on the sidewalks.
Mayor Jay Gillian said the administration addressed that because it’s a quality-of-life issue. Noting the ordinance has been in discussion for years, Gillian added, “We painstakingly think of how this affects everyone.”
Crowley said the ordinance showed how the council was working well with the administration to get the trailers off the streets. He said he didn’t want articles about the ordinance to focus on trailers being banned, but rather a different emphasis.
“We’re increasing parking across the island at no cost to the taxpayers,” he said. “That’s a win for the residents.”
The vote to approve the ordinance was unanimous. It will be back for a second reading and a public hearing at the 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, council meeting.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
