Ocean City Council Tackles Crawl Space Ordinance

Ocean City Council took the first step to eliminate a deed restriction that prohibits the use of a crawl space for for a bathroom or habitable space.

However, even if the ordinance passed on introduction Thursday night is passed on final reading Oct. 22, it will still be illegal to use those areas for those purposes.

The ordinance, passed following Superstorm Sandy, is unnecessary because the law is already on the books, Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson said.

“This ordinance creates an additional step and an additional expense,” McCrosson said. “Many people don’t just sign the paperwork, they consult an attorney, and then it shows up on title searches in the future.”

McCrosson said the law has been on the books so long, it’s commonly known that the use of those spaces for those purposes is illegal.

The restriction in the ordinance specifically targets properties where the increased elevation of the first floor resulted in a crawl space or storage room more than five feet in height.

“It’s still not legal and the law still exists,” McCrosson said.

The ordinance was approved on introduction, 6-0.