We're going to call to order the meeting of Thursday, November December 4th, 2025. Start with the pledge of allegiance. Set a prayer. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for
one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> We usually do a moment of silence, but I think tonight we need a little more than a moment of silence. So, I'm going to pray. Father in heaven, I thank you for each
one that here tonight. I ask you to watch over us all. Allow everyone to listen, speak clearly, lovingly, respectfully, Lord, and that all that we say and do tonight honors you in Christ's name.
>> Amen. >> Amen. >> Hey, Mr. Madden here. >> Mr. Barnes, >> here. >> Mr. Pini >> here, >> Mr. Hartzell >> here. >> Mr. Lovechuk >> here. >> Mr. Mr. Winslow >> here. >> Mr. Crowley >> here. >> Adequate notice of this meeting has been given pursuant to public law 1975
chapter 231. At this point, we'll turn it over to the mayor administration for reports. Yeah, just a couple few updates on projects. The Borwok reconstruction continues to make a tremendous progress. Uh the projects always weather dependent. Uh but if they keep up this pace, it'll be done long before the uh
late March. Work crews are fishing finishing prep work and should be ready soon to pave the area of additional parking next to the Ocean City Community Center. The new ADA ramp, which everybody came up tonight, uh is near completion. They were just putting a water pit in and that should be done.
Tonight at 9:00 to midnight, the county will be testing existing pavement on the Roosevelt Boulevard near 34th Street. This will involve slowmoving vehicles on the roadway, so please be cautious in that area. Lanes in both directions will remain open. equipment will be escorted
by police vehicles. Uh this marks the start of the county's elevation of Roosevelt Boulevard construction will begin as soon as next week. The project from 34th Street Bridge to Bay Avenue will be complete before Memorial Day. Traffic will remain
open in both directions through most of the project and crews will work at night whenever they can. Work from Bay Avenue to West Avenue and nearby streets will begin in the fall. and our work on the neighborhood drainage project is now complete with a little paving paving on Little Roosevelt Boulevard. I want to
thank everybody that came out to our Christmas in downtown or Miracle and Ashbury Avenue uh celebration last Friday. It was great to see so many from our community enjoying this annual tradition and I want to really thank our entire city team for putting that together. Tomorrow night we have our
Christmas parade at 6:00, rain or shine. And hopefully this will be our third time to try to do a drone show. So hopefully that will be to tomorrow night. So that's all I have. Terry. >> All right. Thank you, Jay. Uh we'll go to reports from council. Uh Dave.
>> Yes. Um I'd like to introduce at this time Joselyn Palaganis. She is the spokesperson for the boardwalk subcommittee. The subcommittee, if you're not aware, was formed uh by Terry Crowley to address the uh the boardwalk from 6th Street down to 14th Street. Uh
the committee has been working uh for a number of weeks now. So Joselyn is going to give us an update on where exactly where the committee stands. >> Just start talking. >> There we go. >> Josh, just start talking. They'll they'll get you in the back. They'll
hear you. >> Yeah. Good evening, M Mary. Good evening, Mayor Gillian, administration, city council members and residents. My name is Joselyn Paliganis, and I'm the spokesperson for the boardwalk subcommittee as established by council president Crowley. I would like to
provide an update on the work of the committee. The committee has been meeting on a regular basis and we're working diligently to fulfill our mission which we established as such. The boardwalk subcommittee is dedicated to evaluating and modernizing the zoning policies that
govern the city's iconic boardwalk district. Our mission is to ensure that future development supports Ocean City's long-standing identity as America's greatest family resort, preserving its unique mix of family entertainment,
retail, dining, and amusement while encouraging responsible investment, property improvement, and year-round economic vitality. The committee will pursue a transparent, data-driven, and collaborative review process that prioritizes what is best
for Ocean City's residents, visitors, and business community both today and for future generations. We've also established a number of goals which include evaluate existing zoning regulations, preserve Ocean City's family oriented
character, encourage property improvements and economic sustainability, analyze the future of the former Wonderland Pier property, engage the community and stakeholders, deliver actionable recommendations to the city council.
We clearly understand the urgency to complete our work and provide recommendations to city council to advance a development of boardwalk properties. Yet, we are committed to completing a thorough and robust review and analysis knowing our recommendations will help shape the future of the
boardwalk and Ocean City brand. To accomplish the mission and goals, we've established a four-phase work plan. Phase one fact gathering and baseline assessment. This is where we are now. We are collecting objective
data about the boardwalk's condition, ratio of owner versus tenant occupied stores, percentage and location of various types of businesses and economics without analysis or interpretation. We will aggregate the data and hold a public meeting to show what we're
seeing. Phase two, issue spotting and cost analysis. Move from describing trends to understanding causes. We will be holding a public meeting to show what might be causing this.
Phase three, solution development and testing, develop and evaluate potential solutions, test remedies, estimate impacts, and provide a preliminary solutions report. We will hold a public workshop testing the ideas estimated around mid-March.
Phase four, the final phase, integrate solutions into a single comprehensive boardwalk enhancement plan for public review and submission to city council in the spring of 2026. We are truly excited for this opportunity to address concerns about the future of the boardwalk and develop
data-driven solutions, community input that will benefit stakeholders and chart the course for the future of Ocean City. Thank you. >> Thanks, John. Thank you. >> Jody. Jody. >> Hey. Anyone council report? >> I'm good for now.
>> Okay. Keith, >> even if I had one, I would elect not to do so. >> We get food right off the >> All right. Sean, >> nothing. >> Tony, >> nothing at this time. >> No reports. >> I have nothing. With that, we will move into citizen
comment. Um, I have the sheet here, so everyone that signed up, we'll we'll get to you. The citizen comment will be three minutes. Um, it looks like we filled in pretty good. Just they're working on bringing over some more chairs. And if there's any spots in the middle, if you guys could slide in so some of the people in the back could
sit, that would be great. But with that said, um, um, first up is FE Russell. Dear members of Ocean City Council, I have a personal interest. Dear Ocean City Council, I am FE
Russell, 807 East 7th Street. I have a personal interest in objecting to a huge hotel which is not compliant with any zoning and which will quite literally cast a long shadow over my neighborhood. But of even greater concern is the long
shadow it will cast over the future of Ocean City. The issue of no hotels on the boardwalk is second only to the ban on alcohol sales in shaping the future of our community. Isn't that why families come here to invest in second
homes? Because we are not like Ocean City, Maryland. We all agree that 600 Boardwalk cannot remain vacant. But rushing to remove the issue from the public discussion which was started and sending it off to a
small group of unelected officials that is our planning board is not the way to do it. Once the planning board takes over, all of us lose control of the process. What is even more troublesome is that some of you voting for this end
run around zoning may have conflicts of interest connected to your personal financial gain. Litigation will undoubtedly ensue. As a taxpayer, I have no desire to see the city spend thousands of dollars defending the indefensible position that is a clear
violation of the local government ethics law. I am asking you not to disenfranchise the full-time residents and voters of this town who overwhelmingly favor an open and public collaboration effort like the one you
previously approved, public committee of representatives from all sides of this issue. Why do we have to rush? Because a developer who bought a property to build something that zoning has never permitted wants a quick response.
Threatening us that if he doesn't get everything he wants tonight, he will walk away is the move of someone trying to bully our town into doing something that the majority of us who live here believe we will live to regret. What is the rush? Nothing has changed to warrant
this reversal from what was previously agreed upon and we are all entitled to share in the process of resolving the issues surrounding 600 boardwalk not just an appointed few who are not accountable to us. There are just too many conflicts swirling around this
course of action Mr. Ma wants to take to circumvent zoning in such an extreme manner. Thank you. >> Thanks Abby. Jack Jack Goodun. Sorry, Jack. >> Good evening. My name is Jack Gooden
Kun. I'm 8097 Street and I am the chairman for the Plaza Place Civic Association. So, let us focus on a couple things. During the press conference yesterday, December 3rd, we were told the business community of Ocean City is the silent
majority, which is a pretty bold statement considering their numbers are nowhere close to the number of residents in this city. But they're trying to convince us that they know what's best for us, the residents,
and that they should have more influence than we do. you know, how do you how do you get there? From the beginning of this proposal, it's always been about the hotel.
And we've been hearing all about the hotel for so long. So during the press conference, it was stressed that this vote will not be about the hotel. But then moments later, Mr. himself said
that if he gets a no, he's going to give up on the hotel. So, how's that not a vote for the hotel? It doesn't make sense. He just torped the whole argument. So, saying no to the resolution doesn't
mean the property is going to be useless for the next 5 to 10 years, which was also a comment during that press conference. It's just made to push you into a hasty decision. We recognize that something needs to be
done there. There's no question about it. And the zoning changes will eventually happen. But in our meetings, our association meetings with Mr. Ma, Mayor Gillian, and the city council members, the Plaza
Place community have clearly conveyed we do not want anything high-rise on the boardwalk. So, please vote no for the hotel proposal because it really is about the hotel and refuse to bend to the pressure
being asserted by the few that believe they're entitled to more influence than your constituents. Thank you. here. Tony Tony Tony Dorado. Good evening, council members.
Why are we once again faced with this resolution to designate the Wonderland property for rehabilitation? The issue has already been resolved twice with a clear and responsible plan established, which we heard about tonight. I thought that was excellent.
Reintroducing a seven-story hotel on land not zoned for such use has created unnecessary division in our community of Ocean City, the great city of Ocean City. While opinions differ, the number of Ocean City residents opposed to this
designation far outweighs the recently amplified voices of a small group of Boardwalk and Asbury Avenue business owners, many of whom are not residents and not voters. They have a clear financial interest in changing the zoning. And once changed,
it opens the door to additional hotels, condos along the business section of the boardwalk, benefiting property owners on the boardwalk, but not the community at large. Much of the recent debate has been
fueled by social media. much of it posted by people who do not vote in Ocean City, do not live in Ocean City, and maybe if they come at all, once a year, if that this property belongs to the discussion of the Ocean City residents, not the
outside influences. I urge council to focus on the voices of your constituents, not on not from the online pressure. At the core of this issue is the hotel concept. A hotel bringing in two to 300 guests per night will do little to help Ocean City or its
merchants. What will benefit Ocean City is a venue that attracts thousands of which the old amusement park did. Something that's entertainmentbased, family focused, and consistent with our values of Ocean City. I am not
advocating the return of a muse park at all specifically but for a use that draws excuse me that draws visitors supports businesses and strengthens our identity as America's greatest family resort.
A hotel will not attract local families or regional visitors to the hotel to the boardwalk. People that are staying here on the bay, in the gardens, or just about anywhere else is not going to come to visit a hotel. They're not come on the boardwalk to see a hotel. They're going to come to
see pizza shops, clothing businesses, etc. So, a hotel will not attract local families or regional visitors. But entertainment, whether it's amusement, arts, shops, dancing, or children's activities, absolutely will. Please remember that most full-time residents
on the island do our shopping on the island and actively encourage our friends and relatives to do the same. Thank you, Tony. That's three minutes. Yes, sir. Thank you very much for listening. Nancy Faly. Nancy Faly. Oh, sorry.
Hello there. I am not a public lover of public speaking. So, I'll try to get through this. Uh I am uh four years into living in this town and it's a longtime dream and I don't want it to change that
much. Anyway, um as one of as a town council member, you have been given a special and large responsibility to set up the core framework and future of our unique and wonderful city.
And it's an important job and an important vote. I want to thank you, Councilman Crowley, for creating the boardwalk subcommittee to look at the entire on boardwalk zone together. That shows thoughtful and careful leadership and it speaks volumes
about how you want decisions about the 600 boardwalk to be made as part of a bigger plan for the entire boardwalk. I also want to thank Councilman Winslow for being the chair of that group. It shows trust in him and a slower, more
careful process that includes the Ocean City public. For that reason, a revote is concerning. It feels like stepping away from the careful plan that you just recently set in motion and the subcommittee and the
master plan. I believe you should stand by that progress and let the subcommittee finish their work. As I'm sure you know from experience, every worthwhile goal takes time, patience, and continued effort to reach success.
Something this important should not be rushed. It deserves the time and effort. Thank you. >> Thank you, Nancy. Um Dave Hayes, just everyone just for the record, get your name and address and then we'll proceed with your three minutes. Thank you. Dave Hayes, Ocean
City. My wife Marie and I are full-time Ocean City residents. 20 years ago, we led a community fight to stop the redevelopment highrise at the although the highrise was supported by the business community, residents overwhelmingly rejected it. No highrises
have been built o in Ocean City since because developers know we don't want them and we'll stop them. Now 20 years later residents and tourists are just as opposed to meet high-rise hotel. A recent Rutgers Eagleton Post showed nearly 80% oppose a high-rise hotel at
600 boardwalk. We're hearing the same scare tactics from 20 years ago being used by Mr. Ma and the Ocean Ocean City businesses. Tourists won't come here anymore. to businesses are all drying up and closing. Wasn't true then and it's not true now. The real reason businesses
are supporting meas highrise is the same as it was 20 years ago. Greed. The business community is being driven by the possibility of selling few more t-shirts, saltwater taffy or pizzas at the cost of destroying Ocean City's identity. Through redevelopment, the
doors open to a liquor license for meas. Mr. claims he couldn't get a liquor license because local ordinances take precedence over state laws. Not true. Attorney Sal Pillo of the law firm now representing meter wrote, "New Jersey law allows a hotel with a 100 or more
rooms to have a liquor license. It's up to the mayor and city council whether to issue one. Judging from the past few months, we don't have any confidence in the mayor and city council holding the line against liquor in Ocean City. Ma's high-rise
hotel at eight stories meets the definition of a high-rise under New Jersey law. And with redevelopment, the high-rise could be as high as as Mita wants, even 25 stories. Flander was Flanders was built over 100 years ago. There are no height restrictions and
portal is on is not on the on boardwalk zone. So, Metas Highrise would be the first high-rise hotel in the on boardwalk zone, setting up a dangerous precedent. Like 20 years ago, out of state investors are already lining up to build more Boardwalk highrises once
Metas is approved. We would not even be here tonight except for the influence pedalling of a Pennsylvania developer demanding approval of his high-rise right now. His urgency is not our problem. What is urgent is the mission of the
subcommittee and determining the future of the entire boardwalk through the master plan. Ocean City has an identity and a brand that thrived for 146 years. We stopped the high-rise 20 years ago and will do it again. It's not going to be built.
Council, please table resolution six, stop entertaining revote requests of Mr. Ma and continue with a subcommittee deliberation to master plan review. Thank you. >> George Bower. George Mr. Power
>> George Bower, 5133 Central Avenue, Ocean City. Good evening. My name is George Bower. Oh, just told you that. I want to thank council members Barnes, Winslow, Hartzell, and Crowley for bringing their business acumen to bear and not succumb to threats.
We have heard repeatedly, give property rehab status or the investment walks away. Mr. Ma has 100% of the power. It will be vacant forever. Only he can save our merchants. These are fear tactics. I was a CEO for years. During any
negotiation, sides attempt to create leverage, sometimes using fear. That's what we're seeing here. Most councilmen recognize negotiating tactics. They are seasoned business people who have continued pushing for the right answer. driven by integrity and business acumen,
not fear. They also understand something important. The city already has tremendous power and they refuse to give it up. The council exercised that power by adopting a comprehensive process to assess the entire boardwalk with a master plan and a subcommittee
specifically driven by two of its members, Mr. Winslow and Mr. Barnes. It showed thoughtfulness with long-term and short-term thinking, and it's already yielding results. I've heard that Mr. Ma is now open to negotiation, a more viable option. Kudos to him. That's a
huge step forward. But council cannot let their power slip away by wavering and changing tactics. Now, the city needs to continue demonstrating its mutually beneficial independence by staying the course. It's the best method and leads to the best solution for our
merchants and the wholesome spirit of our community. Equally important, we have all have one legitimate concern, and it's legitimate because it's a fact. No matter what path we take, it will be several years before the North End has a new long-term venue in place. The North
End is going to suffer, which is already a priority for the subcommittee. The subcommittee understands the need to achieve the North End as soon as possible. Time is critical for a successful temporary solution.
Let's learn from Disney and Universal Studios. Perhaps entertainment over amusements. Definitely a proven draw. We need to be ready for this summer. There's not a councilman who does not understand the plight of our merchants. I suggest
council members pushing for rehab take their energy and place it on the fast reactivation of the north end of the boardwalk. Don't let fear drive zoning policy. instead make decisions based on what's right for Ocean City and our merchants in the long run. In closing,
to share a personal thought, the Titanic was built to make money and benefit a few. The Ark was motivated by faith to benefit many. Bob Halahan Good evening. Bob Han, 125 West Atlantic
Boulevard. Campbell Seafood, Gardens Market, Green Grill, Tories, Perry Egan, Chevrolet, Gleason's, three Catholic churches that were thriving, now down to one. Change happens. I mean, ju change happens.
That's the bottom line. Uh, news meter is a fine man and I'm really tired of hearing him bashed. I know the mayor's a fine man too who's having some problems and you don't kick a man when he's down. I hear a lot of people talking about,
"Oh, I miss the old days. They had the nice small homes. Now people are building mansions." Let me ask you this. If someone came to you and said, "Your home's worth 200,000, but the land's worth a million." What would you take? You You take what the land's worth, and you go and someone builds a mansion. I
mean, that's just called capitalism. >> I I I was at the event Friday night, and that's the ocean city that I love, and I wish we could go back to a respectful civil discourse. Thank you. Uh, William Matters. William Matters. Oh, sorry. Didn't see
you. Hello. I am William Matters of 916 Wesley Avenue. I've been a resident of Ocean City about 22 years. I've seen a lot of changes, a lot of transitions. I've seen things happen in other short
towns. I'm not proposing to have your answer. What I am saying is this. There does need to be reszoning in that area because that looks awful down there. People aren't coming in. I've heard from friends that own businesses. They're off at least 20 to 25%.
And what I am saying is I don't want to see this become a ghost town with no business. And I don't want to see it become a crimefilled metropolis either. I do not have the answer, but I am saying from my heart to the members of
council and mayor, please consider the next 20 years. Thank you. Uh Joe Manucci Manaci Uh, good evening. My name is Joe Maniachi, 3915 Central Avenue. Um, I'm strongly in favor of this redevelopment.
Um, Ocean City does have a great image. Um, that doesn't mean it it can't improve. Um, the Wonderland property is one of the most iconic and important anchor properties in Ocean City. uh the Boardwalk and Wonderland Pier have in
part defined Ocean City for generations. Therefore, when someone is willing to invest $150 or $200 million into this town, I just don't see how we can say no. Um we understand that there are many that have objections um with their
stated goal being to maintain Ocean City as a familyfriendly town. I agree with that. Um, but I don't think the rehabilitation of this property should in any way conflict with that goal. Um, I don't know Eustace Ma personally. Um, but I do know that he has built
beautiful properties in Avalon and other neighboring shore towns and those towns welcomed his investments. You can work with those who have objections perhaps to satisfy some of the parking issues, some of the height restrictions. He's willing to do that as
I understand it and we can still make this exciting project happen to improve Ocean City. Um it's been made clear that Wonderland property will no longer be an amusement park. So let's not set the bar low and settle for more fast food
outlets um or t-shirt shops. Um, this is an opportunity for Ocean City to welcome a new and an exciting project. Whether it be Eusta's meetas project or something similar such as a hotel with perhaps more upscale stores on the boardwalk. The Ocean City business
community understands strongly understands this and strongly supports the project. Um, we don't want to devolve in towards the Wildwood kind of situation. Let's improve Ocean City. Um, too many people think of some of the other shore towns as nicer or more
upscale. Um, Ocean City does not have to take a backseat to any of them. Those towns will never have our boardwalk nor our beaches. We can still be America's greatest family resort and embrace a beautiful project that will light up the boardwalk and excite even more visitors.
There um there are people willing to make this investment. Let's embrace them. Please don't throw this opportunity away and let us look in an empty lot for the next three or four years. Please take the necessary action and vote in favor of putting this development into motion.
It's what Ocean City needs in order to continue to improve and to continue to thrive. [Applause] Marie Marie Crawford.
Marie, where are you? >> There you are. Good evening. I'm Marie Crawford, Ocean City resident, second ward. Thank you to Councilman Winslow, Hartzell, Barnes, and Crowley for principled leadership and consistency through this process. As
you can imagine, this issue has been a roller coaster for Ocean City residents, but your vote for an open and thoughtful process is working, and we are grateful. Your six to1 decision in August was clearly the right one because you recognize what we have here, a boardwalk
zoning issue, not a one parcel problem. And we c we cannot do comprehensive planning on the boardwalk with the most significant parcel already decided. The master plan approach is the right approach. Fact-driven, holistic, and comprehensive. It addresses the entire
boardwalk, not just one property owner's wishes. Council member Lovechuk said it best back in August when he supported your decision, stating it was completely inequitable, unfair for the city to give a zoning preference to one person. Being equitable and fair isn't a value that
you turn your back on. It must be a constant. Your plan included something bold. A citizen-led committee to drive this process forward and the effect of your decision has been real. After a tumultuous summer, the town quieted. Meetings became calm. Your constituents
returned to normal life. Our subcommittee rolled up their sleeves and went to work. And even Mr. Mida signaled a willingness to compromise. But here we are back again. And if we change course now, the chaos, the ranker, the division we saw over the
summer will be with us for years to come. We already saw that over Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, if we change course now, not only will we be at odds with each other, but we will be on the wrong path. Here's what's critical. In reality, no facts have changed since August
to warrant a revote. Your constituents were be who were behind the massive public turnout you saw at the peak of the summer still feel exactly the same way. This is the same issue and we need the same comprehensive process to continue the path you set in motion with the subcommittee is working as intended.
Think about the report we just received this evening from the committee. The committee subcommittee has a clear set of goals, process, define deliverables, specific results needed to measure progress and complete their work in a timely manner. They are gathering facts and moving forward steadily. All of this
and the leadership exhibited are important. They represent real progress and an openness to broad success for the entire boardwalk and our town. I urge you to stay the course. We cannot do a comprehensive planning on the boardwalk with the most significant parcel already
decided and your decision to examine the master plan is already succeeding. Please do not let a few months of patient methodical work be thrown away for political expediency. Our community, this town we love so dearly, deserves better than that.
Thank you, S. Susan. Susan Cracker. >> No, I'll get to you. She She just go in order. >> Thank you. >> I don't know. I don't know. >> I don't know. Go ahead, Susan. Go ahead.
>> Good evening. Susan Kravanner, 156 Asbury Avenue. I want to thank council members Barnes, Winslow, Hartzell, and Crowley for cutting through the misinformation that's been flooding this debate. The boardwalk and downtown merchants have been spreading numerous
false claims in support of this revote. Let me address them one by one. First, falsehood. The city has more power under rehab. This is false. The city has enormous power regardless of the path chosen. The question is not one of power
but one of whether the path chosen is the right application of that power. The master plan is for all reasons that have been cited. And also ask yourself this, the developer desperately wants this rehab
path. Would a developer advocate for a path that gives the city more power and him less? Of course not. He fears the master plan because it gains he gains power in the dark and loses power in the light. And the master plan is the lit
path. It's transparent. It's open and it's factdriven. Second falsehood. Rehab creates options. That's false. It advocates one option, a high-rise hotel. This was made abundantly clear at Wednesday's press
conference led by Mr. It puts momentum behind one specific project, one with fierce local opposition, and it kills the collaborative, fact-driven, and public process currently underway. Importantly, the process of designating the property
in need of rehab gathers no information about potential future uses and doesn't evaluate the alternatives. It just determines whether the area can be named in need of rehabilitation. The third falsehood, rehab is faster.
Actually, it's slower by a meaningful, excuse me, by a meaningful amount. We're dealing with a master plan re-examination with specific input from the subcommittee. The last re-examination took about a year. This isn't a brand new plan. It's fine-tuning
one that's basically working. This can be done by the by this time next year if the city moves with reasonable urgency. At that point, we'd have a durable plan and zoning for the entire boardwalk. In fact, rehab takes much longer because of the litigation that will certainly
ensue. This is an improper use of rehabilitation. The property doesn't meet statutory requirements and financial conflicts abound. Remember the sole redevelopment, citizen protests, litigation, and an empty lot to this day. Under a master plan, we hire
construction workers. Under rehab, we hire lawyers. Fourth for fourth falsehood. The master plan is autom automatically means no hotel. This just isn't true. The master plan could allow many things including a hotel if it's
determined to be in the best interest of the entire boardwalk and the community. Thank you, Susan. [Music] [Applause] Bill Merrick. Good evening. My name is Bill Merritt, 1240 Simpson Avenue. Um, thank you to
Councilman Barnes, Crowley, Artsel, and Winslow for their understanding of the right path for defining the future of the Ocean City Boardwalk. The supporters of the rehabilitation designation claim that it will highlight the role of the planning board. But looking at both the New Jersey redevelopment statute itself
and our own recent history on rehab with C-Spray shows that claim simply does not hold up. The planning board's role in rehabilitation is defined by statute. its first task. They assess only the property's current condition, nothing
more, to decide whether they would recommend that it be declared in an area an area need of redevelopment. They have a mere 45 days to do so. As a result, they do not examine economic data, alternate uses, or any proposed uses.
They simply document and assess what exists today. The second role is to assess whether the redevelopment plan negotiated privately between the city and the developer is consistent with the master plan. Again, they don't analyze alternate uses. They don't analyze
zoning or economic conditions. Their role is narrowly prescribed by statute. So this notion that the planning board will have a central extended and deliberative role in rehab process is simply false. The CIA process proves it.
The board performed exactly the functions described above. No more, no less. They did their statutory job within these tight constraints and the public first saw what would replace the spree spray and how zoning would be changed to accommodate it a mere two
days before the vote. So what so why no outrage on sea spray? First, it was a condo for condo exchange and there were the zoning changes were modest. Second, and crucially, the developer and city council had begun productive exchanges before the formal
process began. The developer compromised. They found an answer consistent with our community's character. So, rehab was a means to a known and acceptable end. Wonderland is completely different. This would be a sea change, a massive change to our
boardwalk, our zoning, and radically and possibly destructive impact to one of our most prized historic neighborhoods. And there's zero consensus. Instead, there's a raging deute dispute, which is why the developer is so adamant about
rehab to exploit these compressed time frames and limited fact gathering to push through a polarizing project. That is fundamentally wrong. He needs to follow the rules and the process established by this council is the right path and his project or some variant of
it could very well be approved in that process but only afterward there is comprehensive fact gathering meaningful public input and true subst substantive planning board engagement that comes from the master plan not rehab stay the course
[Applause] >> Jim Good evening. My name is Jim Kelly. We live at 137 Wesley Avenue. I want to thank council members Barnes, Winslow, Hartzell, and Crowley for thinking strategically about our entire boardwalk and using the right tools and shunning
the wrong ones. Rehabilitation was never intended for situations like this. It's designed to address genuinely distressed, economically impaired properties, places where private investment won't come without public help. That's just not the case on our
boardwalk. It is a robust and strong boardwalk. Nor is it the case for Wonderland. The developer has said he has $25 million offers, an attractive bank appraisal, and high demand. There was no lack of private investment. This
is someone wanting to build something that is not currently allowed. Now, maybe that should be allowed. That's a fair question. But should it be answered just for him and no one else down the boardwalk? No. It should be answered for all through the master plan. The master
plan approach offers a fair and equitable way to address the entire boardwalk for the benefit of all owners. It also is a powerful process having been used in multiple communities to rei revitalize them or just to make them stronger. And where does that power come
from? It comes from in-depth analysis, varied inputs, testing ideas. A great master plan can shape and reshape a town. It can incentivize investments we want and deincentivize those we don't.
For example, consider entertainment venues versus the more varied boardwalk venues like shops and restaurants. Entertainment can have tighter profit margins that can't compete on acquisition price. The result is that entertainment venues can dwindle because
zoning has not been tiered. But tiering is common and the result is a more robust mix of entertainment, shops, restaurants, and some residential. In short, tiered zoning crafted in a master plan discussion allows venues with
different profit profiles to succeed. You lose that in the rehab approach. The city deal will deal with one parcel, one person, one project. No holistic thinking, no strategic investment incentives, no community character
protection. The master plan lets us think comprehensively about what we want our boardwalk to be. We do want certain areas preserved for family entertainment. Do we want height restrictions in some zones but not others? Do we want to encourage specific
types of development in specific locations? These are the questions a master plan lets us answer thoughtfully and strategically. Rehab gives away all that power to address one property owner's immediate desires. The master plan builds a better
boardwalk. Rehab builds one hotel. >> Thanks, Jim. Thank you, Nelson Dice. Think about 10 minutes. Just >> Greetings, council. Greetings, To my fellow
Ocean City lovers, I am Dice Kama Nelson, Central Avenue. Shortterm, I've thought about a couple things that could help the situation, which I'd like
to suggest. One is high occupancy vehicle free parking at Sixth Street this summer in order to have more foot traffic for the 6 and 700 block. They don't want to walk a couple blocks down this end, then
they can pay elsewhere. Otherwise, they could uh enjoy high occupancy. You would get three or more people walking down the boardwalk. Number two, I find it hard to believe that there's not a amusement park operator on wheels that
would love to come in here for 90 days a year to keep the amusement aspect valid. So, and then on the long term, after the last vote that happened, I
happened to be enjoying the ocean during a parachute parasailing and I tried to comprehend the size and the scale of what was proposed. I have no yes or no. I could really don't have a dog in the fight, but I would suggest
two things. One, to post four actual size pipes at the corners of the proposed property and that would allow us to
understand the size and the scale relative to other properties. And secondly, I think we should get four drones and have them at the exact height so that we would understand what exactly
we're looking at. I believe a short ter a uh a um nonbinding resolution that allows taxpayers and property owners that aren't year round voters to have a say to get a little
feedback. I'm not sure how many here are not year round residents, but I think considering their properties are involved that that would be fair. I thank you for your time. >> Thanks, Nelson. >> Jeff Jeff Miller.
>> Good evening, Mayor, City Council, friends, and neighbors. Um Jeff Miller, 8793rd Street. Um I was very happy to hear the subcommittee report provided this evening. Sounded like it uh had a good plan and good progress. I'd like to say that I'm sad that we've reached this
point in our city that this odd set of circumstances has led us to be so divided. Um, most of us did not ask for this and I believe that most of us would like a resolution that is for the benefit of the entire city, its residents, businesses, and of course for tourism.
Uh, a resolution that'll bring the city together. Um, with that being said, city council's elected to make choices that are the best interest of the city at large, and tonight we have one of those decisions. Uh, the boardwalk is the crown jewel of the city. It's a primary
attraction for more than a million tourists a year. Um, not coincidentally, the city's current boardwalk zoning is designed to attract visitors to the city and to the boardwalk. Uh, the zoning is in place to protect the businesses, provide them with foot traffic and
sales. In my opinion, changing zoning and allowing for a hotel that caters to a few will not attract tourism to the boardwalk. Offering a single boardwalk property owner the opportunity opportunity to designated in need of rehabilitation, allowing that property
owner to seek a change in zoning, which will substantially increase the value of that property, benefits one land owner to the detriment of the rest. Um, and voting yes tonight will encourage other boardwalk property owners to request the same. Why? Because of the money.
Changing the zoning increases the value of their properties. Um, and what will happen when Ocean City does not grant those boardwalk owners the same deal as MEA? Probably lawsuits. Um, I've heard of other similar projects that have been held up for 5 and 10 years and still
haven't broken ground. Uh, they mentioned Sole here and Mida in Wildwood Crest. Um, it's the city council's responsibility tonight to make a decision that is in the best interest of Ocean City in its entirety that benefits
the city at large. A decision that protects the city as America's greatest family resort, protects the boardwalk from becoming a redevelopment zone of hotels and condos, and to make decisions that protects the city from future lawsuits. Long and
short of it, I believe that the right decision tonight is a no vote. Um so that the in the end we might have a plan through the planning um that is developed through an open and transparent process benefits all parties
involved, not just a select few and a resolution that unites the town behind a plan that we can all agree upon. I believe that this resolution for re rehabilitation is a bad decision for Ocean City and bad for the boardwalk. I thank you for listening and please vote
now. Thank you Judy. >> Good evening, city council members and mayor. I'm Judy Shaw and I'm a taxpaying resident of Ocean City, live in the gardens beach block and have been for
many years. I have spoken before you many times. This makes number five concerning your vote against Mr. Ma's big hotel zoning changes, parking problems, too big a hotel.
It will bring uh busing people to other beaches, a possible liquor license to a dry city, just to name a few of logistic problems this hotel will create. The middle school, the high school, and the
civic center will all be close to his hotel, thus creating a dangerous problem for our children that attend these schools. We have many hotels and motel that have been refurbished like the
Flanders, the Forum, the Alanas, Watsons, just to name a few that are very nice where people can stay. We don't need more lodging. What people come to Ocean City for only two things,
entertainment, which includes the boardwalk, and our beaches. We are already overcrowded in this town with now being a town of condo cities. Mr. Ma has blocked the view of my beach with
his big val condo and devalued my property with over a half a million dollars and many other things done to me personally which I have shared with you people before. The master plan is the only right way to
go. Hundreds of us taxpaying residents poured into city hall in August in protest of Mr. Mida's hotel being built. No zoning changes. We didn't want any zoning changes, no
redevelopment proposals, no planning board decisions. The vote was 6 to one. understand why are we not settled once and for all on this and settle it once and for all.
I understand that the master plan is coming along very nicely. This hotel will not generate enough revenue in the winter to support it after the novelty of it wears off.
The building is way too big for that piece of land. No beach and very little parking. You The reason the merchants are not doing well in the northern end is because of Wonderland being not there.
That's a drawer. Castaway Cove is already too crowded. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Susan. Susan, Susan, thank you. Let's try to all
follow the rules so that everyone can have an equal turn to to say their peace. I think that's fair to everyone. Susan Steinbeck. Susan Pinkerton Steinbach, 846 East 4th Street, Ocean City. Um, I was concerned to see this as a part of the consent
agenda. Um, I thought it was already voted on. I know it was asked to be brought back. I thought it should be voted on separately, not as a part of all this other stuff. Um, Mr. Hartzel said it probably will be
voted on separately. I'm not even sure if it should be voted on since it was already 6 to1. But, um, I think the committee direction has been good. It was good to hear the report on that. And I think that a luxury hotel really is
too big for that area. And what we need is more activities, more fun things to draw people to the boardwalk so that families can do things in Ocean City. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> B Pinkerton. B Pinkerton. [Music]
Beatress Pinkerton 8464 Street Ocean City. I've been fighting here for I'm 93 years old. I've been here fighting for Ocean City for a long time. there. >> And what I want is a family resort. And
if if you have gone to the um you know the activities that we had, the uh before the bird and the lighting of the tree and saw all the kids, the families,
it was wonderful. The Santa Claus, the line was huge. And it's just a wonderful place and that's all I'm fighting for. America's greatest family resort. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Deborah Berdell.
Deborah. >> Deborah. >> Good evening, Council. Good evening, council. Uh, my name is Deborah Berdell. Six in Ocean. I've spoken before you before um thanking you uh Mr. Crowley for starting uh the subgroup. I'm very
thankful you gave a report tonight. I didn't expect that. I wrote something that many people have already said. I'm in favor of you continuing the route of datadriven finding solutions. I'm I'm from a really great area of Ocean City, but everyone probably says
that. Um, my neighbors, if there's a noraster, we help each other out. Today, people get trash cans because somebody's babysitting their grandkids. Um, somebody's working late. That's that's where I live. We help each other out. And there's so much divisiveness. We all
agree something has to be done. I'm asking that you keep the data driven, working together, finding compliance. Thank you. Have a good night. Joe Joe Lumpin Joe Lumpin. Oh, there. That's okay.
My name is Joseph Lumpkin. I live at 24th and Bay. Uh I think people have to realize that um we keep on kicking the can down the road regarding this. Originally, I was fiercely opposed to a
252 room hotel. Uh I mean, of course, that's ridiculous. Uh the thing is though, we are at a crossroads. Uh people have to realize the medium price of a house in Ocean
City is a million dollars this year. The town is changing and we're trying to make it to change for the better and retain the fabric of Ocean City. Now, uh MITA is willing to work with the
city. I think we've we've crunched the data. We've we've done everything we can. He owns a property. Wonderland's gone forever. Okay. Uh he originally he was going to put the ferris wheel up on an 8ft pedestal to make it a beacon from
the park parkway. Now that shot he may donate it to uh to the high school or to the city. Now you know guess what? Wildwood's uh refurbishing their uh ferris wheel at a cost of over 1.5 mil. Now, you know, this is this has really
been been really analyzed and analyzed. We have to do something. Uh I really believe that if he's willing to work with the city, that is the best thing. And I know he will work with the city. Uh the people in line to uh to also purchase this property. I mean, not for
nothing. Uh they have a reputation of building nothing but condos. Uh I mean, we have to be be real about this. Uh again, I was fiercely opposed in the beginning. Uh I've done some homework. Also, I think it's timesensitive
regarding the tax incentives for the uh city. Uh anyhow, um I I think it's it's an idea worth pursuing and worth pursuing now because uh we can't kick the can down the road anymore. Thank
you. Hank Hank Kendzer. Hank Kendzer. Good evening. I'm Hank Glazer, 852 Boardwalk. Uh, you know, nobody really wants this hotel.
Nobody wants the re uh sad. Nobody does. What they all want, what everybody wants is Wonderland Pier. That's what we want. We want to have an amusement pier. It would be the best thing for the city. Unfortunately, we
can't have it. I have um spent my life around boardwalks here and in Atlantic City. And my memories of Atlantic City are so often of beautiful places,
opportunities, great attractions suddenly going. And nobody was interested in picking up the pieces or doing anything else. Here in this city, somebody is coming forth
and offering us something quite wonderful, frankly, and a huge amount of investment. And what I really consider is what to consider is the respect for the man and to give up some of our
dreams. These these uh fantasies we have he has that something else is going to come out of the sky and rescue us. No, this is business. This man's willing to do it. And if we talk about going give
this off and to another year almost of planning board and everything else and then we're only going to wind up taking it back to the planning board after that. We get a new thing and we start the whole thing over again. That's the
reality of it. So I'm I'm asking you please send it to the planning board. It's really the almost the same thing as the uh the uh large program that's being talked about here as a way to get out of this. We have to be considerate of him.
We have to give recognize the cost of of delaying and giving uh giving the man respect. So please Mike the vote is for sending it. Thank you. Linda Carnu.
>> Linda. >> Linda. >> Linda. >> Good evening. My name is Linda Carnuchio. I live at 218 East Atlantic Boulevard in Ocean City. I've had home here in Ocean City since 1970. I have been a full-time
resident since 1980. I owned Cousins Restaurant at First in Asbury and also developed Cousins Country House off the island. I've raised four children off the island and three children on the island and going to the schools here. I
have a very vested interest in living here and I love my town. Things change. The object is what is the best thing for Ocean City? I really believe I also wanted to say my husband was on
city council for eight years and was the president of city council and did a fabulous job. Mr. Hartley, thank you so much. Anyway, I just want to say this.
Sometimes when we have large groups of people here, it becomes about votes. You vote no, you get a vote. You vote yes, you might not get voted back in, but guess what? You will do what's best for this city. That's why you were
elected to this board, to do what's right for the city. What is the best thing for this city? I believe that having a a beautiful hotel like the Coronado, which Mr. Mate is willing to spend $150 million to build,
I don't know anybody who's willing to come in here and put that kind of money. You can go to Stone Harbor, Sele. You can go to Avalon, and you go to Gate M and Kate May. And guess what? They do not have amusement parks. They do not
have amusements. We have an amusement park. We have parks for our children. We have a beautiful music pier that we can perform anything you want to perform here. Okay? We have our own uh part. We
have our own airport. We we have a fabulous town. Let's add to it and let's use a little common sense. Move this on to the planning board and make the people on the planning board who don't get votes
and vote according to that. Okay? Let them make some decisions because guess what? It's going to come back to you anyway. All right? Think about that common sense. Thank you. [Applause] Jim Car Jim Carino.
>> Jim Carino got that. >> Yeah. >> Jim Carino, 841 Fourth Street. First, I'd like to say that I'm disappointed that we're revisiting this issue, which was thoroughly debated in
August with no new facts of any substance to warrant doing so. Frankly, it causes me to question whether whether tonight's decision will actually be a final decision. Those in favor of the rehab designation
feel that it is inevitable that zoning for the Wonderland uh site will need to change. that time is of the essence and that the sooner the options are negotiated with Mr. Ma, the sooner something will be finished, visitors will come and revenues will flow. They
oppose waiting for the work of the subcommittee whose charge is to take a holistic view of the needs of the entire boardwalk and propose long-term modifications to the master plan.
They note that the rehab designation is not a vote for the Icona Hotel, but rather the first step towards handing the matter over to the planning board whom they feel have the necessary expertise to make the best recommendation for that site.
I believe it's important to note, however, that Mr. Ita has been clear that his only plan is the hotel and that short of that his plan is to sell presumably it seems to other residential developers.
Frankly, given this reality, I wonder if the planning board is really in the best position to make the best decision for that site given the narrow scope of their charge. Those opposed to the rehab designation have taken the position that
it's better to assess the long-term needs of the boardwalk. They feel that making a decision on just the Wonderland site in a vacuum could very well be a bad decision for the totality of the stakeholders.
I would like to suggest that the ne next step could address both. If for some reason council concludes that a rehab designation is necessary that it's so time critical,
then I suggest that the resolution be modified to specifically state that no change can occur to zoning or to any final use until such time as the
work of the subcommittee has been concluded and presented to the council. At the same time, on parallel tracks, the subcommittee, as we heard today, is doing a phenomenal job in a very methodical and fact-based way to ensure
that whatever their final recommendation is has been fully vetted and is in everyone's long-term interest. September 26th, give the final >> Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Jo Joseph Bentadello.
I'm sorry with some of these names. It's tough handwriting. >> 781 East Ocean. >> Oh, >> are you Is that you? >> Yeah. East. >> Oh, East 77th. Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. Go. I'm having a hard time seeing with the lights.
>> 781. 781 E7th. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you, >> Aaron Orxlin. >> 1054 Asbury. >> 1054 Asbury.
Is that you? >> I'm a little short. Oh, you can still hear. So, I'm actually Danielle Guerrero and this is Erin. Um, we are both business owners on Asbury Avenue and we came up here today. I currently live at 2 West 10th Street. So, I'm in the ward.
Um, I am a business owner on Asbury. I was the past president of the downtown. currently executive member of the chamber and I'm also a member of the tourism commission. As business owners in this ward, we support this going to the planning board. My family has been
in business for 35 years. My family has been in business for 35 years in Ocean City and Aaron 8 years and also up on the boardwalk and the downtown. We would love to see something new that could bring more people into our town. Also, as a member of the Ocean
City Tourism Commission, I wish to express our support for advocating the sixth street application of the planning board to ensure that we are fully open, transparent, and public review process. We believe this application should
receive the same level of procedural clarity and due diligence a forward to the recent approval of the 34th Street project. Thank you very much. Tony Panchelli. >> Good evening. Thank you, council. I'm a fairly new resident. I'm full-time
resident now for the last two years. I've had a house here for four years. And uh some people talk about change. Um I go to Wawa every morning for coffee on 34 Streets. I've never met any of you there, but um I just I just I talk to
people every day and you know a lot of people here I'm 64. A lot of people here are older people. The younger generation and I mean older I mean myself older and older. My kids are in their 30s and they they're all for the hotel. I I mean isn't the future what's coming? And the
change you need change. I I would have loved to I have a new grandson. I would have loved to have been able to bring him up to Wonder Pier. I've been coming here since I was 14 years old myself and Wonder Pier was a staple. It's something he came for, but it's not going to happen. And nobody's going to spend the money to re refurbish a pier. It's too expensive. It
doesn't make money anymore. It's just not going to happen. like other people said. And I I really believe the younger generation, if if there were more, there's like those two young ladies that were just here, people in their 20s, their 30s and all, if you asked a lot of them, I think if you took a poll, they'd all probably tell you they'd love to see a beautiful new hotel. You go to Avalon,
like somebody else said, you go to Avalon, you go to Stone Harbor, you go to these cities, they don't have amusements, but they have beautiful hotels and it brings people in. You know, the last couple years, the boardwalk, uh, I hate to say it, but the element's gotten a little different than it used to be years ago. Okay.
I I I know the police chief and they've done a great job. They've done a great job in enforcing the new rules with the, you know, curfews and things like that, but if you put a highass hotel here in Ocean City, you're going to bring a better element into the into the city also. Okay?
And that that's really important. Everybody who says they love Ocean City, it's a family city. The other cities think they're family cities, too, and they don't have that problem, right? So, I I love Ocean City. Like I said, I've been coming here since I was 14. But I think we need change. We need a new beautiful hotel. And if that guy's
willing to spend that kind of money, Jesus, grab him. Don't let him get away. [Applause] >> Mr. Staer. I am uh John Ster, 1838 Wesley Avenue. I've been up here before. Uh hope
I had hope year and a half, two years ago when I heard about this hotel. Mr. Mutum has spent a year almost going to different boards and organizations presenting his plan. And the reason this summer
that uh there wasn't a big turnout of people from the boardwalk or people in favor of it was simply because we thought it was a no-brainer. Recently, I've asked people, do you agree with it or disagree with it? I'd say eight out
of 10 think it is a no-brainer. But hope. I had hope that I could keep the Sixth Street store open that's been there for 85 years. The second longest boardwalk business except for
Shrivers Hank store. And honestly, the only reason we did it is because of the possibility of a big beautiful hotel that would be iconic. People in California would know about
it. people would come to stay there and people would walk the boardwalk. They would stay two, three nights. If if you have a condo, you're going to cook in the condo. You're you're going maybe to go to the boardwalk two or three
times a year. If you're here for a week or a couple nights, you're going to go to the boardwalk three or four nights during the week and buy different things. So, the hotel would bring more
foot traffic to the boardwalk. Also, I would not want to close the Sixth Street store. Uh, I've been there since 1974, 50
years, and we will do it if this doesn't pass tonight. Unfortunately, and I I think that uh it's sad that people think that it's not
family oriented, but Ocean City is a wonderful town. Um, and I really care for it. Thank you. Robert Robert Betts Bents. Gentlemen, how are you? Robert Benz, 14
Atlantic Avenue. I own a few uh retail stores on Asbury Avenue. And the gentleman from Penn State just stole my thunder. What you have what you guys have to look at is not what's going on in the next 3 or 4 years, but what's going to happen 20 years from now. What
a younger generation wants. If this room was filled with 25 to 40 year olds, you'd have 95% of them cheering for this hotel. Everyone, everyone that that is the future of Ocean City. I'm 65
years old. I'm young in this crowd. There's a lot of older people in this crowd. Okay. I I'm sorry, but I'm old, too. And it's not about me, and it's not about them. And it's not about shadows on the street or how many cars are going to be parking. It's about what these 25 year
olds are going to want to do when they have a young family. They want to come back to Ocean City, but they don't want to stay in a motel or an older property. They want to stay in something new. I've been an executive in Atlantic City for 40 years. I've been the vice president of marketing of three different hotels.
I have watched what happens when you do nothing and you wait and you sit and the database and the clientele just disappears. They said, "Oh, you didn't need the Bata, but the Borgata was built. It filled. You didn't need the ocean. The ocean was built. It filled.
You need to progress. You need a new hotel. You need to help these merchants on the two blocks going up to the going up to nice without without this hotel. That next generation is not coming here. And I
don't blame them. They want to come here cuz their parents brought them here. Their grandparents brought them here. But they're not coming here if that's all they have to look forward to and they don't have an option. Options are good. You're talking about 270 rooms. It's not a lot, but you're talking about a great option for those who could
afford it, those who are younger, and those who want to do it. Okay? And if you haven't heard the applause tonight for those that are in favor of this hotel as opposed to those that are not in favor, I don't have to say anymore. You've heard it.
[Applause] Tracy Rooney. Good evening. My name is Tracy Rooney. I own Dell's Grill at 934 Boardwalk. I've worked on this boardwalk for 34 years. I love this boardwalk as well as the city.
And I want the best for the city, its residents, and the businesses in this town. However, I feel what is best for the city and for the boardwalk to continue to be successful is that we need to be progressive. Currently, we are at a standstill. The Icona project is a move forward for Ocean City. So, I
urge you to please vote yes to move this project forward to the planning board. Thank you for your time. Chris Kesmark. [Music] >> Hello, my name is Chris Casmark from 1154 Boardwalk, one of the owners of
Surf Mall. Uh, before I start, I hear some people coming up just thanking the council members they agree with. I want to thank all you guys because whether we agree or disagree, one thing we all agree on, we all love Ocean City, okay? So, we just disagree how to get there. Um, I'm here today to
ask council members to support moving forward, not backwards, on 600 boardwalk. Uh, I feel personally there's tremendous amount of downside if we vote no tonight. Um, Mr. Mia has stated pretty clearly that he cannot wait any longer and I don't think it's a threat
to me. It's just reality. Um, so what does this mean for Ocean City in the coming years? Uh, it's hard to find a good comp for Wonderland if it sits vacant for years to come. The only comp that came to my mind is the Trump Plaza. I know that last gentleman brought up uh
Atlantic City. That property closed in 2014 and it is still sitting vacant today. And I'm sure people in Atlantic City thought that another developer would come around and make it in our casino or hotel. And I don't think they're as lucky as that as
we are that we have someone willing to risk millions of dollars and not leave Wonderland bordered off for years to come. Um if we lose Mr. Mina tonight, we run the risk of leaving Wonderland limbo for years to come. And that is a mistake
I hope council does not make. Mr. Mina has already waited a year just to start the process. Let's vote to send this to planning board and move the ball forward, not backwards. Thank you for your time. Merl Merl Vanelov Merl Vangeloval
I'm sorry. Hi Merl Vanuelov. I am owner um and operator Shrivever seller Taffy and Fudge. Thank you for tonight. Thanks for hearing us all. Um I'm just going to be short. I would implore you to please
move the ball forward and let's not keep this an empty space. Let's see something great happen to this city. This is an amazing place to be. Let's keep it that way. Thank you. Mike Stanquis. >> Stanley.
>> Hi guys. My name is Mike Stnowitz. I live at 625 Asbury. Um I hear all night long about the hotel hotel and I'm a thousand% for it. But that's not what this is about. This is a vote to send it to the planning board to see if
redevelopment can be done to that dilapidated property at Sixth Street. On top of that, I'm sure a lot of people that are against it are ones were against the building of that beautiful high school 21 years ago.
[Applause] That high school and that stadium are seen nationally every August when we put on one of the greatest football program that any c any city can put in this country.
But it's up to you guys to push it forward. And I keep hearing the same four guys being mentioned. Obviously, they're the ones that are most likely against it, which is upsetting to me considering my councilman is one of those. and he oversees the business
district. And as far as the word, rumors, oh, that the Boardwalk Association and the uh Asbury uh Avenue Association are the silent uh majority, they should be because without them,
we're nothing. All we have is a beach and all we have are buildings that are going to be boarded up, okay? And we're just going to be a sea alisle and avalon. And like many people said, they can go there. Why come here? They can go
drink there. I don't want to see this city turn into something that it should not be. It should be a city that just, you know, words I can't put in because it's
upsetting to know that we're sitting here that a year from now will be doing the same thing to whoever Mr. Ma sells it to because they want to put condos on there and it's still going to have to be redeveloped.
So, I beg you to vote yes tonight. [Applause] Gloria Baker. Hi, Gloria Baker. I live at 8 uh 625 Asbury Avenue. Sorry, I'm nervous. Thank you, Mayor and Council, for letting me
speak tonight. So, I am a resident of Ocean City and an owner of two businesses and shops at the Asbury. And with all due respect, council and mayor, you were elected to be the stewards of the city and are expected to pursue all the opportunities presented, not stop
them and make them dead in the water before they even have a chance to be explored. You have a duty to listen to the voices of the residents and businesses in your wards. Now, we may not be the loudest group or have signs on our properties. We are but
we are here every day running our businesses to make a living and to add to the Ocean City experience that tourists expect. It's not just about the boardwalk and the beaches. They like to come and shop. They like the whole entire experience. And I find it
offensive the gentleman who said that the merchants just want to have the hotel so we could sell an extra t-shirt or an extra piece of pizza. Like shame on you for saying that like do you own a business here? Have
you ever owned a business? We are risking our livelihoods to be here in Ocean City and to start a business. So, I think we have more stake in the game. I ask you to listen to the people that
contribute to Ocean City to making it America's greatest family resort, and we unanimously support a yes vote. And in the end, I'll end with this. When history looks back at 2025 and your term on council, because history will look
back at it, how do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered as the council who allowed Ocean City to decline, allowed a prime board rock property to be an eyesore for years to come, and let an incredible opportunity slip through through your hands by
voting no to just explore options? or do you want to be remembered? As the group that wasn't afraid to explore options for prime property, was pro business, saw a vision for Ocean City, created jobs, increased the tax revenue,
and added to the Ocean City experience for years to come. What do you choose? I ask you to vote yes. There's an owner of White Lotus who is at six in Asbury and she is not able to be here tonight and she asked me to
speak for her as well. She asked me to ask you to please vote yes and save the businesses and save Ocean City for the future. Thank you, [Applause] [Applause] Bill.
Bill Westerman, Bill Westerman, 710 Brits Boulevard, George's Candies, George's Beach, George's ice cream, Georgia's Surfside Grill, and owner of the property at 700 to 710 Boardwalk. The decision city council, the boardwalk
committee council that President Crowley has put together and Eustus me to make tonight and in the next year directly affects me and my family. Not an expert on many things, but I've worked at 700 Boardwalk for over 30 years. I've watched the heydays of Wonderland slowly
diminish, then sadly end entirely in 2024. The fallout has been dramatic and swift. Four businesses are out and it sounds like another one's going in a few hours potentially. Um, and I know five or six others in that block
that they have one year left on their lease and they've told me that they're probably not coming back if there's nothing positive happening down there. The good news is we have a man willing to put 150 to $170 million into the
property. a grand hotel, the ferris wheel, merrygoround, perhaps other rides. Hotels are the lifeblood of the boardwalk. We need volume of people to succeed. Overall, a mixeduse entertainment complex that will bring families to that under the boardwalk. We
are in the business of making people happy. We don't have time to waste on this. Please at least send it to the planning board. A simple but important step. Your yes vote will go a long way to save the remaining businesses on that end of the boardwalk
and hope hopefully garner some positive press for Ocean City. A no vote will decimate businesses north of 8th Street, signing a 1 to 5year death warrant to all businesses in that end. Swallow your pride and vote yes.
All of the town one day will applaud you. Thank you for your time. Sam Curry. Sam Curry. >> Hi, I'm Sam Curry. I live at uh 615 North Street. And I wasn't planning on talking tonight, but uh here I am, so I have nothing prepared. Uh, I am a
lifelong resident of Ocean City and I also own a business on Asbury Avenue as well. I did good at Ocean City High School and someone mentioned that my age group, 35 years old, is the next generation of Ocean City. Uh, so I'm speaking on behalf of everyone my age. Uh, council knows how I feel. Y'all read
my letter. Uh, so I am just saying uh, please, I beg you, vote yes tonight. Uh, send it to the planning board. Then you guys can figure out what to do with the property and the whole hotel details. But please, I beg you, send it to the planning board. Thank you. Craig >> Craig Patoule.
>> Craig Patoule. >> I'm sorry if I'm messing it up. >> No, it's >> Oh, I don't know. >> I'm standing up with He's going to speak, but I'm going to stand Craig and Amarie P3834 Stanton Place. Um, Mr.
Mayor and members of the council, I just ask that you vote yes to move this forward because I see it everyone's spoken very eloquently about it. I think it moves us at least keeping this going forward into the future of Ocean City, not the past of Ocean City. That's to be
celebrated. It's now time to move on. Thank you. >> So, I just want to add one thing. We're fourth generation coming here and I really want my children to be the fifth generation. They are part of the 20s, 30s and 40s and I for them to
continue. We need to go forward. We can't go back. Thank you. Thank you. Bernardet Becta. Bernardet. Good evening. My name is Bernardet Bea and I live at 53 Spruce Road and I'm a
full-time resident of Ocean City. Good evening, council and mayor. Thank you for revisiting the issue of reszoning 600 boardwalk to the planning committee which you formed since the last meeting in August. Thank you, Jod. This decision
shows conscientious leadership and a willingness to admit that more information, knowledge, and expertise are needed to finalize this issue. I appreciate Mr. meet his willingness to
give Ocean City a second chance because sometimes second chances are sorely needed. But most importantly, I ask you to understand the importance of being a visionary like Mr. Mida is right now.
Visionaries look to the future and see what may be. I love that end of the boardwalk and I often bike up there in the shoulder seasons to watch the surfing club ride the waves as the ocean glistens in the
sun. I imagine a beautiful boutique hotel with shops, a nice restaurant, a venue that would lend itself to programs, events, weddings, and combine it with the civic center to host antique
and art shows in the off season, design a speaker forum on various topics, and allow visitors to enjoy the same view of surfers. That always makes me smile. We need visionaries in Ocean City. Fear
of the unknown stifles growth. Holding on to old traditions can sometimes be an excuse for biased thinking. Creative minds change things and change is necessary. I was reflecting today on Michael Dell's decision to sell
computers directly to the public in 1980. You ordered it online and it was delivered to your door with a helpline for support. I bought my first computer that way in 1980. Took a risk. No store, no salesperson. And I used Dell
computers for the next 45 years at home and in a computer lab in my classroom. He was an outsider who wanted to do it differently. And now his vision will benefit young children with his $6.5
billion donation. Or maybe Palmer Lucky, a 33-year-old entrepreneur who founded Oculus VR but was fired from Facebook and later partnered with the military and is now providing autonomous drones and sensors for military applications.
He beat out Lheed Martin and North of Grumman to do so and he's 33 years old. You were elected to not only protect our city but to have the vision to move it forward. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Thank you. Jim
Jim Jim Bonik Jim Bonick, Jim Banick, 2804 West. Uh, everything's really been said well. I vote yes. Don't miss this opportunity. Uh, Eustus is a fine gentleman.
He cares about this city and he's willing to put money out and bend over backwards to make everybody happy. Yes, >> Angela Shaw. >> Good evening. Angela Shaw, 2804. I live with Jim Banick and I'm coming from a
different perspective. on Eustus Ma. Jim won't tell you. He's a lead singer, keyboardist at Eustus' hotels in Avalon. These hotels are gorgeous, beautiful, upscale hotels. We work there from when they were the
Windrift and the Golden Inn. And what he's done in that town has been tremendous. And if he came here, this would be more of a yearround destination with conventions and shows. And we need that. We need that. The
Reeds, the Reeds in Stone Harbor, Jim played last week to a packed house in the off season because it's a big hotel and people, it's a destination point. Give this man, he is a wonderful,
generous, spiritual. We uh attended the Catholic Charities event at Resorts where they honored him because he's such a generous all around the world. Please vote yes. We have to move forward. Please. Thank you,
David. David Spangler. Thank you. Dave Spangler, 50515 Street, Ocean City. Um, I've heard Wonderland described tonight as an iconic building, a destination, something that drew people to this end of the island.
And then I hear of a master plan. We want to take an iconic property and we want to group it in with everything else in a master plan. I can see that master plan coming out. I could see the color chart and I could see that iconic
property colored separately from everything else on that master plan because it's a special property. For that reason, I say put that to the planning board tonight. You can let the master plan continue as is, but no matter what you do, it's a special
property. Let the redevelopment consideration and the zoning that needs to change there start happening now. There is no need to worry. Pam Spangler. >> Everyone, Pam Spangler, 50515 Street. This is amazing to see the number of
people are here. Um, real short, I am in support. Please send it to the planning board. Brent. Brent Hanley. Where's Brent? >> Hi, we're Brent and Heather Hanley. We've been on the boardwalk from 808 boardwalk shirt. We've been on the
boardwalk for 36 years. Um we're really excited for change. Surprised how the vote has been going the last couple times I've been at city council. Um we think we really need this as a town and a boardwalk and we're hoping you vote
yes tonight. Heather Heather Hanley. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. Gets confusing. Brad Smith. My name is Brad Smith. I live at 622
Pleasure Avenue in Ocean City. I uh just wanted to remind you that you were elected by the full-time residents of Ocean City and you're here to represent their interest, not necessarily the interest of the business community that apparently has
packed the house tonight. I think there's a few misconceptions here. They seem to have a misconception that city council votes are non-binding. This was already voted down in August. It was also voted down in September. We
just going to keep keep having votes and votes and votes until they get their way as opposed to the way it was already uh put, you know, voted. Another misconception that Eustace Ma is entitled to make a profit on his property. He bought a property that he
knew was zoned a certain way and he's trying to force and bully people into ch changing the zoning so that he can make money. Well, that's if he bought a property, it wasn't zoned the right way, he has to sell it and lose money, so be it. People do that on the stock market
every day. Third misconception is a prime piece of boardwalk property needs to be designated for rehabilitation. That's nonsense. You can afford to buy a prime piece of property on the boardwalk. You don't need rehabilitation. You can give plenty
of money to pursue it the right way. Another misconception is that hotels are the way of the future. Airbnbs are the way of the future, not hotels. A lot of hotels are going under.
And then another one that everything another misconception is that everything in Ocean City must be a money maker. doesn't necessarily have to be. We can put something in that property that makes the boardwalk better that's not
necessarily a huge money maker that that could bring in the people and serve the people that live here as well as the business community without putting up a grand hotel. I live in Ward 2. I personally think
that it's too much traffic already. I've been personally almost run down on the streets four or five times by people that are in a hurry, come whooping around a corner, don't see you in a crosswalk, and almost run you down. I had one guy come down 8th Street, come
within a foot of running me down, and then come, oh, sorry about that. There's been no traffic impact study in this area at all. So, how do we know that it can support a hotel and all the 250 300 vehicles going
to that hotel? We don't. So, let's not rush this thing. And lastly, I I I am going to strongly urge the two members of this council recuse themselves from voting tonight because of conflict of interest. >> Jody Love check.
>> Thank Thank you, sir. Appreciate your time. Thank you. No sir, that's follow the rules. Thank you very much, >> David Brown. >> Good evening. My name is Dave Brown. I'm joined here
with my nephew, James Brown. Um I along with my brother Jim, we own two properties here in town. Uh, one is a restaurant. We own Brown's Restaurant down on St. Charles uh, Street Place in Ocean City. And we also own a residence back here at 10:01 Wesley Avenue.
It would stand a reason, oh, by the way, this summer is our 50th year at Brown's Restaurant. [Applause] So, clearly we love this town very, very much. I'm part of the second generation. My parents started the restaurant. James is part of the third generation. It
would stand a reason though as a restaurant owner and also as a residence which by the way we also use part of it as an Airbnb that we would be opposed to a hotel because a hotel naturally is going to have some nice eeries down below. It would pull naturally people from our business up there on the
boardwalk and as an Airbnb renter obviously hotel rooms would pull from that as well. But when you just ignore the business aspect of this and I think about Ocean City and a beautiful family resort that it is, the hotel is exactly
what we need to draw to draw in more families into this town. So yeah, I might have a conflict of interest and not oppose that hotel, but for the betterment of this town and moving forward, the rides are not coming back. So I please I I ask you to vote yes for
the redevelopment. Uh my name is James Brown. Like you said, I'm I'm the third generation Brown um here in Ocean City. So um I don't have much to say, but uh I just want to say I implore you guys, please please vote yes tonight um for the betterment of the city and betterment for people my
generation. I'm only 21 years old, but I want to see the best for this city. And part of that's going forward with progress. [Applause] Joan Williamson. >> Yeah. >> Hi, I'm uh Joan Williamson. I happen to
live directly behind Wonderland, so that's my view all the time. Um, it it's painful to see it doing nothing. Um, I guess I'm just really anxious to see that somebody will make this happen. We
I mean, something's got to happen. the there's no reason for it to look like this now when there's been so many opportunities. Uh this Bob works he's can probably explain better than I um the different
things but it really just comes down to please do something and the fact that we're we're being it's been offered to us or whatever to make this happen. So stop playing around, you know. It's like
just come on, you know. So that's it. Sorry. Thank you. >> The sweater. Um my name is Bob Alexander and uh although it looks like I'm wearing one
hat tonight, I'm actually wearing two. I'm proud to be standing here saying that I'm a resident of Ocean City. I have been one for nine years. I've been coming here since I've been a little kid. My mother and father used to bring
me here. It was always a dream for me to live in this town. Now I live in this town and I also work here. I'm encouraging council to move forward with this hotel. Let's not look at Ocean City as it is
today or what it's been in the past. Let's look at it as it can be down the road in the future. Please vote yes. Thank you. Mary Mary Vangel. Where's Mary?
Hello. Uh, my name is Mary Bangal. I'm from 816 East 9th Street. And I'm begging you to plea vote yes for this evening. I just want to say everyone's afraid of change. But I was on that boardwalk. I've been on that boardwalk for many, many years. Even when we had
the blue laws and when the blue laws changed, it's still America's greatest family resort. So, I can't see it changing with getting a hotel here. Thank you. >> Thank you, Bob. Bob, wait. Bob, wait. >> Is that it? That's >> Yeah,
>> this is it. >> All right. Wait. Uh, 7 West Aberdine. And I would imagine most of you have your minds made up, but uh if any of you are on the fence, I would implore you, please push this forward. Thank you,
Summer Rob. [Music] My name is Summer Rob. I live at 12 West Aberdine Road and I hope you go forward with the redevelopment project. >> Thank you, >> Mark.
Take your time. Now that my daughter put the microphone down here. My name is Mark Rob, 12 West Aberdine Road. I would like to apologize to Councilman Hart Hartzel for my outburst.
This is a very polarizing issue that involves my family. We're exhausted. I can't tell you how exhausted we are. We have nothing to do but we are getting
piled on with garbage. Now I'm going to read what I'm telling you. My name is Mark Rob. I'm here representing the Rob Family Corporation. We are currently the caretakers of five boardwalk properties. Teton Goff, three
buildings between the former Wonderland and the water park and the Golden Gallion building on 11th Street. We are the biggest property owners on the boardwalk. I have a a letter from our property
manager that was sent to us this year. 662 Boardwalk, 712 Boardwalk have been with us for 10 years, cancelled their leases. I just found out last week 652 Boardwalk
Taters also did not renew their leases. That is half of our tenants in one building. That's just this year. Next year, we have eight leases coming up, including John Stoofer, who I've known since grade
school, who says he is not coming back. If this is not a pressing issue, I don't know what is. Councilman Winsler. Councilman Winslow, in a in a recent press article, you said you don't
understand the urgency of declaring this a redevelopment zone. This is the urgency. We are the north end. We are the north end of the boardwalk. We are ground zero. It's going to look like an
abandoned strip mall by the end of next summer. I am kidding you now. And we will have we still have a property we haven't rented after 2 months. That has not happened since the 1970s
since we had the medical waste washing up on the beach. We cannot rent a property on the boardwalk. I don't know how to stress the urgency enough to pass this through. And for everyone that's talking about the Sole project not going
through, you cannot build a luxury hotel without beachfront access. Guess who the beachfront access is? Us. We own the 11th Street property that every developer wants so they can have
sole and extended to the beach. We are standing. >> Thank you, Mark. Jay love. Good evening. My name is Jay Love. I'm the owner of Buddy Love's Barbecue on the Boardwalk between 7th and 8th Street. I first like to say I respect
everybody's a pagan, but I would like to state facts about the things that affected my business from Wonderland closing down. 2023, I opened my business on the boardwalk, which was an instant
hit. Sold barbecue. 2024 the revenue increased 83%. Which obviously business was doing good. 2025 Wonderland closed down. My business decreased 47%
from the first year I opened up. 2026 I decided not to renew my lease because it's I'm losing money and it was this end of the boardwalk was pretty much dead.
As educated civil people, compromise to me would be the answer. To put residential houses there is not compromised. But to put a hotel with luxury rooms,
luxury restaurants that could uh accommodate weddings also have the carousel and different rides would wake up the northern part of the boardwalk and offer a lot that would help out the
businesses and everybody else. I think that would be the best thing as far as compromise because that's the things that we need. In 50 years from now, the majority of people probably won't be here. But the decision that's made tonight is going to
affect Ocean City forever. So hopefully we make the right decision and move forward. That way we don't have to kill the northern part of of the boardwalk and not be able to accommodate or support all the merchants on that part. Um, that's pretty much what I have to
say. Thank you. >> Thanks, J. >> Jerry Jerry Corkran, I know I saw you earlier. >> Uh, Jerry Corkerman, 347 CBRED Road, Ocean City. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak here tonight on behalf of this resolution and I urge you
to adopt it this evening. I want to talk about the only issue which I think is relevant and that's process. It's an issue it's a a term that's talked about a lot in the city but it's we know that it's only the planning board who can
determine if the property is in need of redevelopment. Only the planning board. So one of two things going to happen. You're either going to vote for it or against it. Now, if you vote against it, I don't think there's many people in this room who objectively think that at some point
that issue is not going back to the planning board. At some point, your planning board has to go determine whether it is is or is not in need of redevelopment. So, the only question is timing. Now, we heard tonight about the subcommittee. First of all, Mr.
Chairman, I want to congratulate you. I think it's a wonderful idea. My experience up there tells me that the more ahead you get together, the more people you listen to, the more voices that are heard, the more effective the decision-m can be. We heard tonight that
your subcommittee is going to have an opinion in the spring. What better to have more data for that springtime decision making? Send it to the planning board. Let them make whatever decision they want. If they determine it's not in need of of redevelopment, which they can
do that, you go one way. If they determine it is in need of redevelopment, you go another and you'll have all the data and information from your subcommittee. Now, if you don't do that, I respectfully suggest you're going to be back or other people up there back in the same position next
year, the following year, 3 years from now. And unfortunately, Wonderland's going to be in worse shape. I don't own boardwalk property. I defer to the people who do, but it's going to get worse in the next two or three years than it is today. Please don't defer it.
I know that all of you love Ocean City. You want to do what is best for Ocean City. The people here tonight want to do what is best for Ocean City. What is best for Ocean City, I respectfully suggest, is to move this forward now.
Don't wait. Don't kick it. Don't defer it. Don't leave it to somebody else to make a decision. Please vote in favor because I suggest to you that will get us closer to what is best for Ocean City quicker. Thank you,
>> Gary. Gary, sorry, Gary Russian. >> You got him. There's Okay, come on up, G. All right, take your time. >> Tell you what, there's a lot of doctors in the audience today. I can't understand any of this handwriting. >> 52
>> out of [Music] >> 87. >> 87. >> You all don't have to take three minutes. Thank you for this opportunity. >> I'm Gary Rushmore. My wife and I own a house at 229 West
Sea Spray Road. That's in the first ward. Um, I support the proposed hotel. I'd like to explain why. I was taught in law school that uh get
the facts and make a an objective decision an objective analysis. I think the upscale destination
hotel um Mr. Meter proposes to build is a great opportunity for Ocean City and not a threat to any of our life values and concerns and our everyday
life, our way of life. Um, I'm in favor though to tootell and I don't think it's uh should be delayed. Um, well, I've never met uh Eustace Mida.
Uh, from everything I've heard and read, he's a man of faith and I don't think he has an a I don't think there's a any hidden agenda. uh if the hotel is approved, Ocean City will get 95% of the property tax revenue
over the next 30 years compared to 47% if it's not approved. Uh this matter is clearly bound for the uh should be referred to the planning
board as the last gentleman said. uh because you're you're just kicking the can down the road otherwise. Um so I would respectfully urge the uh city council to refer this matter to the planning board for their input
and then you they have a duty then to report to you for the what to decide at that point. But I I I think the hotel would truly be a asset to this community.
Thank you for your for your time. Paul Ryan Uh, good evening. Paul Ryan, 510 23rd Street. I stand up here before you not as an expert on, uh, Ocean City rules and regulations,
uh, height variances, stepbacks, CAFRA. But I'd like to comment tonight after reading some um really mean posts on uh social media. I could talk as an expert
on one item and that's Mr. Eustus Mida. I've known Mr. Mida for 55 years. Jussi is a unique entrepreneur who bases his whole life around number one faith, number two, family, and
number three, community. This is a man who has been knocking on your door for two years to try to get a beautiful project done. They say that opportunity only knocks once. Jussi's
knocked many, many times. If you vote vote no tonight, I assume Jussi will knock at your door no more and he will take his $170 million and go to one of the six beach towns that have their doors wide open to develop his project.
Thank you, >> Casey. Casey left. Okay. Um, Doug Rob >> Doug Rob 12 West Aberdeen Road. I encourage a vote for redevelopment. Thank you.
>> Thanks, Doug. >> Pat Pat McMahon. Good evening. My name is Patrick McMahon. Um, I'm here representing as the president of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. On behalf of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, our business
community, I want to speak to the upcoming vote on whether the Sixth Street property to the planning board goes for uh review an area of need of rehabilitation. As we've said before, this is not a vote to approve or deny any project. It is
simply a procedure, a procedural step that allows the planning board, the professional body charged with this work to evaluate the condition of the property and determine whether rehabilitation is appropriate. Moving this forward is the only way to ensure a fair, transparent, and informed review
based on based on facts, not assumptions. The boardwalk property has sat vacant for far too long. Allowing the planning board to conduct its review can help clarify the site's potential to generate new tax revenue, bring life back to the
underutilized block, strengthen local businesses, and support a more vibrant yearround economy. We respectfully urge council to take the advantage of this second opportunity, and vote to move the matter forward. Let's allow the planning board to do its job, its due diligence,
and give the public the benefit of a thorough and professional evol uh evaluation. The chamber stands ready to work collaboratively with the council, the planning board, and the community to support a reason a responsible redevelopment that benefits residents,
visitors, and our entire local economy. Thank you. Thanks, Darcy. Darcy Brown. Darcy Brown um 825 Penland and also um I own and or operate some stores with my husband at 1154 Boardwalk. Um my husband
is West Kasmark. In the 20 years that my husband has publicly represented the Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants, the number one goal has always been to promote all that's great about Ocean City.
The issues that were a work in progress, they didn't need to be broadcasted to the world. That was just how it worked. But on this issue, you refused to take Wes's word as that of the group. You needed to hear from the entire group,
which you have on this is the second occasion. And as a result, we have been forced to air our dirty laundry publicly. Your inaction is tearing this city apart.
My husband and many of you have been accused of backdoor dealings being in someone's pocket. These groups whose leaders make these unfounded accusations are disgraceful.
I don't care how long you've lived in this town. If you believe that that behavior is acceptable, you know nothing about this city and what it stands for. We have lost wonderland and that was painful enough. What will
your answer be when the domino effect takes out additional family businesses because you chose to hold this property hostage? The people in the room tonight include long-standing families like Shrivevers,
Johnson's, Jill's, Mango. Combined, we're talking about hundreds and hundreds of years of experience, hard work, and grit. They know what it takes to be successful on the boardwalk. And it isn't every day that they go out
asking for help. But your inaction is putting us in an impossible situation. We need a yes vote tonight. This isn't a dramatic display. It's a lastditch effort to convince you to do your job, what you were elected to do, and act in
the best interests of Ocean City. >> Thanks. >> Um, Mac, I just saw you. Where are you, Mac? Come on up. I thought you were anticipating coming up and I'm reading from a script. I'm going to talk from my heart if I can. First of
all, I'd like to apologize to our business owners who have been slapped around by this meeting. Someone's made a comment that this place was packed by business owners. So what if they were, and they're not. They pay taxes like everyone else does. Shame on us for
trying to knock what they do for our city. Now, I want to tell you why I believe you should vote yes. 12 years ago, I came in front of city council and pleaded with them about a bike path that was going to go over the railroad tracks from 34th Street all the way down to the
end of the island. But some folks on on Haven Avenue got these fancy attorneys to talk about turtles and birds and the dagon thing got cancelled. We had federal funding and we lost it. Now we have four year olds on tricycles on West
Avenue because of that. Now I'm asking you get your heads out of the sand because I can tell you right now this hotel or whatever may get built there can affect generations in Ocean City for employment opportunity alone. And I ask
you don't be like the people in Philadelphia who tried to hold up the blue route for 25 years. So, and they used every reason they could be between the oak trees and the how bad it was going to look uh and the smell of the
cars. The blue route finally got built 25 years later and was the best things that ever happened to connect I95 and the Skooko Expressway. Lastly, well, not lastly. I've I thought I was one of the oldest people in this room until I met this young lady. I've been on this
island since 1964. I met my wife in 1965 working at Sims restaurant on the boardwalk. I've seen a lot of things go and come. But I can tell you right now, I understand that there may be four of you up here who are going to vote no. I will say the same
thing to you. Get your head out of the sand. This hotel is the best thing that can happen to the city. And one last thing, one last thing. Uh I feel very dear about this. I want to comment on the ability and the great
achievement and give some kudos to our mayor who has had some personal issues. As you all know, he's the best mayor we ever had in this city. He's made it the diamond on the on on the east coast and my hat is off to him.
Chrissy Trigani. Oops, flashlight's on. 242 Wesley Chrissy Triiani. I also own a store on the boardwalk. been there for 26 years and I'm just asking this council to vote yes on plan sending this to the planning
board because it's the right thing to do for the boardwalk and it's the right thing to do for this community. Thank you >> Lorine Vanelo. I'm sorry. >> Oh, nice. Thank you. >> Sorry.
Nobody ever gets it right. >> Well, Pete will correct me if I'm wrong. >> Vano, 805 East A Street. Um, I bought here about 60 years ago, and this place is like something out of a Charles Dickens book. It's amazing. But I have
to tell you, I have serious concerns. Change? Yes, change can be good. Is it the hotel we need? I don't know. I'm going to defer to your better judgment on where to go. What I do have concerns about is is I believe there's conflict
of interest and my my biggest concern is trying to bypass the subcommittee. I for one would like to see you established a procedure, a process. I'd very much like for you to follow through what you have
established. If if you need to take the time and not cut corners, you're not going to see Houston's cutting corners if he's following through with that hotel. You know, no good businessman would say, "Okay, well, we don't need windows in, you know, here or there."
He's not going to cut corners. I'm expecting you, the council, not to cut corners. Do your due process and then proceed with what you think is best. Thank you. Donna Zuchi.
[Music] >> Good evening. This is going to be very brief. I'm Donna Zuchi. I live at 40001 to 4003 Central Avenue. Not in both units, one. Uh I rent the other. And uh I've been in Ocean City since I was a
child coming down here. uh have owned a property since 1997 and moved into it permanently in 2018. Uh I'm going to yield the rest of the time to the next person since what I would be saying has has already been covered multiple times.
Thank you, >> Liz. Hi, my name is Liz. Oh jeez. Liz Nicolleti, 461 Asbury. I'm speaking tonight as a private citizen, not as a schoolboard member. Um, first of all, I've been sitting here. This is amazing. Um, and I'm tallying the votes and uh
we're almost at 50 to 15ish or maybe more. So, I applaud and I want to um recognize the entrepreneurs in the room cuz I'm really proud of them. My husband is a entrepreneur and um he's been in
business for himself for many many years and I have watched him work very very hard and um it's hard work and I believe that the entrepreneurs up here are the ones that are kind of putting their um you know they're they stepped up to the plate and they said we got to relook at
this. So I'm going to continue. I'm um please consider the Boardwalk Business Association, the Asbury Avenue Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Commission, and the Restaurant Association all unanimously
support a yes vote to move this project to the planning board. Why? Because tourism is the backbone of Ocean City, and these business owners work day and night to keep this town thriving. They cannot afford to wait.
Now I lost my spot months for a subcommittee report. They want progress now. This is my second time asking for a unanimous unanimous yes vote. The next step for this pro property is clear. It needs to go to the
planning board for redevelopment review. Thank you to Pete Madden who has led this, Tony Pchini, and Jod Love for supporting what I believe is the right direction for Ocean City. Tonight, I am speaking directly to Terry, Shawn, Keith, and Dave. Dave, I live in your
fourth in the fourth ward, so I'm asking you to represent me and my husband, Bill, with your vote. This property has needed attention for many, many years. The previous owners should have acted long ago. Now we have a responsible businessman and philanthropist who has
already shown good faith and will work with the town once the planning board completes his review. I urge you and just like some of them have begged you to vote yes and allow this project to move forward. Please change your minds.
You four I just these guys know what they're talking about. Thank you. Thank you so much. Bill. Bill, do you want to come up? >> Oh. Oh, I thought you'd be sitting there
with your wife. Isn't she cute? Hello everyone. My name is Bill Nicoleti and I am an Ocean City resident. I live at 4061 Asbury and as my wife mentioned, I'm also a new, brand new bike shop owner here in Ocean City on the south
end. And I also run a satellite business out of uh 600 boardwalk. So, I know that property well. And as much as um I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, I will say flat out that is a that is a tear down that property. Um you know, we
heard the word fear tonight. That was one of the words that really resonated with me from a former CEO. I'm a current CEO. And I want to replace the word fear with fact. And I'm just going to throw out some facts tonight. And the fact is
a yes vote does not approve a hotel. A yes vote does not approve a hotel. Be careful what you wish for, people. And I'm one of them. Planning board might get this and say, "Forget it. No. No hotel." So, a yes vote does not
promote that. It just puts it through the proper channels. A yes vote, for those of you who have have signs on your lawns, saves the ferris wheel, believe it or not. So, that ferris wheel will be hanging around a little bit longer if we get a yes vote
tonight because the property won't be sold. I stand here tonight and we just heard it from Liz with the entrepreneurs entrepreneurs of Ocean City who support unanimously support to send this to the planning board and this includes the
risktakers of Ocean City, the Boardwalk Business Association, the Restaurant Association, the Asbury Avenue Association. How much do you think the people in Asbury Avenue as people vacate would love to have people walk down from property and and come to their
businesses? How much? Excuse me, sir. So, let's just say a lot of businesses would be lining up for what are now vacant properties. The Ocean City Chamber of Commerce touris tourism commit commission. These are the heavy hitters in our towns.
These are the ones that make it happen and know what's best for the financial longevity of our our town. Tonight, I stand aside with the risktakers of Ocean City, America's greatest family resort. I don't know if people have
noticed as you drive through 9inth Street. There's a bank that opened and closed pretty much in 24 hours, there's a business that's for sale. You go down 34th Street, it's a mess. And the only word that comes to me is eyes is
eyesore. And what do we have that is not an eyesore? And that's our beautiful boardwalk. And guess what? Right now, there's an eyesore that's going to sit there for a long, long time if we don't make it make a change tonight. And and in closing, we you know, we heard a lot about the business owners. When I shared
with my friends who I admire that own businesses, and that's Wes Kazmark, Russ has Russ Hendricks, Brent Hanley, and my friend Joe Rand. >> Thanks, Bill. >> Bill, appreciate it. Thank you. >> Where's Mark Medento? I know I saw you
earlier. There you are. >> Good evening. Uh my name is Mark Benavvento. Uh 807 8th Street. I'm an Ocean City resident, a boardwalk business owner since 1980. Some of the
business we own is actually the Sims building where the gentleman behind us uh met his wife. Uh, so we own those stores there as well from Frenchies to Haunted Golf, uh, Hornet Hotel, OC Escape, the Encounters, Mirror Maze, go down to Congo Falls down 11 Street, uh,
Pirate Island, Ocean City on Ninth Street entrance. U, so I've been in this town for more than four decades. Uh we have invested in this community, employed its residents and contributed
to the success of which we all love. America's greatest family resort. We should not forget that. America's greatest family resort without a resort. You've heard from the residents, the Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants, the
Downtown Business Association, the Ocean City Restaurant Association, and the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. And we all stand united. Every major business group in Ocean City is asking for one simple, reasonable step.
Send 600 Boardwalk to the planning board for a redevelopment study. There's already a committee designed for this work, the planning board. There's no need for an additional subcommittee or delays. We're not asking you to approve a hotel. We're not asking you to
commit to any project. We're simply asking you to allow the facts to be studied professionally. Tonight, Ocean City faces a choice. We can close the door based on fear, rumors, and misinformation. Or we can
open the door to facts, expert analysis, and smart planning. A yes vote tonight does not approve a hotel. A yes vote simply allows Ocean City to do its due diligence. The responsible thing, the businessminded thing, the
forward-looking thing. This is a once- in a generation opportunity. Let's not throw it away before we even study it. For our business, our families, our taxpayers, and the future of America's greatest family resort, we respectfully
ask council to vote yes and allow the planning board to begin the redevelopment study. Thank you, Kate. Caitlyn, Caitlyn, Caitlyn Cork, I know you're here.
>> Good evening, guys. Uh, Caitlyn Quirk. Um, but before I speak, I'm going to read a letter from Pat Gillian. I am Pat Gillian, a resident of two Gilbert Lane in Ocean City. I am the wife of deceased Roy Gillian.
Rory started to build Wonderland Pier in 1965 on an empty lot at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk, which became a successful business in our town. Mr. Mida will also start with an empty lot at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk to build a beautiful
business for our town. In my opinion, we need a large draw to bring people north of Ninth Street onto the boardwalk, and Mr. Mida's hotel will do just that. The Icona Wonderland Hotel will be an asset to our beautiful town
in many ways. It will help our taxes, our unique boardwalk, and our downtown stores. The hotel will give employment to our young people and our seniors. Also, the situation has ruffled feathers on both sides. So I hope that it that
that is in the past. We need to move forward for the good of our town. Thus I am in favor for Icona Wonderland Hotel at 6th Street and the boardwalk for many great memories to be made in Ocean City. Thank you council for your
dedication and your time. Pat. All right. And now, um, from me as the downtown merchant president, first of all, to to all of council, I want to thank you and acknowledge the work that you've put in over the past few months, listening to every side, taking time to
pause, and for even voting no for the first time. That showed you were committed to understanding the facts and the implications of this moment. I'm not here tonight to rehash every detail. I'm here to illuminate where we stand right
now. Here's what we know. A yes vote moves the master plan forward. A yes vote continues the work of the subcommittee. A no vote leaves us with no plan, no path, and a developer who
walks away. So the question becomes, is the risk of delaying this process worth what we stand to lose? What exactly do we gain by waiting? And is it truly worth the cost? Because the cost of inaction is
real. Inaction leaves our community without a plan and without a collaborative relationship with the man who owns the property. And in moments like this, collaboration is everything. Our community needs real leadership more than ever. Leadership that moves
forward, that engages, and that works towards solutions even when the choices are tough. Real leadership isn't about echoing the loudest voices. It's about having the courage to do what's right when the room is split. Hard decisions
aren't obstacles. They're >> Thanks, Kaitlin. Thank you, Kaitlin. Jim Tweed. Jim Tweed. Okay. [Music] Jim Tweed, 1512 Wesley Avenue, Ocean
City. Here we go again. Um, I was wondering why we can't seem to communicate with each other and I brought an example.
Um, we seem to be talking past each other and these are two pieces of paper. One is an ad that was published in the Sentinel and it was signed by Wes Kasmar, the president of the Boardwalk
Merchants Association. The other was an op-ed written by George Bower. And what's what seems to be uh is that there is so much that we
could agree on if we would just be listening to each other. For example, in the ad, it mentions the Wonderland site as an opportunity
for the future of Ocean City. I think everyone in this room agrees with that. The second thing it mentions is the need for
the site at the wonderland right now not to be left vacant in next summer. The oped on the other hand lists about 25 ideas
that would bring people to the north end. Now, these ideas are, if you read the uh ad, they are things that Ocean City already
knows how to do. I won't go through the list, but you know intuitively that Ocean City knows how to draw people to a location.
They've been doing it since the baby prey was invented about a hundred years ago. So if we would just implement some of those ideas, then
we could go forward with the suggestions that Councilman Wislow wisely made about a master plan review because it would consider the interests of everyone, the boardwalk merchants,
the neighborhoods, and the community. So, it's not just going to look at a single site,
but it'll consider the interests of all. Thank you, Jim. >> Good job, Chuck. You know, Chuck B. Mhm. Mr. Mayor, city council, thank you for being here. Also, thank you for everyone for being here, whether you're a pro or
con against the project. Thank you for your time. My name is Chuck Bangle, 816 East Nice Street, co-owner of Mango Pizza for about the past 20 years a vice president of the Borwalk Merchants Association. I'm here tonight to uh show my support as a unified front to vote
yes to put this in the redevelopment. And I just like to take a second. We've been hearing the word change a lot. And change is really a four- stage process. The true definition of change is denial, resistance, exploration, and commitment. Well, I think we're past the denial
stage. Hopefully, after tonight, the resistance goes away. So when I'm asking you to explore, put the 600 development property into the planning board's hands to explore what can or cannot be done. Once we know what
we can explore, once the exploration part is, then we can begin working on whatever the commitment is. Mr. Ma has committed. I spoke to him today. He's even willing Keith to have a a collaboration of whatever his final
vision is to incorporate your playground, which I think is a great idea to bring people to that end of the boardwalk. I'm going to close with what I closed the press conference with yesterday. I was sitting right there looking out the window. And what did I see was the movement of sand to replenish the beach,
to stop the erosion of the beach. We do that instantaneously. We don't put it before planning or zoning or master plan. Why do we do that? to get people to come back here and we simply need to re stop the erosion at that end of the boardwalk. The last time I checked, federal funding
and other funding is available for beach punishment. There is no funding available to support the robs if they lose tenants or to support us if we lose money. Thank you very much. Thanks. Wes. Wes. >> I'm sorry, Wes. It's tough to see up
here. >> Westmark. Uh, sorry. Wes Casmark, 825 Penland Place, owner of the Surf Mall and, uh, Boardwalk Merchants President. Um, you know, tonight there's a lot of things I I was debating what I was going to talk about. I could go in a lot of
different directions, but um as my wife so eloquently put earlier, uh you've heard from me a little bit. Um a lot of those things were things that um are not normal practices. Uh anyone who knows me, I'm a very positive person when it
comes to Ocean City. I love this town. Like this town has been amazing to me. So videos about why this project and why this this vote tonight is so important and press conferences and things like that. Those are not things that we
usually do. But back in August after the vote went down and it was a 61 and I have to admit I was, you know, a little summertime. I was a little confused and and and I um I spoke to some of you uh
some of you who are specifically uh possibly nos tonight and and I and I asked like you know what what do you what what's going on here and they were like well we didn't really hear from you. Well, you've heard from us, you
know, um then and then and then you I heard things like you you didn't hear from Mr. Ma enough. Well, you've heard from him. We had a press conference. He went to every
single outlet possible um to to tell you guys that he was willing to negotiate with you. Um, so here we are now and I'm just I'm trying to understand
where we go from here. you know, this is difficult for me because, you know, I I I see some of these things on social media and I'm, you know, that I don't usually look at, but like, you know, the subcommittee is very uh difficult when we because you hear a
lot, everyone's been talking about the subcommittee tonight and it's tough because I'm on that committee. Um, and Jerry earlier stole some of my thunder, but like when it comes to redevelopment, I I and this in this part, which I was under the understanding that we were
going to be working on uh right away. Uh, this was Councilman Lovechuk's idea. We discussed that. Um, when I talked to President Crowley and he asked me to be on it, we discussed that we would be doing these things together and and urgently, like quickly. Um, but then when I'm in the committee, the chair,
uh, councelor, um, geez Winslow, sorry, Dave, sorry. Um, told me it's only a council issue. So, we're here. So, here I am. And then when I reach out and try to find out, get some clarity, get some guidance. I don't get a phone call back. So, what I would like to just say really
quick, so I know I'm running out of time, please vote yes right now and then this and then this kid really get to work. >> All right. Thank you, Wes. Chuck. Chuck Deal. >> I like
>> 50. >> I'd say 15 if I had to guess. [Applause] >> Go ahead, Chuck. >> Okay. Uh Chuck Deal, 2837 Central Avenue. and we've had that house for uh
that lot for 50 years and I'm been a permanent resident for the past 6 years a voter. >> First of all, I want to thank all of you for your service and your time that you're doing all the time for us with
the council. I like I'd like to read this letter that I sent. Council members and neighbors, there is always two sides to the story. I want to raise a serious concern about the ongoing effort by Mr. Ma to bypass
the zoning process that this council has created. That process was designed to include balanced representation, members who serve homeowners and voters across every district, not just one special
interest group hoping to benefit from a zoning change. What was established by the council was balance and long-term thinking. Yet today, a special elite group is trying to take control of Ocean City's zoning
decisions. That should worry all of us. Let's be honest. Mr. Ma purchased this his property knowing exactly what the zoning's rules were. Now he's asking the city to bail him out of a poor financial
decision. If we do not once do not once who will be next to in line asking for their own personal bailout in the future. We need to step back and remember why the ballark is zoned the way it is. The Ocean City Boardwalk is a
unique and irreplace irreplaceable asset. Very unique. How many places like this exist in the country? And could we even build something like this today? The boardwalk is meant to be a familyfriendly
public space much like a public park. Think about what parks provide. They support mental and physical health, create social interaction, offer recreation and strength communities. They protect the environment, bring economic benefit, and ensure that
everyone, regardless of income or background, have access to a shared public space. The borwork serves that exact purpose for Ocean City. Our zoning or ordinance reflects that intent on the zone on the zoning
area is meant to reserve our ocean frontage for resort commercial and recreational uses that prever preserve the sunlight plank prominade. The unobstructed ocean view and experience the strolling jogging, biking or simply
enjoying the shore. It protects the character of the boardwalk as a remor. >> Thanks Chuck. Dare Dar Rob. >> Hi, my name is Darra Rob. I live at 12 West Aberdine Road in Ocean City. My
vote is yes, and I'm asking you to all vote yes. Terry T. >> Gar. Uh, hi everyone. Uh, T. Gallagher, 75 Bay Road. Uh, first, Mr. Mayor, thank
you for giving everyone in this room and generations of families fond memories of the city of Ocean City. and for making this city the place that everyone loves. You love Ocean City and you have proven that your entire life and that's an indisputable fact.
Uh council, uh you are all elected officials. You were all elected to do what is in the best interest of the city of Ocean City. To me, that is doing what's in the best interest of the greater good.
A committee, a subcommittee was created to assist in this process. That's great. They are all stakeholders, too. Let's not lose sight of the fact there that there is also an already wellestablished committee in place with
tremendous resources and years of experience. The name of that long-standing committee is named the Planning Board. Your vote tonight should be an easy one. Thank you. J Janet Galante Janet.
>> Hi. Um, Janica Lanni, 13 First Street. We have a couple businesses here in town and this is where we want to be. But before I start, I just want to say thank you all for doing what you do. I often ask myself and say why. Why do you do
it? And genuinely from the bottom of our hearts, the Galanti hearts, we thank you. We appreciate what you do. Good, bad, or ugly, we appreciate it. Thank you. So, um, Ocean City is full of tradition, years of tradition. And through those
years of tradition, there's been progress. and it shouldn't stop. Our bar is set really high and when that sits there, it lowers it. We need to take this and move forward and keep that progress going.
Let the planning board do their work. Please vote yes. Let's go. Let's go, Karen. Do you miss all the meetings, Karen? >> No, we miss >> Karen Bergman, 1019 Bay Avenue, private
citizen. Thank God. Um, I want to start by thanking all of you. I know what a difficult couple months this has been for you guys and and the sleepless nights that you've had and how hard this decision is is. Yes,
Tony. Um, I come here, I wrote something. I'm going to try and read it and follow it, but we all know how that goes. I wanted to take this opportunity to speak in favor of sending this property to the planning board for consideration for
redevelopment. This resolution is not about a hotel. This resolution is to determine whether the property needs redevelopment. And anybody who walks by there thinks that that has to be the truth. Um I
believe they also need to determine the current zoning for an amusement point amusement park is nonviable financially anymore. My fear is this property will stay unoccupied and that is the worst fate for not only our boardwalk but for
our community too. I mean it it we need to move forward. Let's vote just to move forward. One other thing I've been hearing that if we move this forward for redevelopment to the planning board, other people are going to come out and
want to seek redevelopment for their property. That's a mute point. That's not what we're voting on tonight. We're voting on this property. Um, anyone wishing to do that would have to follow the same process and God bless
them if they want to go through this. Please, let's vote on this resolution that is before you, the resolution that is before you to take it to the planning board. Please. This resolution really doesn't have anything to do with
the hotel. A hotel might come out of it. That's possible. But the resolution, how it reads, is to go to the planning board. Let's stick with the fact that that's what this is about. We need to move forward with the plan to make and keep our boardwalk a family destination
for many generations to come. I commend the uh subcommittee and their hard work, but I think that it needs to go to the planning board, be deemed um redevelopment, and then the subcommittee can work with the planning board to see what they want to do with it. Thank you
for your time and service. >> Thanks, Sher Aras. Good evening. My name is Sheri Aras, 221st Street in Ocean City. Um, I'm just here to ask you to send this uh to the
planning board for vote. The north end of the boardwalk has been on decline um way before uh Wonderland closed and we just really need uh more commerce and something great there. So, I asked you to send this to the planning board.
Thank you, >> Helen Struckman. We've heard from many merchants uh and uh and other public people that have stated that they would rather have uh an amusement park, but that it's simply not viable, that Wonderland's never coming back. Um, and I'm here to tell you
that's simply not true. Jim Mallian and several other developers have partnered with the nonprofit group Save Wonderland to buy, rebuild, and revitalize the old Wonderland Pier. They aren't in this for money, but out of a deep commitment to save one of the last remaining places,
it still holds magic and innocence for children. Our plan is fully zoning compliant and geared to put Ocean City back on the map and patrons back in all of your shops. Ours would be a yearround worldclass family entertainment center.
No hotel rooms, no condos, no town houses, just amusements, VR, restaurants, and familyfriendly fun. A venue that will firmly reestablish Ocean City as America's greatest family resort. This plan is to bring back the visitors and families and the businesses
that you all need to survive. We have finalized our concept. We are finalizing our renderings, working on our profit and loss projections and our feasibility studies. We have consulted with Caffer to ensure that we have room for all elements planned. Um, and we
have now an amusement operator. We have consulted with ride sellers and have several companies that are already preparing our liability quotes. We have already begun a process that Mr. Jod Love said it was impossible. He said it was impossible to get insurance and yet
we already have quotes. He said it was impossible to get rides and yet it seems we have so many that the state has already approved to choose from. He said it would be impossible to get operators and yet we now have our choice of operators. So many things that Mr. Lovechuk said were impossible are
already going smoothly. And unfortunately, we haven't been able to tell you any of this because Wes and Caitlyn have not even let you know that we exist. We have um we're excited for the possibilities. The projections look very, very good and we have finance
companies that are eagerly awaiting our results. All we need is just a little time. Council, you're about to make a decision that will change Ocean City forever. You can move Ocean City forward with a world-class family entertainment venue that will bring 7 to 10,000 visitors per day. Or you can decide to
support a hotel that can't actually fit the parcel, is not um car compliant, um can possibly have alcohol, and at most can bring a thousand visitors per day. A vote for rehabilitation will be the nail in the coffin for any future family entertainment on the boardwalk. The
boardwalk what we love so much will be unrecognizable in five years. Ocean City is not just America's greatest family resort. It's America's last family-friendly city. We need to invest in those family values and we need to put family first, not developer
profits needs and not highest ROI. We owe it to our >> Thanks, Helen. Appreciate it. Stephen Steve Ned. Steve. [Music] >> Good evening, Mr. Council President,
members of council. My name is Steven Nemad, NEHMA Dam, the attorney for Mr. Mida and the LLC that owns the property that's here being discussed this evening. And I want to ask for a little bit of leeway in terms of time so I can set the record straight in terms of
what's being asked and what isn't being asked. Number one, uh nothing tonight, nothing we are asking is going to help uh or authorize the development of a hotel. We're merely asking, I can assure you, I've been practicing law this year
for 50 years. The overwhelming majority of that time has been real estate development law. And I can assure you we're following the correct procedure. We're merely asking that you send this to the planning board so that it reviews whether the property meets the criteria
for area need of rehabilitation. Then what happens? It comes back to you and you have the discretion as to whether or not you vote to adopt that resolution. That resolution doesn't authorize any land use at all. All it authorizes is
you and my client to sit down and attempt to negotiate and I underline the word negotiate a redevelopment plan. That's another form of zoning ordinance. You designate that and my client I can commit to you. We'll sit down and work
with you in good faith to try and come to a mutually acceptable redevelopment plan to arrest the blight that exists at this site today. That's what exists today. And I can tell you Mr. Ma will work diligently and that there's no
threat by Mr. Mida. He doesn't hold the cards here. It's your discretionary determination. If you don't like what's being proposed, if and when we get to that point in time, you will just not adopt by ordinance a redevelopment plan.
But give us the opportunity to get there. Just maybe we'll find common ground with the folks against we bear no ill will or or ranker because they are against us. Just maybe we'll find common ground and be able to arrest this
development. This site is a prime candidate for redevelopment. Why? Redevelopment gives you extraordinary powers you don't have in regular development. Number one, you could do tax abatement. We don't seek a dollar less in taxes, Mr. meet it, but the
municipality gets 95 cents of every tax dollar. Number two, you get a start date and you get a completion date. You don't get that with conventional development. Number three, you designate who the redeveloper is. And I'll talk about that in a moment. And number four, you
prohibit any transfers of the property so that he can't spec the redevelopment. He can't go out and say, "Oh, I've had my fill. I'm going to sell it to somebody else." You have to approve anyone any transfer any conveyance has
to be approved by you pursuant to the terms of the redevelopment. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Neat. I appreciate it. No, I I No. Devin
Devin Rob Hi everyone, my name is Devon Rob. I am a business owner in town. Um, I live at 1100 Boardwalk. I am in favor of the hotel. I am a yes vote as per not only my family um being the Rob family and
owning a lot on the boardwalk but also because of the future of Ocean City. I believe that the future of Ocean City is with my generation and to please vote yes. Thank you. Hunter Tama
I'm Hunter Tomlin. I also live at 1100 Boardwalk. Um I've only lived here for a little over a year, so I don't really have a dog in the fight. But um you guys are supposed to be listening to the people and after sitting here tonight and listen myself listening to everybody please listen to them and vote yes for
the future of Ocean City. Thank you. >> Thank you [Applause] Corey. Hi, I'm Corey uh Corey Rob and I have a business in town, but I'm down in the south end and um I'm also employed by
the city. I really think we should get this through the planning board. Thank you, >> Bert Wilkins. I know I saw you here somewhere. Oh, there you are. Right in front of you. [Music] Good evening, Mr. Mayor, council,
council members, we thank you for your service. I'm uh chair of the tourism commission and I'm here again tonight as I was in August at the tourism commission's request to ask you to move this bill forward uh for redevelopment
of the 600 boardwalk property. Obviously, we know what uh the pier did for the tourism for all these years and the sooner we can get something done with that property. It's a key property
to tourism and it will hopefully always remain a key property to tourism. I'm not here to talk about the hotel. We just want to see it move forward as quick as possible, not only for tourism, but for the merchants on the boardwalk. Thank you. Thanks,
Patty Rob. Hello. I'm Patty Rob 301 Cabbrite Road. Um, I implore you to pass it. The future of Ocean City is our children. And we we want
what we've had in Ocean City. And we all know that this end of the boardwalk is slowly deteriorating. Um so I implore you to pass it. Thank you. >> Thanks, Patty.
Diane got there. >> Hi. Uh Diane Stone, 7 West Aberdine. Um I'm asking you to please move this forward. And I resent the fact the gentleman stood up here and said the Warwalk merchants are greedy and are not residents. My family has lived here. We
were born and raised here. All five of my brothers. We have been here our entire life. We have worked that boardwalk. We have tarred roofs. We have shovel pigeon crap. We've done it all with our parents. And how dare you insinuate that we're greedy. And I'm
going to give you a fact. None of us are interested in tearing down our properties. We want to keep our properties. We want to rent them. But the way it's going now, you are going to force us. And we do not want to do that. You're going to force us. You are going to change the boardwalk. And it's not
going to be for the better. I'm telling you from a family that owns the property up there and has worked it and I I just can't even believe that you would even say that we were greedy. We love Ocean City. This is our life. We're going to be here hopefully forever. And I also
want to put a rumor to to qu we are not selling tea time golf to use. That is a family property and we are not selling out. So I wanted to quash that too. So thank you so much. [Applause]
Nancy Nancy Natara. >> It was a little easier to speak in August when I wasn't in a hostile room, but I am a no vote as you've known as I've spoken on this twice before. Um, but I will still eat your pizza. I'll
still sit in church by you, but tomorrow I have to eat lunch with Mac, so I hope I can do that. Um, so Mr. Ma asked for time to uh show us his plan for what he had on the boardwalk. He had a whole
year from August to August. Now he's telling us to hurry up. So who runs what we do in this town? Is it Mr. a telling us to wait and then hurry up or is it you? And I hope after watching
yesterday's press conference that um there was a lot of spins put on different things that you don't let that influence your vote that you let the truth and our zoning laws influence what you do. For instance, it was said that a
nail could not be driven tomorrow in the boardwalk because the only thing there could be amusement. That is simply not true. At 600 Boardwalk, you can have retail stores with 12 different suggestions, restaurants with four suggestions, parking lot and facilities,
entertainment facilities like movies, dinner theaters, roller rinks, ice skating. That's right from the ordinance. And it was also said that if this wasn't passed tonight, then town homes were going to be built, but we know that is not permitted at this
point. So that is not an automatic second choice. That is a scare tactic. The press of Atlantic City in May called that Ocean City had a flurry of new businesses opening with 20 ribbon
cutings listed by Memorial Day. And then there was more throughout the summer. I think 25 would be a fair number to say, but yesterday Mr. tried to say that it was a rare event that he attended a ribbon cutting for a
renamed design studio. I I'm not sure if I think it might have been Caitlyn and Wes who said that the subcommittee had nothing to do with 600 Boardwalk and it was hard to do work without the planning board's input. The subcommittee was established to look at
all of the boardwalk including 600 and and was established because of 600 zoning request changes as an area in need of rehabilitation. Tonight's testimony has shown that
people fully agree that it needs rehabilitated. So why do we need the planning board to tell us that he owns it, just rehabilitate it? I was at the planning board last night and I saw that there were three members of the subcommittee sitting up there on the
planning board. Mr. Barnes, Mr. Adams, Mr. Elegretto. >> Thank you. Thank you, N. All right, that concludes uh city comment for now. Uh But but we have to get through a little business here. So, can I have a motion
to adopt the regular city council meetings of Thursday, November 20th? >> Amen. >> So, move. >> Keep talking. >> Uh we do have one ordinance tonight. It's ordinance 2516. Um can I have a motion to introduce 2516 on first reading?
>> So, move second. >> Okay. Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Uh Mr. Barnes? >> Yes. Mr. Pchini. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hartzell. Yes. >> Mr. Lovechuk. Yes. >> Mr. Winslow. Yes. Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. >> Okay. Ordinance number 2516, an ordinance authorizing the city of Ocean
City to acquire block 4104 lots 18 and 19, Ocean City, New Jersey. >> Good evening, council. You you see these ordinances periodically where someone with la land land that cannot be developed, someone who has been paying taxes on this land for many years,
donates it to the city. In order for the city to accept it, you must do so by ordinance and that's that's what's before you in this ordinance. This address is 4120-22 West Avenue and as you know that's wetlands. >> Thank you, Daddy. Any questions for
council? Dave Jody, >> I'm good. Thank you. >> I'm fine, sir. Thank you very much, >> Sean. No question. Tony, >> no questions. >> No questions. >> I have no questions. Do I have a motion to adopt 2516 on first reading? >> Move Winslow. >> Second.
>> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes? >> Yes. >> Mr. Pchini? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hartzaw. Yes. >> Mr. Lovech. Yes. >> Mr. Winslow. Yes. >> Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. Second reading of public hearing will be held on Thursday, December 18th at 6 PM and will be published according
to law, which moves us into the consent agenda. All resolutions listed on the consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be acted by one motion. If the mayor or any council person wishes a particular resolution to be considered separately, it will be removed from the consent agenda. Does
anyone have anything to be removed? Number six. Surprise, surprise. Okay. >> Resolution number six, a resolution requiring a proposed resolution declaring block 600.05 lots 1 and two
located at 600 boardwalk to be an area in need of rehabilitation to the Ocean City Planning Board. >> Does this go to you, Daddy, or >> who pulled it? Sean. >> Hi everybody. I'm gonna take my head out of the stand long enough to make a few
comments about this. Unfort July and August started hearing the rumors about uh this designation that was going to be requested by Mr. Ma. You know, I know we he bought the property or to control the property year before, but we finally got in August of this
year this uh recommend or this request to declare the area in need of rehabilitation. I keep hearing the word redevelopment thrown around. This is what we're talking about tonight is rehabilitation. So, obviously, as a council person, I wanted to research that. Uh what I am
familiar with redevelopment, but I had very little knowledge of rehabilitation prior to that. So, I dig into the um to the to the statute and then I uh started to look at the property closer. I grew up in this town. I used to surf in front of that beach when there was no beach or
in front of that property when there was no beach. We had to jump off the boardwalk on high tide to go out surfing. Um so, what we're talking about is obviously 600 boardwalk. There's 300 ft of boardwalk frontage. Uh it's exposed to hundreds of thousands
of visitors every year. It has views of pristine beaches in the Atlantic Ocean. It is adjacent to $1 million plus homes. It's surrounded by million-dollar homes, that neighborhood. And it's adjacent to a multi-million dollar beautiful school with the
attended athletic fields. So, my first thought, are we really going to call this an area needed of rehabilitation? Like, can I honestly say that? Because how the process works is council if we're going to send if we need want to send it to uh the planning
board for consideration as an area in need of rehabilitation, you know, I'll speak for myself. I got to believe that there's some level of belief that that's that property qualifies. It's the prudent thing for me to do. Um so that's what we're voting on today.
Are we designating this site? I argue that it's not an area, it's a site. Are we designating this site as an area in need of uh rehabilitation? If if we start off with the bad premise in this whole process, and I'll say this
repeatedly, I am all for development of that property. I love this town just like everybody else does in this room. I'm concerned about the process. I'm looking as a prudent council person. I need to vote for a process that I think is going to get us across the finish
line quicker um than and I don't want to see any more delay. There was already a a lot of delay with this property. I don't want to uh push it any further. So, I had to de develop a level of of common sense. When I got elected, that's the way I came in here. I I advocated
that I would be a person of common sense. I know there's a lot of emotion in this room and I really do appreciate everybody showing up. you know, we're two blocks away from this really beautiful, pristine property that we all want to see preserved. Um,
our vote's not done in a vacuum. You know, we have we know that a developer brought this property to us as an area in need of rehabilitation with the idea that he wants to build a hotel. And that's okay. You know, again, we're not acting in a
in a in a vacuum. And I'm not saying we don't need a hotel up there. You know, it might be great. Now let me read uh the definition of rehabilitation and this is per the statute. It's an undertaking by means of
extensive repair reconstruction or renovation of existing structures. repair, restruct reconstruction or renovation of existing structures with or without the introduction of new construction or the enlargement of existing structures in an area that has
been determined to be in need of rehabilitation or redevelopment to eliminate substandard structural or housing conditions to arrest deterioration in the area. So, right out of the gate, I have a little bit of problem with the with the
process. I want to see that property developed just as quickly as possible, but is this the right process? Am I being prudent? Am I going to recommend something that's going to put the city in litigation? I'm going to delay the process. So, it takes a lot more
homework, a lot more talking to people. I'm so happy this room was full. Obviously, a lot of comments, but you know, we've all gotten hundreds of telephone calls and me emails the last couple weeks. Um, so this doesn't represent the whole city, but I'm really
glad that everybody did show up here. And we and I'm also hearing from people that I didn't hear from before and I appreciate that. I really do. So again, I'm looking at this property and I'm thinking, okay, I know the guy wants to build a hotel. So it's not a rehabilitation, it's a building of a
hotel. Um, and again, I struggle with that. So I got to dig deeper. you know, what's going to get me over the the the the finish line here to make that recommendation and not to the planning board, which I do sit on the planning board. Uh, do I think that do I think that this is an area that should go to the planning board for review and that's
all they would be tasked to do just like at 34th Street which you heard about. They were tasked with is this area an area in need of rehabilitation? They don't come back with recommendations, build a hotel, build a skating rink, build anything. They they say yes or no, it's an area needed of rehabilitation.
And as uh council numat I think it was uh I know I've heard your name many times before um stated that there's a process and he stated correctly the process although he did throw I would like to talk to him afterwards. Um he stated it seemed to me intermittently the word redevelopment. Uh when he
talked about the developer not wanting any kind of tax breaks um but then he mentioned 95% of tax revenue goes to the city. That tells me that uh he's probably looking for a pilot agreement. Now, for those who don't know, a pilot
agreement is a is a benefit of this rehabilitation designation where allows uh the city to negotiate a pilot agreement with the developer and to um essentially the developer will not pay county tax and they won't pay school
tax. Now, this property is right next to a beautiful multi-million dollar school that this community fought for for 20 years. Are we willing to do that? Are we willing to give up that that tax revenue? Who's going to pay for that school tax? You know, get spread around. Um,
as I stated, I'm not against development. I love the responsible development. We have to engage the community and choose the right path. As we mentioned before, we've talked about this committee. I firmly believe that's the fastest and most efficient uh path. And I'll tell you why. So before that, I
want to just talk briefly about what happened in August. Uh since August in our 6 to1 vote since August, a few things have happened that have been challenging. I mean, I hate it when I hear that tenants are moving out. Now, that's a part of the real estate process. I get it. You know, tenants
turn over. Uh Mr. Rob mentioned that normally doesn't take more than two months. You know, that's that's that's challenging. That's problematic to me. You know, I want to see those stores fill up as quickly as they normally do, but I'm not willing to uh change a process when I believe that process is
flawed from the prem very premise. What else has happened since then? The property doubled in value. It's $25 million. Again, I have a little disconnect as just a property needed rehabilitation. That designation, yeah, you we all know what rehabilitation means on the street. It means fixing the
property up. Yeah, it needs to be fixed up, but it doesn't need that designation. any the tax breaks and the different type of uh flexibility with the with the zoning. We have nine professionals on that uh committee. It
represents developers, architects, council people. Um and I really do applaud Terry uh for putting to having the foresight to to really dig in and put together a really really great committee. I know some people turned them down and I know there's people out
in the audience and people I've talked to over the last couple of weeks that want to be on the committee because they see the benefit of it and they're they're really bright people. Um I commend Dave for his leadership. You know Dave I told him recently that he's he's blessed with the good news is he's blessed with great leadership. The bad
news is he's blessed with great leadership. So he keeps he keeps getting these jobs. Um >> Amen. So, this committee, you know, we're digging in, rolling up the sleeves weekly, and we try to come up with some uh some data that Jocelyn mentioned. A
couple numbers popped out of me these last couple weeks that really opened my eyes and made me think we really got to look at this boardwalk. And now, it's whether we got a yes or no vote tonight or um or whatever happens tonight, we're still these things still need to be looked at and addressed. But one of them
is one big number that jumped out of me is we did, you know, we're talking about getting people up to the boardwalk. How do we get people up to the boardwalk? Obviously, there's still a lot of people coming to Ocean City, but how do we get them up to the boardwalk and shop at night in particular? So, I found out through my own little personal research and through the research in the
committee that um the boardwalk visitors to the boardwalk at night has been declining dramatically for the last 15 years. Now, I heard numbers from 10 years to 20 years. So, I'm going to give you 15 years. There was a time and I always thought this was the number. There was 100,000 visitors on a busy
July night. Well, evidently that's not the case anymore. So again, what I asked to ask the logical question, why? What's what's going on there? And I'm sure that I know that there's many pieces to that puzzle. When we did this inventory of the boardwalk, we found out that this really
surprised me. 15% 15% of the properties up there are entertainment. Is that enough? I mean, how 55% is restaurants. How much pizza can you eat?
We need in my mind my opinion whatever goes there at that property and again we were talking about rehab designation but we know that what's uh why it's brought forth is this idea of a hotel. So that's going to be forefront of my mind. Whatever goes up there I want it to be
something that attracts the uh the people to the boardwalk so all everybody can benefit and might be a hotel. I firmly believe this committee that we that we formed is going, as I mentioned earlier, is going to be the fastest way to get to that answer. Um, it's going to
be the least risky way. We're going to look at the master plan because if we bring anything in the master plan that it that is not consistent with the plan, it's it's not going to go anywhere. And it's also going to also up to open us up to lawsuits. So, the process is really
really important. I love what everybody else loves here. We all want a a viable, active boardwalk, but I'm really concerned that this rehab designation process is flawed from the very start and it's going to get us into trouble and it's going to take longer. Um, I will work diligently with everybody in
this room to help that boardwalk grow. But again, I I think the subcommittee is is the best possible answer to it. And it's going to move things forward. People call keep talking about moving forward. Everybody up here wants things to move forward dramatically. you know, we're spending a lot of time trying to
put this together, and I promise I'm going to wrap it up here. Um, as a council person, my job is to be diligent and and not go with, you know, the popular, you know, the the biggest party that's going on at
the moment. I got to be objective. And sometimes it's really hard. It's hard tonight. I mean, I there's a lot of my friends in here that are that are that want me to send this to uh the planning board is an area in need of rehabilitation, but they're with my friends and they're going to know that I'm going to v vote
with my heart. I'm going to vote with the data that I've been given. I'm going to vote uh via the the number of phone calls and emails that I get so I get a feedback from the what the community wants. If this is not a communitydriven response to a problem up there, I think
we're in trouble long term. Um, again, I want to vote with my conscious. The best is for everybody. Tonight and every any night when my bed hits the pillow, I want to fall asleep. And the only way I can do that is if I
know if I vote with good conscience and keep my integrity. Thanks. You want to just come this way? Any comments here? >> We're starting here unless someone else wants to go. >> No, go ahead. Start at the end. It's easy. Just go.
>> I appreciate everybody's com everybody's diligence tonight. I know it's been tough. It's been a long night and I I certainly appreciate everybody's comments. You know, I spent a lot as as we all have. We have spent our countless hours thinking about this project to try to determine what is the best best route
to go uh in considering this this resolution for 600 boardwalk. I clearly understand both sides of the coin and that's what that's what makes it Oh, you hear me now? >> Okay, good. Should I start over?
>> No. >> You got an answer. >> I clearly I I clearly understand the positions. uh both sides of the of the issue and that's what makes it really hard because I everybody has given very heartfelt uh opinions and their
feelings. So it makes it even just so difficult for us but my approach takes me more to a a strategic perspective on how we address this issue. in August, again September, you know, the resolution was voted down uh by council
and six to one, five to one in favor of reviewing the whole boardwalk through the master plan uh con concept. Um since then, the fundamentals really haven't changed. The only thing that has really changed is President Crowley uh sub uh
organized a subcom boardwalk subcommittee to really take an in-depth look at all kinds all factors about the boardwalk to determine how we can best move this thing into the future and with a focus on 600 on 600 boardwalk, you
know, and make re obviously make recommendations back to back to city council. Uh as you as you heard Jocelyn speak at the beginning of this meeting, uh the committee's work is well underway. Uh and we have we're anticipating that we'll be able to
submit our final findings uh to city council in the early spring. So it's not it's not a long way off. This is not a multi-year process by any stretch of the imagination because we too have an urgency to get get this completed. Um
but make no make no mistake about it. City council will be expected to refer once they review them and approve them our recommendations to the planning board. Um and in my opinion that is the appropriate time to ask the planning board to consider the 600 boardwalk as
an area in need of re rehabilitation. U if that of of course if that is the will of the of the city council. To me it's all a timing it's a timing issue. my opinion, the subcommittee should first develop and communicate recommended changes to the master plan,
including 600 boardwalk, which will probably incur some more uh zoning relief. Um, and as part of this process, I think we're we need to include the property owner at 600 Boardwalk in the pro in the planning process to get his
feedback and find out what he what he's willing to compromise on. And I think we working collaboratively together, I think we can come up with a really really good plan. Um, you know, he has a such a big part of this boardwalk. We we can't just ignore what he wants to do. So I think he needs to become part some
part of the process uh when when we we have our facts gather because we're still in the fact gathering uh stage. But my fear is if rehabilitation is approved and then we go right then then start moving towards redevelopment
um without the input from the subcommittee um has this rehabilitation designation really been made prematurely. But if the will of the majority of council tonight is to send 600 boardw walk to the planning board to be
considered for rehabilitation as a team player I fully support that. um you know but my concern is again with a successor agreement for redevelopment which then makes a negot take kind of takes it out of the hands of the of the of the sub of
the subcommittee for my work experience in the hotel industry for many many years uh while the hotel propose that we have seen is absolutely gorgeous and beautiful the building itself is not going to attract masses to that end of the boardwalk.
Yeah. the first year or two it's open or when it's being built, we'll get the lookers and the seers, but it's not going to track millions or thousands of people every night to that end of the boardwalk because if you think about protocol, how many people walk by
protocol? Not a whole lot unless they're going unless they're basically going home. But something special needs to be incorporated into the plan. And something special is what is going to get people down to that board to that hotel and to the or whatever we decide
we're going to build there. And that can become a standard for the master plan. The entire iconic boardwalk could be so much better. Some property owners have heavily invested in their properties and made them quite attractive uh and enticing such as Councilman Love
checking his stores. uh and I encourage others to do to do the same to make these enticing beautiful properties to attract people to come in and spend and obviously and spend money. Um we we need to expect so much more for the appearance of our boardwalk and I
believe the subcommittee can really help in doing that. Um I think personally the city council should take a leadership position, set the standards as it may be suggested by the subcommittee uh through the planning
process and require development to be in alignment with the prescribed standards. Otherwise, it's a developer setting the standards or in other words, it's the tail wagging the dog. So let's not let urgency to build 600 boardwalk right
away, but let's go through this process. This is not a long process, folks. This is a very very short timeline. This committee is meeting regularly with a high high sense of urgency uh to chart the course for future generations. We
get it. I won't be around to see most of this stuff, but I know there's a lot of younger people in town and my kids and my grandchildren will be. So, I'm not doing anything that I would ever think was going to hurt them. Um, so once we
decide what should be built at 600 boardwalk and maybe enhance the rest of the boardwalk, build baby build. Thank you. >> Oh, thank you. That was a message to you. >> It was a message. Okay. I want to thank
everybody for coming here tonight. This is my favorite building in Ocean City. I had my first crush, I think, in this building at a dance when I was 13 years old. I've been inaugurated in this building twice. And uh since there's no synagogue in Ocean City, this is kind of like I would call it my synagogue here.
So maybe maybe a synagogue at 600 Boardwalk wouldn't be a bad idea, but it's actually a nonviable idea for Ocean City, just like many of the ideas that have been brought forward for 600 Boardwalk. So, let me dive into that for a second. Okay. I think many of you know
my credentials of being a boardwalk amusement operator, not just here in Ocean City, but in several other shore towns throughout New Jersey over many, many years. All right. And what I can tell you is a as as having credentials in that industry,
amusement business at 600 Boardwalk is not viable on its own. If you want to see an amusement business there, which I very much do, okay, or amusement rides or things that are going to attract people to that property, it needs to go
into some sort of zoning reformat or redevelopment or attention or whatever you want to call it. Okay, I am confident and I agree with these two gentlemen with many of the things they said except for, of course, their final deliberation on this. Okay. Um, and let me just back up for a second. I I just
want to talk about two other things real quick. We've had a lot of talk about subcommittee. We've had a lot of talk about the master plan, the master plan review. I've heard I've taken a lot of shots over the last two weeks, including um that that I should discount myself uh
as being uh that that I have a conflict of interest. Okay? I I've you know what? I come here tonight, ladies and gentlemen. I come here with facts. I come here with due diligence that I did. And I come here with a lot of guts, okay? to to look at people who have had
a lot of faith in me and didn't think I was a conflict of interest, interestingly enough, on August 21st and all the days that led up to it and for many days after that. But somehow 2 weeks ago, I became a conflict of interest. All right, I am not a conflict of interest. I've done my due diligence.
I'm not an officer on any of these associations that have that have come together and I don't own any property within 200 ft. So, I am not a conflict of interest. And if you want to keep telling me that I am, prove it. Okay, so let let's squash that one. Second of
all, Mr. Ma has never approached me or forced my hand to do anything. And neither of the any of these fine people that represent our business community. Okay, I've been here long enough. These folks have gotten know me long enough. You kind of don't force me into doing anything. Unless, of course, you're my
my wife Jill. She gets me to do a lot more than the average. Okay, but you >> I got a mind of my own. I'm an independent representative on this council and and I'll tell you, we got a fine team up here. We work really well together. We got a great administration and we have done our due diligence up
here and at the end of the day, we just all have different little deliberations on where we're going with this. But I I think I bring the most amount of facts and experience in some of this up here and I'm going to just share some of that with you guys. Okay, let's talk about the uh let's talk about the master plan
review. So many people recommending stick with the master plan. Stick with the master plan. I'm willing to bet a quarter you never even looked at the master plan before. So you probably don't know much of what you're talking about. Second of all, we have a master plan review here which I myself as well as eight other
people on the committee have spent a lot of time reviewing. Okay. I also have a packet of paperwork here of facts about the boardwalk that myself and at least one or two other people on the committee have brought to the committee. So, since we're talking about I'm not going to say exact words or mention any names, but since we're talking about the work of
that committee, the majority of the facts that are brought to that committee are being brought by myself. I don't need I I don't need a an applause or a boo or a anybody to wonder. But that's the case. That's what's going on here. Some of the things that other people have brought to the committee are
questions like, "Let's find out how much money everybody makes up there a year." Are you kidding me? What is that going to do? What how's that going to help? Okay, I am very pleased with having people on the committee that are against this. I'm very pleased with every person
that's on that committee and I agree with you. We're going to we're going to get to answers through that committee which is exactly why I recommended it and I'll release the email tonight of where it was me. I sent the email to President Crowley and every other person
up here at this table asking for the committee. All I asked was not to pick the people on the committee. I I asked Mr. Crowley to do that. And I'm glad that he had the foresight to pick eight others on top of myself that could join that committee and do good work for the city. Okay. But I also found out in
about our fifth or sixth meeting where our our Mr. Winsow is our chairman of that committee and I think he's doing a very good job and I understand where he's coming from. Okay. But when we tried to have some discussions on on 600 boardwalk you it and and and and I'm
kind of glad he said this. he he had brought up during and I don't want to say the specific discussions or who who was trying to discuss it but he said this is a city council function so you know what two weeks ago I brought it back to city council okay I've done everything that I can to this moment I
think for that committee I've brought all the facts that I know I've I've I've met any one of the other committee members on the on the dime anytime they've wanted to I've walked up and down that boardwalk with every single one of them I believe I there might be one I didn't okay and I've had members
of that committee call me and say, "Great job two weeks ago." Okay, I sat on this planning board for over two years. So, let's talk about the planning board for a second. Okay, Mr. Ma doesn't need this city council to
go to the planning board for anything. You know why? He could do it himself. Let me show you how. Like I said, I come with facts. Let me show you how Mr. Ma comes to the planning board. Maybe I'm teaching him something tonight. I don't know if he's thought about this or not, but I am an owner on the boardwalk. So,
I think like a property owner on the boardwalk. And I'm going to show you what I would do if I was him. If I were him and in this conundrum, okay, this represents 600 Boardwalk, this piece of paper. This is the beach.
That's Wayne Avenue and a beautiful neighborhood behind it, which I've heard from a lot of people from that neighborhood, by the way. And I respect your neighborhood and I respect all of you. And guess what? No matter what happens here tonight, hopefully it's a yes, but no matter what happens here tonight, you have my promise that in my
synagogue here that I will help protect your neighborhood as we go through this. Okay? I've seen Mr. Mida's renderings of what he wants to do. I've heard what he wants to do. Guess what? HE'S A DEVELOPER. THEY SHOW UP and they tell you the biggest thing that they want to do and
you negotiate. All right, I want to get to that point. All right, so here's what he could do. Let's pretend it's roughly a 300 by 300 ft property. This is in our current on boardwalk
zone. These are the rules. He can do this. He doesn't need city council. He doesn't need the zoning board. All he needs to do is just like all the other hundreds of subdivision applications that are by right that go through the planning board. He can do it. All right.
Here's what he could do. Take the first in the on boardwalk zone in order. He could he could go for a demolition permit and and and demolition everything that's there. He should. That's the first thing that needs to happen there. There's no saving any part of that property. And
I'll get to that in a minute. He could go for the demolition report. the demolition permit and he could subdivide the there's it's currently two properties right now. I don't know if anybody knows that but it's actually currently two properties. The back one which actually connects to the
hospitality district. Okay, which is what he's trying to bring hospitality. It it it the boardwalk. Let's just talk about the boardwalk side. All right. You only need a 30 and I forget the depth. I think it's 50, but I'm going to call it
100. I'm going to way oversize it. He can subdivide that that 300 linear feet of property into 30 foot width buildings or just buildable lots. He doesn't need to come with a plan. All he
needs to come with is a subdivision plan. What I just drew here on a piece of white paper. Okay? 30 foot lot, 30 foot lot, 30 foot lot, 30 foot, 30 foot, 30 foot, 30 foot, 30 foot. And then you need to leave 40 at the corner. That is his current zoning
on boardwalk. Guess what you'll get out of that? I don't know. Whoever's interested in renting a a store or two or buying land or whatever in what I'm going to call no man's land. Where are you getting tenants? I don't know. Good ones. Anyway, you'll get tenants because
I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm in the the retail business. I'm in the amusement business. I know operators in other towns who would love to come and operate in Ocean City. Okay. And you know what they're going to do? They're going to come here and they're going to make I hear this word big mistake. They're going to make a big mistake. They're going to either
buy or rent property that isn't going to get them what they think that they're getting. They think Ocean City wonderful. They're going to go there and there's no attraction to bring anybody to those stores. How are those stores going to be viable if Mr. Rap stores can't be can't be viable right now in
this environment? How does that make sense? I don't understand it. Okay. This is what he can do. Is this what we want? Is this what ocean Oh, and by the way, let me add the kicker to it. He doesn't have to offer parking with it either, cuz no parking is required in the on boardwalk zone. Didn't know if you all
knew that or not. He's bringing 300 some odd parking spots in his plan. None which are there now. Also, all right, that's the current situation. What he could do, guess what happens to the 200 ft behind it? Who knows? Because it's it's dead. It becomes dead space. So he
could take his time because I guarantee you he'll make his money back on this side or more and let that side just hang out until he could get approvals through the zoning boards or wherever to build housing or whatever he's applies for a
little bit at a time or just subdivides that property too. How does that allure or bring anybody to our boardwalk? How does that help the businesses? And by the way, it's the businesses. I I just I can't stress this enough and I say it unapologetically. It is the businesses
that have been here for decades that have these brand names that attract people to come here. How many times do I see on Facebook some nut drove an hour from Philadelphia just to come eat mango pizza? It happens. Okay. Or eat French fries. It happens because we are a
hospitality and tourism industry here. Okay. There's other reasons they come here too, but this is the main driver. How do I know that? Because we have a chamber of commerce. Kate County has a chamber of commerce. The state has a has a ch has commerce. And you know what? They have something called reports that
they put out every quarter that talk about how ind this industry works. So I don't know if anybody's any up here's looked at any of those reports, but I do because I have a serious interest in tourism. So I got that to back it up. So if anybody wants to go look at the tourism reports and what people do when
they're on vacation and why they come here, I'd highly recommend you do that. They're not coming here for this plan. Okay? What's the next thing he could do? This is the nice thing he would do, by the way, because it's kind of harmless. Doesn't really hurt anybody. It It's a continuation of the boardwalk, but it
certainly doesn't help anybody. So, what's the next thing that he could do? The next thing is you leave it like how it is. That's awesome. That looks great. Let's leave it like that. That's helping out everything. He could do that. Can't stop him from doing that. The third thing that he could do is he could just rip everything out and just leave it
empty, right? And yeah, the surrounding neighborhood will be happy because they have a beachrun view for a little bit, but who knows what happens after that. He could sell it. Then we're just dealing with the next person and so on and so on and so on. And I'm just going to ask our city solicitor just please
just a simple question. Please verify that if this were to go to the uh uh planning board for their recommendation, it comes back to city council and we can approve or deny their recommendation. Am I am I correct about
that? >> That's correct. >> Okay. So, in that period of time that that's happening, good thing we came up with this subcommittee. Okay. who gets to review continue to review all of this for for all I mean just things that I
already know and everybody all the all all the all the committee can get caught up on on all of this information that I already know and make their best recommendation as to where what they think fits in best at 600 Boardwalk. I I I I don't understand why we're not doing
that. And you know it just all of this didn't really occur to me on August 21st. I didn't have all my facts, all my due diligence in order. Um, quite frankly, I was a little scared of change, too. You know, that was part of what prompted my no. But I've kept my word about what I'm looking to do. I
also said on that day, hey, if certain things happen, I'm going to have to go and support I'm going to change course and support this development in some way or another. I said that to you all. Okay, let's bring some more facts to the table here. Okay, I mentioned that an
amusement park on its own there, it's not viable. And I'm and and and it's very nice to see that there are there are people in this audience and people who have reached out to me who think it's possible and they're trying and they're and and and they got a good heart and they're they're trying
everything they can to bring something. But at the end of the day, if you can't buy the property and you don't have a financial arm to do it and you don't have management experience doing this and you you don't have mechanics in order, there I don't I don't think they
realize what goes into amusements. I sit on the New Jersey Amusement Association board of directors for the last dozen years or so. I'm the right now I'm the vice president there. just got back from the New Jersey, excuse me, not New Jersey, uh, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attraction Show. Did
I don't know, did did the folks who are trying to bring amusements up here who say they got it all down and and questioning my knowledge up here, you know, they they mentioned be my name today here in comments. I'm not going to mention theirs, but did they go to that expo? Did do they know do they know professionals in the industry? Probably
not. I I I I doubt it. I didn't see them there. So what I've heard in this industry like just hands down is mainly Jody and I'm not going to quote I I I my again my credentials are there with amusement operators all throughout New Jersey and
the tri-state area. Jody I wouldn't set up with free dirt over there my amusements. Okay. So, who's coming in and buying it? Then if the people who are most likely to take their management team that they already have, their mechanic team, their knowledge, their
reports, because they've been doing it for years, they know what rides work, what rides don't work. If they're not willing to do it, I just don't understand how a pie in the sky idea is going to work. It It doesn't. It's common sense. Okay? And I and I've kind
of had it with people who are not residents of this town telling myself and telling people who are experts in this town of running businesses what's best for their business. I think the business experts here have kind of got that sorted out and proved it cuz if
they haven't, you wouldn't have been coming here with your second home. And and and and that's the way that I feel about it. Okay. Okay, I'm going to I'm going to put another myth to bed. Okay, I was one of the people included. Fear of well, if
you do one, there's going to be plenty of others to come. Okay, guess what? Same thing. Did my due diligence, have my proof that's not happening. You also just had very prominent people, at least
three of them that own major amounts of property in this town tonight, tell you on the record in front of city council, in front of all of you, they don't want to develop their land. They don't want to. They love what they do. So do I. We
bond like that. We love this boardwalk. We love serving the customers who come here. We love serving the people of Ocean City. Okay. And I find it disgraceful that somebody would sit here and and and and and actually take pride in that they said it. I'm watching the guy that that you know this is when you
know that you're stuck that you have no more facts left and you become a a a you're scraping the barrel for things just to knock people. When you sit here and say that we're just trying to sell another piece of pizza or sell a t-shirt. Give me a break. Okay. Give me a break. TELL THAT TO THE FIVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING OUT. TELL that
to them. And you know what? If you think you know so much, they just named the five addresses that are going to be available for rent. Go rent yourself a store and then come tell us how it's done. Okay, this is me talking. This is me from somebody who loves Ocean City.
Okay. Somebody who's been putting everything, grit, time, care, time away from my kids tonight to sit here and deliberate for what I think is best for Ocean City. I'm sorry that some people so far on this panel don't necessarily totally agree with me on the final
deliberation, but I do not want to go down as somebody who made this big horrific mistake of not moving forward with something now over there. It's ridiculous. Okay, you guys. Come on. We've got
How can you How can you possibly look at that property and tell me with a with a clear vision with with with sincerity that that property, okay, is is able to redevelop without a zoning change.
>> You can't do it. You can't do it. And if YOU CAN, WHY HASN'T IT been done yet? Why? And that's all I got to say. [Music] Keith, you're next. [Laughter]
>> You're up. >> They're telling me to go with short. These guys are all long. Um, so again, I want to thank everybody for coming out. Um, I think there's a lot more agreement in this room and agreement up here. I think it's how to get there is part of
it. Um, Mr. Rob, you didn't have to apologize to me. I learned a long time ago um that it's not always the um the style of what somebody says. It's the substance. You're frustrated. What I do appreciate is the fact that you're willing to talk to me. uh that means
more to me than that than than how you said it because you're upset and that happens and I have to accept that. So I accept your apology, but it wasn't necessary. Um and that's kind of part of what we have to do here. We have to start to work together. Okay? And no
matter what happens and no matter what the vote is tonight, I'll support it and I'll work hard to do it. That's that's the bottom line. I might have a different way of getting there, different ideas about that. Um, you know, today I got a call from Wes
and you know, he he talked to me and we we we didn't get into um a debate. We got into an area uh where we just wanted to understand one another because after tonight, wherever
it goes, that's what we're going to have to do as a community and that's the most important thing. Um, and most everybody's been respectful here. one person just called me really bad names. There's always one in the crowd and that's how it goes, you know, but uh they mouththed it to me and that, you know, that's going to happen. But
overall, it's been very very um respectful in here and I appreciate that. And also Chuck Bangle called me. We've been friends a long long long time. Um and I have a lot of respect for him. He has a lot of respect for me. And it was the same thing. We didn't have a conversation where we were trying to
convince each other. We had a conversation to have a foundation uh to move forward no matter how this how this goes. Now, for me, I I still look back to the subcommittee, and I'm going to tell you why. Everybody's agreed tonight that
this town um is divided. They disagree by how much is divided, but it's divided. And when something's divided, there's only one thing that I know to do is to compromise. And that's what the subcommittee's job is to do. You know, I have parts of this project I don't like,
and I have parts of this project I do like, but I don't suspect to get any everything I want. And I don't expect anybody else here or up here to get everything they want. That's how it works. So when I I look at Mr. Winslow and I'm the one that keeps putting them in these jobs in a few a few more
months. He's going to hate me. But honest to God, the guy's so good at it. And I look at this subcommittee and say, "Look, he's moving at breakneck speed. The guy's got so much talent and ability in this area not to respect that, not to step back and allow that process to go.
I think shortsighted." Um because he's going to get to a point, I believe, and if it doesn't happen, I'll say, "Hey, I was wrong." I think he's going to get to a point with this subcommittee where they're going to come across with a proposal that we all can embrace. Not everything one side wants and not
everything the other side wants. The last time our country worked well together uh was Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neal. Okay? And I can tell you right now, uh, my father's office was down the hall from Tip. My father was a conservative
Republican and Tip was a liberal Democrat from Boston and we lived in Boston. Then he was from Souy. But I'm going to tell you that he had the fortitude to compromise. And I haven't heard much about compromise tonight. I've heard a lot about what people want, but I
haven't anything about compromise. and you know my father's office down to him before um Ronald Reagan became president but my father got transferred down to the Pentagon so he stayed in in touch and through the years when we we lived north of Boston uh my father had
staffers over and you should see the camaraderie that they had the parties went away back in that time period people sat down and worked together I believe everybody in this room is we can get to some kind of consensus but I think the road to the consensus is through the subcommittee I really do
Because the subcommittee has the most divergent group of people on it. There's people for it, there's people against it, there's people not sure. And the beauty of it is out of the nine people for or from the planning board. So you're going to get a real planning board emphasis. So we're going to have
that in that inside that group. And I just look at the fact that compromise is the key to success. If we're divided and we are, then that's truly the only solution that we have that's going to make sense. And my expectation and and
and and Mr. Winsow's talked to me about the subcommittee without telling me what it is, his level of enthusiasm and confidence in this group. You have to hear it to understand it. So, I've got to let that play out. I mean, he's going to have this thing ready to go in the
spring. Then, it's going to go to the planning board. But what it's going to go to the planning board with is a consensus because he's going to try to reach out to everybody that he can, all the groups, try to figure out the pros and the cons and mesh them together. I mean, I can sit and tell you things I
don't like about the project, and I can sit and tell you things that I do like about the project, but I'm not here to make that debate because that debate should be solved in that subcommittee. Okay? Whatever happens, we have to work together. Okay? We have to be unified in
what we're doing. So if this goes a different direction than I want it to do, I'll do everything I can to work with it. Okay? And that's the important thing. But I'm going to say this, no matter what direction it goes, it's going to take an awful lot of time to get something going there. And I could
get in all the facts and the reasons they're obvious. So in that time period, what we need to do is do something down there. Okay? That's what we need to do. And I've put my money where my mouth is. I I won't go into what it is to say I
want to do something down there. When it when it comes to um the stores themselves, I will work vigorously vigorously to fill those stores because I just took a pile of crap all winter long for the downtown, but everybody worked together down there. I wasn't the
leader of it. I was just one of the people. The stores got filled. And I'm down to two stores. one of them he doesn't want to be filled and the other one wards I'm very close to getting a user in there. I would be diligent. I will work hard. I will work with everybody to make sure those stores get filled because either way they have to
get filled. That's just the fact of the matter. Now, can you fill them? Oh, sure you can. Everybody, we'll fill them. He just said, "We'll fill." No, that's not how you do it, folks. See, I have long-term tenants and I am blessed with the best tenants in the
world and they've been there a long time. But you don't want to know why? Cuz I go after the tenant. I don't put up a for lease sign and have them come to me. And when I first started in the downtown in 1997, I was like, what did I buy this building for? Oh my god. But
you know what? We all did a lot of work and we went to other towns and recruited people in and we worked hard. So I believe in this boardwalk as it is and I'm not going to change. So I can tell
you right now up in that boardwalk I already know of two or three opportunities. I'm not at liberty to say just like the downtown I kept telling people it was coming. It was coming. That will be great operators and they're excited about it because they believe in Ocean City like I do. So either way we have to fill those stores. And as a
landlord, and I've been a landlord all my life, because a guy in a bar told me 30 35 years ago, you don't want to own the business, you want to own the bricks. Darn was he right. So I I get the check now deposited automatically. It's awesome. You know, I have a maintenance guy, my tenants called,
everything gets fixed. So it's simple and I like that because I'm able to do other things. But when it comes to getting a tenant, you interview the tenant like you're going to work together. You don't interview a tenant by how much they can pay you. You interview a tenant by what their plan
is. So I might take 6 months, 8 months to fill something, but when I do, they last. And if you look at my tenants, you'll know that happened. I could tell you right now, I chase Seventh Street Surf Shop for a long time, you know, and it was a tough decision for them. But I did everything in my power to get them
in there because I knew if they got in there, they would be successful. And darn it, they are. So that's how you do it. You recruit people into the empty stores that you have. Another one's the consignment shop. Everybody said that's never going to work. I interviewed Helina at that time. Karen was involved.
They had a great plan. So I said, "Let's give it a try." They were they were the least financed of all of them, but had the most enthusiasm for what to do. Once we do all that, of water. Let him finish.
>> We listen to the public. Okay. It it it's it's time for the council to deliberate. Okay. Please. I get passionate. I'm sorry, but this is an opportunity and I and I apologize, but this is an opportunity for the next 20, 25, 30 years. And I take it
seriously. I'm sitting here too and I'll sit here all night if it means that we get together and we work together because that's the what's important, not how much. Look, look, he talked a long time. Dave talked a long time. I found it both very interesting. And Sean talked a long time. We're all talking a
long time. So why? Because we love it and we want to try to get together. We have camaraderie up here. And I'm going to end by saying this. The other week he says he's going to be mad at me. I can't be mad at him. I might disagree with him. I can't be mad at him. We're going to work together no matter what. And our
my guarantee to everybody up here and all of us guarantee to all of you that if we all work together, we'll get there some way somehow. >> Could you share the number on your notes? >> All right. Where Tony? >> I promise I'm not going to be long. I've
been up since 5 on Wednesday morning. I have not slept since 5. I've been up since 5:00 on Wednesday morning. I kid you not. Thanks, Karen. >> Real quick, I'd just like to start by thanking everybody.
You know, I spoke a few weeks ago about being a little more kinder and respectful. Thank you. You guys proved that by your emails and your text to most of us, I believe, was much more respectful and
love. So, you got a little Tony P juice. Good job. When I voted no to bring this to the planning board, I thought, you know, hey, like Councilman Lovechuk said, I was
concerned about it going up and down the boardwalk. And then when I got more information and more educated, I thought, did I make a mistake by voting no? But I don't think so. I think things
happen for a reason. And because we voted no in the process, we have a subcommittee. I was told that because I want to move this forward that I'm, you know, being
disrespectful to Dave and to Terry. That's not my intentions. I think this subcommittee is very important and I'd like to see it go forward, but because we're going to bring this to
the planning board, that to me just keeps the ball rolling. It keeps it moving forward and allows, like Mr. Harts said, all work together. We're not voting on a rehabilitation or
redevelopment. We're not voting on a hotel. We're voting on what I respect highly is what Mr. Mayor always gave me advice is find out the facts. And your mayor and this administration always finds out the facts before they make any
decision. So that's what we're trying to do is find out the facts. It's keeping the ball rolling and I think it would be wrong if we just let this not move forward and bring it to the planning board. It's doing the right
thing. [Applause] [Music] In closing, I promise it wasn't short. When I ran four years ago uh in the uh day of the inauguration or whatever,
I stated about how I felt council and administration the council was at divided and I wanted to bring unity back when I sat on this seat and it was important to me. I feel the last few months we're
starting to feel divided again. We need to bring this forward and work together and bring unity back because it's important and it's good for this council, this administration, and it's really good for you guys in Ocean City. Thank you.
>> Am I up? >> I'm sorry. >> Yeah, no worries. Uh, thank you everybody for coming out and mostly thank you for your patience uh through all this. So, Ocean City is America's greatest family resort, and it's true. It isn't just because of the beaches, the
boardwalk, or our ability to provide wholesome family experiences to residents and visitors alike that make that true. It's our people. Our town's collective community, and our ability to work together is what makes us great. Today, we can choose to move forward and
keep Ocean City as a desirable destination for our visitors, summer residents, and year-round residents. However, as important as it is to move forward and embrace progress and new ideas, must we must do so together as a community, if we don't find our
collective voice, it will be counterproductive to our future. Staying ahead of the curve is vital to our success. Companies and corporations are constantly looking for ways to improve and to stay relevant in the everanging world that we're in today. Our town's no
different. And while we are rooted in tradition, we can't let nostalgia get in the way of moving forward. Understandably, 600 Boardwalk elicits a strong emotional response from our community. But those feelings aren't fact, and facts aren't feelings.
Marcus Aurelius said, "The more we value things outside of our control, the less control we have. Confine yourself to the present." Tonight's vote is procedural in nature. And I think Jerry Corkran hit that hit that nail on the head. Um, we can work in conjunction with the
committee while moving forward. This vote merely provides the opportunity to move the unique property at 600 Boardwalk forward. It does not bind the city to anything. It simply asks for input from the planning board, our professional
government arm, for direction. Yes, there's a committee reviewing the boardwalk as a whole, but time is of the essence. And the longer we wait to make decisions, the more stagnant we become. Fortune favors the bold, so let's be
courageous in our pursuits. Thank you. >> Uh my turn. Uh, you know, this has been uh such a challenging process because at the end of the day, everyone that sits up here wants to do the right thing. Believe it or not, there's no deals or or any of that stuff that goes on. We want what's best for Ocean City. And,
you know, I talked to Mar Mark this week. We had a long conversation. I won't share all of it, but you know, the Rob family wants what's best for Ocean City. Um, I have no doubt about that. And and I want what's best for Ocean City. And that's why I got a lot of compliments tonight about starting the
subcommittee. I think it's important. I think it's doing good work. And the whole reason why I wanted the sub subcommittee was to gather information so that we could make the best decision we could make for the town. That being said, we've been elected to
lead and not moving this forward right now is not leading and it's not taking into account the business owners and the residents and we can have a discussion. We can walk and chew gum at the same time.
So, so I won't be longwinded about it. I I I want transparent process that was whole part of the subcommittee. The subcommittee in my mind is still going to move on. They're still going to recommend do recommendations, but it can run concurrently and we don't know where we're going to end up and we don't know
what the final answer is, but we're going to move with integrity towards that. >> All right. Okay. All right. Um, I know you're going to hate me for saying this, but uh, since it was a pulled resolution, we do
have to go out to a public comment. >> You don't have to. >> Please. >> Only for those who haven't spoken. >> Only for those who haven't spoken, right? >> Only for Yeah, if you haven't spoken, come on up. Name name and address. Excuse me. Just
>> Just quick question about honestly, it's a valid point that everyone >> Quick question about council rules. I'm sorry. Just we'll stop your clock for one second. If they are they allowed to speak again if they've already spoken on the matter during this part of the public comment >> I didn't speak >> No it's not for you it's just to establish the rule
>> name >> name and address please. I'm sorry. >> Monica Rob 233 West Atlantic Boulevard. So I have a quick question. I've heard a ton about the subcommittee and I'm if I miss this along the way my apologies. So if this is voted no tonight and the
subcommittee continues moving forward but Mr. owns the property. What does the subcommittee really have to do after? Like he still owns the property. So like what does the subcommittee do from that point forward? >> Yeah, Monica, this is it's not a Q&A.
Please don't think I'm being rude to you and I will I'll follow up with you after the meeting. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Cuz I that's just curiosity. >> Fair enough. >> All right. So >> it was a pulled resolution. So that being said, do I have a motion to adopt
resolution six? >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Mr. Madden, >> yes. >> Mr. Barnes, >> no. >> Mr. Pulchini, >> yes. >> Mr. Hartzell, >> no. >> Mr. Lovechuk, >> yes. >> Mr. Winslow, >> no. >> Mr. Crowley,
>> yes. [Applause] >> It's got to come back January 8th. It's got to come back January 8th. Let's see what he says. Can I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> Comes back January 8. >> So moved. She
>> comes back here January 8th after those hand mentioned that the resolution will come back to city council >> January 8th. >> Resolution will come back January 8th. All right. We still have to get through
meeting is not over. So now use can't leave. >> You all can leave just quietly. >> Can't leave. [Music] I think we got that. >> You got you got to >> forget.
>> All right. >> Any new any just wait till it flies down. Guys, we still have a meeting we have to finish. So >> Dave, >> we go to the consent agenda. We
>> approve the consent agenda. >> Roll call. Roll call, please. >> Okay, Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes, >> what's the question? >> Roll call. Consent agenda. >> Consent agenda. Okay. Mr. Pini. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hartzel.
Yes, >> Mr. Lovechuck. >> Mr. Love. >> Yes, >> Mr. Winslow. >> Yes, >> Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. >> I don't Tony. >> Tony.
>> Um, I don't think we need to go to citizen comment against >> I have a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> So moved. >> Second. Let's go.