printed 08/12/2022
The joint meeting of the Ocean City Council and the Ocean City Planning Commission shouldn’t be one of those occasions that’s so rare that it warrants detailed debates of its structure and purpose.
printed 08/12/2022
The joint meeting of the Ocean City Council and the Ocean City Planning Commission shouldn’t be one of those occasions that’s so rare that it warrants detailed debates of its structure and purpose.
Regular conferences or simply conversations between these two entities should occur at least quarterly to ensure that members of each body have a clearer understanding of what everyone is thinking.
As has been pointed out in the preliminary talks about this meeting, Ocean City has a pileup of serious matters that need to be resolved sooner rather than later. And the quickest way to do that is if the planning commission and the council can get closer to agreeing on how to proceed.
It’s been seen in the past when the commission steadfastly pursues a goal the council rejects almost out of hand once the commission’s recommendation crosses the council’s meeting room transom.
Obviously, the elected council is more sensitive to the political ramifications of recommendations coming from a commission whose members are appointed. Regardless, nothing is gained if the commission puts in a considerable amount of time on a project or plan that won’t fly with the council.
As it is, both these authorities have big matters to deal with right now — parking, the redevelopment of downtown, nonconforming uses and the long-term issue of pyramidal zoning.
Some members of the council would just as soon put those joint discussions off until later to avoid cluttering the agenda to the point that nothing of consequence gets done. That’s not an unreasonable stance, assuming that the council and commission continue to meet so infrequently.
But there’s no rule that says it has to be that way, and one thing council and commission members might want to consider when they do get together is how to keep each other more informed by having more joint meetings on a regular basis.
Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
Plentiful sunshine. High 58F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
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