For all the discussion of how to create a comprehensive plan for the Ocean Pines Association, the critical point that most people seem to miss is that the homeowners association doesn’t need one.
Maybe OPA officials are just using the wrong label for what they really want, which would be a decision-guiding vision statement that reflects the opinions of a majority of property owners, not unlike the strategic plan that Ocean City created for itself three years ago.
The purpose of that particular document was to recognize in writing the resort’s priorities and objectives, along with actions that might be taken to achieve them.
That’s much different from a comprehensive plan, which is mostly about land use and development, and which is already addressed in Ocean Pines’ covenants, restrictions and bylaws.
A strategic plan also is easier to do, since it’s based almost entirely on public opinion and, unlike a comprehensive plan, does not obligate anyone to do anything. That’s important in Ocean Pines, where strong disagreements about how to proceed on this or that project are routine.
In 2013, Ocean City paid consultant Lyle Sumek and Associates $20,000 to lay out the strategic planning process and to oversee the collection of information through a couple of community forums and a series of official workshops that involved elected officials, administration and department leadership.
The results focused on two essential elements — making Ocean City a better place to live and to visit and achieving that goal in a fiscally responsible matter. It also reflected only what the planning participants agreed on while bypassing controversial matters.
If the OPA Board of Directors believes it needs a plan, this would be the kind to pursue. It wouldn’t resolve major differences and it wouldn’t settle disputes about, say, the country club, providing for various racket sports or budgetary affairs.
What it would do is say this is where we agree, so let’s allow this to inform some of our decisions as we move ahead.
Maybe OPA officials are just using the wrong label for what they really want, which would be a decision-guiding vision statement that reflects the opinions of a majority of property owners, not unlike the strategic plan that Ocean City created for itself three years ago.
The purpose of that particular document was to recognize in writing the resort’s priorities and objectives, along with actions that might be taken to achieve them.
That’s much different from a comprehensive plan, which is mostly about land use and development, and which is already addressed in Ocean Pines’ covenants, restrictions and bylaws.
A strategic plan also is easier to do, since it’s based almost entirely on public opinion and, unlike a comprehensive plan, does not obligate anyone to do anything. That’s important in Ocean Pines, where strong disagreements about how to proceed on this or that project are routine.
In 2013, Ocean City paid consultant Lyle Sumek and Associates $20,000 to lay out the strategic planning process and to oversee the collection of information through a couple of community forums and a series of official workshops that involved elected officials, administration and department leadership.
The results focused on two essential elements — making Ocean City a better place to live and to visit and achieving that goal in a fiscally responsible matter. It also reflected only what the planning participants agreed on while bypassing controversial matters.
If the OPA Board of Directors believes it needs a plan, this would be the kind to pursue. It wouldn’t resolve major differences and it wouldn’t settle disputes about, say, the country club, providing for various racket sports or budgetary affairs.
What it would do is say this is where we agree, so let’s allow this to inform some of our decisions as we move ahead.