A final public hearing and potential vote by the Planning Board on adopting an updated Master Plan is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight (Oct. 17) at the Ocean City Free Public Library.

The Master Plan does not change zoning ordinance or city regulation — it serves merely as a set of recommendations. Any proposed ordinance amendments must be approved by City Council at a later date.

Visit the city's Master Plan Re-Examination Report page to see the proposed changes and accompanying documents.

The Planning Board is in the final stages of a re-examination process, mandated by state law, that asks a community to evaluate how well its Master Plan and existing zoning regulations fit current land-use conditions. 

Ocean City’s current comprehensive master plan was adopted in 1988 and most recently re-examined and amended in 2006. 

The plan addresses everything from city gateways to building heights (first-floor and top floor). A sampling of amendments follows:

• Changes to Drive-in Business, Office and Bank Zones downtown
• Changes to the Beach and Dune Zone.
• Changes to the Gardens 75/7000 Zone
• Changes to the North End Neighborhood Zone
• Changes to zoning on the 300 block of West Avenue that's home to a former Wawa
• Changes to zoning on the 1200 block of Haven Avenue that would allow two small single-family homes on a lot that would have formerly accommodated a single duplex
• Changes to multi-family zoning on Simpson Avenue between 15th and 17th streets
• Changes related to Brown's and Oves restaurants
• Changes in Ocean City's Central Business and Hospitality Zones

See the Master Plan Re-Examination Report page for full detail.