Ocean City cites church over overnight indoor shelter

Ocean City officials issued citations to St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church after the church continued operating an overnight shelter past a town-imposed deadline. The town had ordered the church to stop allowing people to sleep overnight inside Dewees Hall by June 8. This deadline followed a months-long dispute that began when officials raised concerns about people sleeping in tents outside on church property. The church later moved the shelter indoors.

Rev. Jill Williams said town officials served her with a $1,000 citation shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. Another citation was issued to the church vestry. “They served me a citation for not closing the Shelter by the Sea by today’s deadline,” Williams said. She stated the church does not plan to pay the fine or stop sheltering people inside the building. The church’s attorney has already notified the town’s attorneys that the church plans to seek protection through the federal court system.

“We will file for federal protection so that our rights as a church, to carry out our mission and to live out our faith, will be protected federally,” Williams said. The church believes its work is protected under the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use Act. It now expects the dispute to be handled in court.

“There are, on average, about 30 people here a night who have a safe and dignified place to sleep and to have dinner and breakfast,” Williams said. She noted the church has helped people find housing, jobs, and other places to go since the shelter opened. Families with children have also come to the church with nowhere else to stay.

City Manager Terry McGean said the town issued the first fines Monday after the church failed to comply with the order and did not apply for a permit. “They had 30 days to comply. They failed to do that. They even failed to attempt to come in and get a permit,” McGean said. “Therefore, today, we issued them the first fine, and those fines will continue for every day they remain in violation.”

McGean emphasized that the town’s concern is not limited to the church operating a shelter. Ocean City zoning rules prohibit open barracks-style sleeping in any facility in town, including shelters, employee housing, or other forms of housing. “The zoning and the issue applies to any facility within Town of Ocean City,” McGean said. “We prohibit open barracks-style housing, sleeping. And that’s what’s occurring at St. Paul’s right now.”

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