OCEAN CITY, Md. - During the off-season, parking in Ocean City is a breeze. But in the summer, the bustling beach town becomes a hotspot for tourists, festivals, and major events, leaving parking spaces scarce.
This week, the Ocean City Council approved a new measure aimed at easing the summer parking crunch by allowing private homes and condominiums to implement tandem or stacked parking.
"It gets real busy during the summertime. You can ride around for blocks trying to find a parking space," said local resident Greg Sirb, reflecting the frustrations of many during peak season.
The new policy eliminates the need for residents and businesses to seek approval from the Board of Zoning to add tandem parking to their properties. Instead, property owners now only need to meet specific guidelines to qualify.
Tandem parking involves stacking two cars back-to-back, which blocks the front vehicle from exiting without moving the rear car. The amount of space required for tandem parking varies depending on the location. For example, a single garage with a 10-foot ceiling must be at least 11 feet wide and 20 feet long to accommodate this parking style.
While the changes aim to alleviate congestion and increase available parking, some people have expressed concerns about potential complications.
"If the condo owner knows who's going to park then I think that's okay. Otherwise, I think it would be quite a complicated situation," said Kyle Atwell.
The town hopes that by streamlining the approval process for tandem parking, more property owners will adopt the practice, ultimately leaving more street parking during the summer.