North Star for subcommittee should be a better boardwalk
Originally published in Ocean City Sentinel
by Bill Merritt
Our North Star: A Better Boardwalk
Many of us who care about the future of Ocean City are looking forward to seeing the final report from the Boardwalk Subcommittee, which was charged with taking a holistic look at the future of the Boardwalk, evaluating zoning policies, studying economic and land-use conditions, and developing a comprehensive Boardwalk Enhancement Plan to guide future planning decisions. When it’s released, we hope it reflects the principles previously suggested by Ocean City 2050; that any zoning changes are tied directly to meaningful public benefits; that the future of the Wonderland property receives careful and deliberate consideration; and that the Subcommittee presents unified recommendations that move us beyond division and toward a shared vision for Ocean City’s future.
But process alone is not enough. The Subcommittee also needs a North Star: a clear definition of success against which every recommendation can be measured.
That standard should be straightforward: Will it leave our Boardwalk, and our city, better than we found it? Will it make the Boardwalk more vibrant, welcoming, and economically sustainable while remaining true to Ocean City’s character? Most importantly, will future generations enjoy the Boardwalk as much as we do today?
The report should answer key questions with facts from a market study, not assumptions: Does Ocean City need more places for families to eat, gather, and be entertained? Would those additions attract more visitors, extend the season, support local businesses, and give residents and vacationing families more reasons to spend time on the Boardwalk? The report should explain how its recommendations will drive these goals: more visitors, a longer season, increased parking revenue, stronger beach tag sales.
While meaningful change should be expected, we should be cautious of proposals that fundamentally alter the character and scale that have long defined Ocean City. Growth should not mean becoming something else. It should mean building on what has made Ocean City successful for generations.
The Ocean City Boardwalk is one of the most successful and beloved destinations on the Jersey Shore. Millions come here because Ocean City offers something increasingly rare: a safe, welcoming, family-oriented experience that appeals across generations.
Other shore towns have succeeded by understanding who they are. Asbury Park found success by embracing its musical heritage. Cape May continues to build upon its historic character. Wildwood celebrates its iconic Doo Wop identity. Ocean City should do the same.
We are America's Greatest Family Resort. That is more than a slogan. It is a market position earned over generations, and it should guide our future.
Our vision should be a Boardwalk with places for children to play, accessible to families of every age and ability, welcoming, walkable, and unhurried. It should celebrate the qualities that make Ocean City distinct: its family focus, its safety, its dry-town tradition, its porch culture, and its human pace.Ocean City’s character is a town where the pace is human, the atmosphere is safe, and the experience is one that families want to repeat — and do, generation after generation.
These are not liabilities. They are our differentiators.
And our Boardwalk is not simply real estate. It is the centerpiece of our community and the foundation of our tourism economy. So when the subcommittee report finally comes out, we should ask: Do they celebrate Ocean City’s family-friendly identity? Do they improve the visitor and resident experience? Do they make the Boardwalk more vibrant, welcoming, successful, and fun?
If the answer is yes, we should support them. If not, we should stop and ask why, because every decision we make today will shape the Ocean City that future generations inherit and enjoy. That is the North Star that should guide every decision.
Bill Merritt, Ocean City 2050
