Rehoboth puts brakes on off-street parking ordinance

An off-street parking ordinance tied to controversial housing development restrictions in Rehoboth Beach was unanimously shot down by the city’s board of commissioners Friday.

The ordinance, meant to require homes with over three toilets to provide more than two parking spaces, was originally sent to a vote at a July meeting, but was tabled for further discussion. If the measure had passed, a home with five bathrooms would’ve been required to provide four parking spots.

At the Aug. 21 meeting, the board voted against passing the ordinance with a limited discussion by the board.

“While I think that we do need to have a discussion about off-street parking and I think it’s still up in the air what the best formula is,” commissioner Stan Mills said, “I’m not convinced this format … is the way to go.”

The city has struggled with its off-street parking in recent years as interest in the area has grown. Tying the requirement to bathrooms was meant to address high-occupancy homes with only two off-street parking spaces.

But it drew criticism from some city residents at the July meeting and a citizen brought forth a petition at Friday’s meeting for the commissioners to reconsider the housing size restriction ordinance that passed last month.

Commissioner Bill Sargent, in his last meeting as part of the board after losing the August election, said the passing of the ordinance would conflict with efforts to maintain the city’s greenspace.

“I believe that putting this ordinance … runs the danger of cutting into space that really should be left to trees and greenspace,” he said.

The board agreed they would continue to workshop the issue.