OCEAN CITY, Md. - Parking may be easy to come by now in Ocean City, but come summertime, the story changes dramatically. With its iconic beach, major festivals and high-profile events, parking becomes a premium commodity, leaving many drivers scrambling for spots.
“Parking is at a minimum,” said local Linda Delong, describing the struggle during peak season.
The Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday recommended that the Ocean City Town Council approve tandem parking for residential uses, excluding hotels and motels.
Tandem parking, a system in which two or more cars share a single parking space with one parked behind the other, often requires one car to move for the other to exit.
Commission members believe this arrangement could help alleviate parking issues in residential areas by increasing the number of available spaces and reducing the number of cars parked on streets.
Delong sees the pros and cons to the plan, “I think that if it were a private home, that would be acceptable because you’d know who you’re parking next to,” Delong said. “However, if it were a public area such as a condominium, that may not work out very well.”
The recommendation sparked a discussion among council members, who expressed a need for clearer definitions and specific regulations regarding the length and dimensions of tandem parking spaces.
In a 6-1 vote, the council gave preliminary approval to the proposed amendment, advancing it to a first reading scheduled for Dec. 16. The amendment will move forward only after the requested definitions and guidelines for tandem parking are finalized and documented.