By MADDY VITALE
New construction and renovations continue to beautify Ocean City. Home and business owners throughout town have long been improving properties on the island, and more so, it seems, than ever.
But, what isn’t too pleasant is the insulation blowing into the wetlands, and other construction debris that is making its way out of uncovered dumpsters.
Residents brought up the dilemma at the City Council meeting on July 1. City officials listened and noted that the issue throughout the community is being handled.
“I hope Council has been reading my emails with regard to the construction dumpsters,” Robert Forman, a resident on West Avenue, said at the meeting. “We have a major storm rolling in and we have a new dumpster ordinance, and I see one covered and I don’t see others covered.”
According to the city’s dumpster ordinance, it clearly states the rules with regard to dumpsters. It specifies that “any person, who controls, whether owned, leased or operated a construction dumpster must ensure that it is covered when not in use, including overnight, unless it is empty, and shall prevent refuse from spilling out of overflowing.”
Anyone in violation is subject to a $100 fine.
City officials say they are aware of the problem and they are strictly enforcing the ordinance.
“The city is following up with enforcement as needed — being proactive to the extent possible with available resources and responding to complaints,” Ocean City Public Information Officer Doug Bergen said.
Bergen continued, “The ordinance requires dumpsters that aren’t empty to be covered after hours. The city has not received any complaints other than from Mr. Forman. Violation notices have been issued.”
Like Forman, other concerned residents brought up the matter to Council, saying they have seen debris from the uncovered dumpsters.
Rick Birch, a resident on 52nd Street, commented about the trash.
“Bob (Robert Forman) is so right about this. All of this trash from the dumpsters blows from the north constantly,” Birch noted. “It is going out to nature and it just shouldn’t be that way. I would like to have a little more enforcement. Insulation and everything else is going out to the wetlands.”
An uncovered dumpster in front of a home on 52nd Street was filled with materials and there was no construction going on Saturday. But officials said that was one of several locations that would be receiving summonses.
Ocean City has seen a boom in the real estate market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people are moving to the shore and working remotely. Others are choosing the island as their year-round retirement home and others are remodeling their forever homes.
City officials and residents say they just want those who are responsible for dumpsters to put the cover on them when they are not in use to ensure that debris doesn’t fly all over the shore town.
“Trash blowing out of dumpsters could be detrimental to the environment,” resident and environmental advocate Donna Moore noted during the Council meeting. “We really need to think about our presentation, as well as the environment.”
