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APRIL 25, 2014
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OCEAN CITY TODAY/NANCY POWELL
EGGSTATIC Children look everywhere for Easter eggs during last Saturday’s festive hunt in Ocean Pines. The day was filled with the spirit of the holiday with many families glad that spring had actually arrived after the difficult winter that won’t soon be forgotten.
‘Cool’ Berlin unshelves projects Previously stalled actions such as the renovation of Tyson’s plant considered
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By Josh Davis Staff Writer (April 25, 2014) As the town continues to soak in the “cool,” many new and previously shelved projects are being considered. Among the most ambitious is the proposed plan for Tyson’s Park, a revamping of the former Tyson plant on Old Ocean City Blvd. The plan, developed by Vista Design, Inc., has been compared to Northside Park in Ocean City, featuring an indoor and outdoor recreation center, outdoor skateboard park, biking and walking/jogging paths, fishing areas, a fairground and an amphitheater. The overall cost of the park is unknown and the project manager from Vista Design was unavailable for comment. The 16-acre property, owned by
Berlin District 1 Councilmember Troy Purnell, has been unused for more than a decade. Currently a 55,000 square foot building with office and warehouse space stands near the entrance masking large ponds, fields and woodlands behind it. The property also has access to a railroad line. Purnell was unavailable for comment on the project. District 2 Councilmember Lisa Hall supported the plan, suggesting the grounds could also contain a warehouse space, youth center and police substation. Many of the site’s former industrial structures, she believes, could be repurposed for Tyson’s Park. “All of this could be used for indoor skateboarding, basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, walking – it’s there, it just needs to be revitalized,” she said. The Dew Tour currently stores equipment at the site through an arrangement with Purnell. According to Hall the tour has already of-
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fered to donate ramps and equipment toward a permanent skateboard park on the site. The grounds have also been frequented by bird watchers and is one of the sites being used during Delmarva Birding Week on Friday, April 25. Although it current lists for $2.7 million dollars, Hall hinted that the property could be sold to the town for less than $2 million. “It’s a fire sale considering what they purchased this property for and what they wanted for it 10-11 years ago,” she said. “With the slots money we don’t have to do a bond or anything; we could probably pay this off in five years and then go after grant money and utilize town staff, town resources, local resources; we have a good community that likes to work and get together. We could do a lot with this, do a feasibility study and see what’s the best way to go with this and do it in phases. But the See BERLIN Page 4
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By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (April 25, 2014) Despite being lobbied heavily this week by those feeling both edges of the sword, the city continued to stay relatively neutral in the ongoing issues surrounding the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood plain re-mapping. As of March 14, the city is currently in the formal 90-day appeal window whereby individual property owners, or the town as a whole, may contest their proposed new FEMA flood designation. But while local insurance broker Reese Cropper continued to lobby on the city’s vulnerability under a relaxed insurance regime, council declined a direct request by some north-end property owners to fund their struggle to have FEMA relax their zoning even further to match the rest of the resort’s oceanfront. “We can facilitate that process, but will not be responsible for challenging the data,” said City Manager David Recor. To do so, the town would need to hire someone to re-do FEMA’s study, costing tens of thousands of dollars and opening the city up to considerable liability. In its notice to the city of the appeal period, FEMA states that “we ask that you review and consolidate any appeal data you may receive and issue a written opinion stating whether the evidence provided is sufficient to justify an official appeal by your community in its own name or on behalf of the interested parties. “If we do not receive an appeal or other formal comment from your community in its own name within 90 days of the second date of public notification, we will consolidate and review on their own merits such appeal data and comments from individuals that you may forward to us.” Essentially, the city will not be exercising the former option and will not be lobbying any appeal in the town’s See FEMA Page 8
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Ocean City Today
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APRIL 25, 2014
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APRIL 25, 2014
Ocean City Today Business ..................................38 Calendar ..................................66 Commentary..............................93 Classifieds ................................34 Entertainment ..........................53 Insight Plus ..............................49 Obituaries ................................32 Public notices ..........................71 Sports ......................................41 Editor: Phil Jacobs Managing Editor: Lisa Capitelli Staff Writers: Nancy Powell, Zack Hoopes, Clara Vaughn Assistant Publisher: Elaine Brady Account Managers: Mary Cooper, Shelby Shea Classified/Legals: Terry Burrier Digital Media Sales: Jacob Cohen Senior Designer: Susan Parks Graphic Artists: Kelly Brown, Kaitlin Sowa, Debbie Haas Comptroller Christine Brown Administrative Assistant: Gini Tufts Publisher: Stewart Dobson News: editor@oceancitytoday.net Sales: sales@oceancitytoday.net Classifieds: classifieds@oceancitytoday.net Visit us on the Web at www.oceancitytoday.net and at Facebook/Ocean City Today
P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Phone: 410-723-6397 Published Fridays by FLAG Publications, Inc. 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. 21842. Available by subscription at $150 a year.
Ocean City Today
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Coastal Bays to run concessions Company will operate all Assateague Island retail services including rentals (April 25, 2014) National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Michael Caldwell has announced the selection of Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Inc.–SuperFun Eco Tours, LLC to operate the concessions at Assateague Island National Seashore, including retail services located at the Beach Hut on Assateague Island’s North Beach Area and retail and rental services at the Bayside launch area. “This new concession contract will retain the same high standard of service that visitors enjoy now and will improve the environmental sustainability of a very efficient operation,” Caldwell said. Maryland Coastal Bays Program, working in partnership with SuperFun Eco Tours, will offer expanded rental services for kayaking, canoeing and biking, a wide selection of locally-sourced and sustainable food and beverage options, instituting new environmentally-friendly initiatives and sourcing a high percentage of retail merchandise from local artists. “We are so excited about this partnership with Assateague Island National Seashore,” said Dave Wilson, executive director at the Maryland
Coastal Bays Program. “One of our requires a competitive process. The goals is to get people outdoors to ap- NPS concessions program manages preciate the beauty of the bays behind commercial visitor services that are Ocean City and Assateague. And bik- necessary and appropriate for public ing and canoeing are two of the best use and enjoyment at national park ways to do that.” sites. “We are thrilled for this opportuThe NPS solicited offers for this nity to partner with the National Park contract through a prospectus that Service and the was publicly reMaryland Coastal leased in DecemBays Program. We ‘One of our goals is to get people ber 2013. A are excited to outdoors to appreciate the beauty northeast regionshowcase our local of the bays behind Ocean City and led panel of Nac o m m u n i t y tional Park Service Assateague.’ through our efforts subject matter exMaryland Coastal Bays at Assateague Isperts reviewed all land National Program Executive Director proposals and, Seashore,” said based on the criteDave Wilson Tom Simon and ria stated in the Neil Nimrichtor, prospectus, seowners of SuperFun Eco Tours. lected Maryland Coastal Bays ProThis is a new and expanded con- gram, Inc. - SuperFun Eco Tours, cession operation for the park; pro- LLC. viding both day visitors and The criteria and evaluation overnight campers with the only method are prescribed in the federal food, beverage, and merchandise regulations that govern NPS concesservice in the park. It will also pro- sions operations, 36 C.F.R. §51.16(a) vide opportunities for visitors to take and (b). It is expected the new conhome a reminder of their Assateague tract will become effective in May of Island experience. Each retail facility 2014. will serve as an information center More information about visiting about the park as a whole, with inter- Assateague Island National Seashore, pretive exhibits, brochures and maps. visit www.nps.gov/asis/planyThe new 10-year concession con- ourvisit. tract is authorized under the National To learn more about concessioner Park Service Concessions Manage- operations in the National Park Servment Improvement Act of 1998 that ice visit www.concessions.nps.gov.
Ocean City Today
PAGE 4
APRIL 25, 2014
Berlin dusts off some past projects such as Tyson plant
OCEAN CITY TODAY/JOSH DAVIS
The former Tyson plant has been unused for more than a decade. A new plan calls for the site to be converted into a public park.
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use it – where to put windows and lighting in it. I would really like to see Worcester Youth there as a nonprofit and do a long-term lease like the fire company did with the library.” Several town officials expressed optimism on the project, suggesting it be added to the public strategic planning session Mayor Gee Williams proposed during a recent town council meeting. “So many people have so many good ideas and I think that’s another great one,” Williams said. “A lot of these ideas are big and personally I think it’s an exciting idea, but what I would like to do is to convene the community to get their guidance and advice on a whole bunch of options and opportunities that we have and then see where they fall. “My anticipation is that that will be something of widespread support, but we all have to do our jobs and I feel that the citizens can’t delegate their responsibilities as citizens and expect us to read their minds,” he continued. “That’s why we have public hearings and why we have informal neighborhood meetings and all those sorts of things – so that we can go directly to them. This – among many other exciting ideas – needs to
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Continued from Page 1 skateboard park – the walking paths – the birding – that kind of stuff – that’s immediate.” Hall compared the proposal for the outdoor amphitheater to the Freeman Stage at Bayside in Delaware, a site known for drawing Grammy-winning talent. She said the property, while it would need EPA certifications before new construction were to begin, is generally in compliance with environmental standards. “The buildings have been stripped – the plant is bare inside; all the equipment is gone and the floors are bare,” she said. “As far as the building it would be a matter of getting an architect and seeing the best way to
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Ocean City Today
PAGE 5
Old plant seen as beneficial asset as Berlin looks ahead be a part of that process.” Town Administrator Laura Allen agreed with the mayor’s assessment. “I think that would be an appropriate way to fold it into the discussion,” she said. “There are a lot of moving pieces and we have a lot of projects going on right now. I think it would be helpful to hear from the community – to see what their priorities are so we can move forward in that direction. There’s a lot of buzz in the community about it (and) it would be a good item for that discussion.” Business owners in the nearby area were encouraged by the proposed plan. “I think what we’re talking about is a beneficial asset for the town of Berlin that right now is a liability – you’re converting something that’s a liability into an asset, and I think that’s what all municipalities should try to do,” said Bryan Bushmiller, owner of Burley Oak Brewery. “Ocean City has Northside Park – why don’t we have a Northside Park?” he continued. “I’m driving my kids 20 minutes there all the time. I think it would be a great asset for Berlin and it would give the kids something to do.”
Chris Denny, owner of Cheers on Old Ocean City Blvd., would like to see that section of Berlin developed. “I think it’s a great use for that piece of property,” he said. “I’ve been on this corner of town for 25 years basically by myself before Burley Oak came here. It’s just another great draw for the town. The amphitheater looks really good, and the fishing and walking paths look like a great activity that you could walk to from town.” Although the lack of an overall cost estimate has caused trepidation among some officials, there is a noticeable urgency by others close to the project. Hall, for one, believes the property will be sold by the end of the year and worries it could be used as an industrial facility. “I don’t want us to miss this opportunity and then be going, ‘woulda’ coulda’ shoulda’,’” she said. “I think this property is going to change hands before the end of this year one way or another and I want it to be to the town. “I would be so upset to see this go back to industrial,” Hall continued. “This could be something for the town for all perpetuity to keep the economy going year-round. This could really impact everybody.”
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Ocean City Today
APRIL 25, 2014
Cruisin’ Ocean City’s 24th annual event to roll on in
More than 3,200 customs, hot rods, street machines and classics will be on display during the 24th annual Cruisin' Ocean City, May 15-18.
(April 25, 2014) Get ready for one of the hottest hot rod shows on the East Coast, the 24th annual Cruisin’ Ocean City, as it returns to Ocean City, May 15-18. This nationally-recognized event attracts more than 3,200 customs, hot rods, street machines and classics from more than 20 states and Canada. The 24th annual Cruisin’ will have more than 10,000 event participants taking part in car shows at the Ocean City convention center on 40th Street, the downtown inlet parking lot and various citywide locations. Scheduled to appear at this year’s Cruisin’, from the hit TV show “Counting Cars,” “Horny Mike,” appropriately nicknamed for wanting to add horns to everything he builds. He will be at Cruisin’ Friday, at the inlet and Saturday, at the convention center, signing autographs, posing for pictures and talking about all the fun they have on “Counting Cars.” Also joining in on the excitement, to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of “American Graffiti,” stars from the classic movie, See HOT Page 7
Ocean City Today
APRIL 25, 2014
PAGE 7
Hot rods, street machines, classic cars coming to OC Continued from Page 7 Mackenzie Phillips and Paul Le Mat. They will be at the event all four days posing for pictures and signing autographs. Also, check out the American Graffiti tribute cars inside the Ocean City convention center ballroom. Cars will be on display Friday and Saturday. Additional entertainment includes live music, games and deejays. Another feature activity held as part of Cruisin’ is the Express Auctioneer’s Collector Car Auction. Auctions will be taking place on both Thursday, May 15 and Friday, May 16 inside the convention center. The preview will begin at 9 a.m. and the live auction begins at 11 a.m. both days. For more information on the auction, or if interested in being a seller or a buyer, visit www.occollectorcars.com or call 443-8078883. Some of the country’s top national names will be showcasing their products in the manufacturers midway at the inlet parking lot all four days of Cruisin’, including 5 Hour Energy, ACCEL Performance, Billet Specialties, Chevrolet Performance, Classic Underwriters, COMP Cams, Demon Carburetors, Empire Covers,
Flaming River, Flowmaster Exhausts, GEICO, Gold Key Resorts, Hagerty Insurance, Holley Performance, Lucas Oil, Meguiar’s Car Care, Miller Electric, Optima Batteries, Radley Chevrolet, The Right Stuff, Royal Purple, Slide-Lok, Summit Racing and Tremec. At the convention center will be vendors including Kwik-Lift plus many others selling automotive merchandise along with arts, crafts, jewelry, T-shirts and specialty items both inside and outside. Additional Cruisin’ Ocean City highlights are the special Boardwalk parades that will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Staging beings at 27th Street on the Boardwalk and the parades begin at 8 a.m. from North Division Street going south to the inlet. Tickets cost $10 a day, good at both locations, and children 14 and younger will be admitted free with an adult. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with the grand finale awards starting at 3 p.m. For additional show information, visit www.cruisinoceancity.com or call 410-798-6304.
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APRIL 25, 2014
City receives many questions about appeals Continued from Page 1 name. However, city staff will review and advise property owners on any individual appeals they wish to file over the next six weeks. “We don’t have the staff to evaluate them,” said Planning and Community Development Director Matt Margotta. “What we can do is look at them and let [property owners] know ‘you can help yourself by adding this information’ and things to that effect.” “We just don’t’ have the credibility or certifications to endorse everything they send to us,” Margotta said. The city has received strong interest in appeals from ocean front property owners at the extreme north end of town, between 146th and 143rd Streets, whose properties did not receive the same break as their neighbors. When FEMA revealed its new flood risk maps several months ago, it was discovered that most of Ocean City’s oceanfront had been de-classified from its previous designation as a “V” zone, indicating risk of flooding as well as high-velocity impact during storms. This was what the city was hoping for, in part, given that the town had lobbied to have FEMA take the city’s man-made dunes and beaches into account as defense against seaborne storm damage. Much to the town’s surprise, FEMA did not downgrade the “V” zone to an “A” zone – which indicates flood risk
but not velocity – as the city had expected. Instead, most of Ocean City is now an “X” zone, where mortgaged properties will not be required to have flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program. Only the aforementioned uptown blocks, as well as the downtown bayside area and some low-lying areas in the center of town, will still be in the “A” zone that requires full flood insurance on any property being leveraged. While “X” properties are still technically in a flood risk area, they are not in a 100-year flood plain, and are treated much more loosely under FEMA’s building codes. The city adheres to these codes in order to secure the highest possible discount on NFIP policies for in-town structures. The concern of those property owners still in the “A” zone is the effect that mandatory insurance will have on their market values. “It seems to me you should be our sword and shield,” Robert Chertkof, who owns property on 144th Street, told the council. “It just seems inequitable for you not to stand up and help us in some way.” His neighbor, Gwyn Tober, said her previous annual premium of $312 would be going up to between $7,000 and $9,000. However, it is important to note that this is not because of the prop-
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erty’s specific zoning, but because FEMA is drastically reducing the rate subsidies for properties in all zones in order to reduce the NFIP’s deficit of over $25 billion. The rate difference between the “A” and “X” zones, local insurance broker Reese Cropper noted, is actually quite small. The important difference is that those in the “X” zone would not be forced to buy the pricey policy, even if their property was mortgaged. Because of the rate hikes, most properties in the “X” zone are dropping their policies, as is anyone in an “A” zone without a mortgage, Cropper said. Thus, the difference between the two zones will have little impact on those who have paid off their homes and plan to stay in them – but it would make “A-zone” properties essentially un-sellable, relative to similar properties to the south, unless the buyer was paying outright. To get the uptown “A” blocks incorporated in the “X” zone, the appellant would have to prove FEMA’s analysis wrong – a rather tall order given that FEMA is one of the few agencies in the world capable of carrying out a such a comprehensive study. “[FEMA] hits us with their data and there’s little else we can get back from them,” Margotta said. “FEMA has never given us any indication that they care about opinion…that you think the
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dune is at the right level or that you think your neighbor is being treated differently than you. The city, or any individual property owner, could hire an engineer to reevaluate the mapping. But prices on this range from $10,000 to $20,000 per property. “The town has the ability to hire our own consulting firm to evaluate whatever comes to us…but I’m not recommending we do that,” Margotta said. “If [private properties] are willing to pay for their own engineer, we’ll help facilitate the process, I think that’s what Matt’s saying,” said Council President Lloyd Martin. The largest building in the northend “A” zone, the Ocean Place Condominium, has already arranged for its own engineer. “We’ve already started our own process,” said Ocean Place board member Mac Balkcom. “I just wish we could’ve had this discussion sooner. A lot of absentee property owners don’t know about this and still won’t until it hits them.” “Even if they’re not condominiumized, all the neighbors should get together are hire an engineer for the whole area,” agreed Councilman Joe Mitrecic. But if a large enough group of property owners were confident in their appeal, Councilwoman Margaret Pillas posed, the city would have no reason
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Ocean City Today
APRIL 25, 2014
Concern that city not get involved with FEMA issues
to not back them up. “They’re saying ‘we don’t understand why you would not hire a consultant for us because we are taxpayers of the town...and we feel this is not our classification and we want to appeal it,’” Pillas said. “It’s probably not appropriate for the town to get involved with private property owners and how they handle their insurance,” Margotta said. “I don’t know where the line on ‘majority rules’ falls for you, other than to say you’re getting a lot of interest from a certain group.” “It opens the town up to huge liability,” said Heather Stansbury from the office of City Solicitor Guy Ayres. “It would be very hard for staff to regulate how the consultant did his or her job… and in a catastrophic loss scenario, everyone is going to get sued.” On the other side of the coin, some have argued that the “catastrophic loss” scenario is reason for the city to put money not into relaxing flood zones, but lobbying to tighten them or otherwise impose some type of mandatory insurance. “We all seem reluctant to go to the federal powers that be and challenge them on what they do,” Cropper levied. “There’s a deep reluctance to go to FEMA and discuss this.” Critically, he noted, the storm of 1992 that washed over Assateague and did considerable damage to Snug Harbor was not considered in the FEMA data. Neither was Hurricane Sandy, even though both storms did serious damage to the dune line and saw record high waters on the bayside. “If anything, FEMA should at least withdraw the maps for now and look at what Sandy’s effect would’ve been on this city if it had hit as hard as it was supposed to,” Cropper said. “I think you’ll find that most people think it’s the most ludicrous thing to think we’re on a barrier island and flood insurance is going to be optional for most of the city.” To Cropper’s point, FEMA’s downgrading of Ocean City’s risk does seem to be counterintuitive to the purpose of NFIP reform under the Biggert-Waters Act. If the federal government was interested in making the NFIP more solvent, they would continue to charge “V” rates in relatively dense, affluent areas such as Ocean City. “Here’s FEMA saying ‘we need to build up our coffers,’ but in Ocean City’s case people are getting reductions, in some cases massive reductions, even though the Biggert-Waters act takes away a lot of the subsidies,” Margotta said. In fact, Recor noted, national media reported last month that the FBI had launched an investigation into seemingly undue rate reductions in areas of the Gulf Coast that had been decimated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. “Something’s not right,” Cropper said.
PAGE 9
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PAGE 10
Ocean City Today
APRIL 25, 2014
Watch out for motorcyclists on road this weekend
INDUCTION CEREMONY Students inducted into the Pablo Picasso Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica at Worcester Preparatory School, in front row from left, are Hannah Arrington, Fiona Reid, Frankie Willing, Caroline Lindsay, Meg Lingo, Lilly DiNardo, Sarah Koon and Victoria Middleton, row 2, Devin Hammond, Isabel Carulli, Laura Issel, Cassie Stevens, Allie Barrish, Megan Brown, Jason Cook, Staton Whaley, Grace Tunis, Regan Shanahan, Victoria Barros, Kyle Zarif, Zach Oltman, Kyle Chandler, Wyatt Richins, Noah McVicker, Michael Brittingham, Charlie Trupo, Brian Trupo, Ryan Murphy and Jordan Kilgore. The advisor for the group is Spanish teacher Kira Eade.
(April 25, 2014) This weekend, thousands of motorcyclists are anticipated to visit Ocean City and the surrounding area during the Bikes to the Beach Spring Rally. In correlation with Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, which begins May 1, the Ocean City Police Department is reminding motorists and motorcyclists to “share the road” and be extra alert to keep motorcyclists safe. “Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the roadway,” said Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro. “Motorists should perform visual checks for motorcyclists by checking mirrors and blind spots before they enter or exit a lane of traffic. Pedestrians should also get into the habit of scanning for motorcyclists who might be hidden by other traffic.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than a passenger vehicle occupant in the event of a crash. Motorcyclists should remain alert to other drivers, never ride impaired or distracted and always wear a helmet and other protective gear. In order to help keep motorcyclists safe in Ocean City, the Ocean City Police Department would like to offer the following tips: •Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width—never try to share a lane. •Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic, and at intersections. •Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. •Allow more following distance – three or four seconds – when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. •Never tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars. In addition, motorcyclists should follow these tips to remain safe: •Avoid riding in poor weather conditions. •Wear brightly colored protective gear and a DOT-compliant helmet. •Combine hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention. •Use reflective tape and stickers to increase visibility. •Never drive while impaired or distracted. In hopes of a safe and successful Bikes to the Beach event and Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the Ocean City Police Department reminds all drivers and motorcyclists to help share in the responsibility of keeping all road users safe, and do your part by safely “sharing the road.”
APRIL 25, 2014
Ocean City Today
PAGE 11
PENTHOUSE SHOWCASE THIS WEEKEND
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