Five Things to Know About Thursday's Council Meeting

City Council on Thursday approved $100,000 to clear debris from the bay near 10th Street and moved to give pay raises to three city supervisors, but here are five other things that might be of interest:

• South End Sand: In a familiar scene, a succession of property owners complained about the state of the eroded beaches at the south end of Ocean City, and Ocean City Business Administrator said the city is hopeful that a federal Army Corps of Engineers project is imminent (but not yet definite). Dattilo said the Army Corps was in town last week and that specs for an approved but unscheduled project are now 90 percent complete. Beach replenishment is a pricey proposition — if Ocean City were to take on the $20 million south-end project the Army Corps outlined for Ocean City in March, each of the city's approximately 19,000 taxpayers would have to pay about $1,053. In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the federal government has vowed to foot the bill for all affected beaches. "The amount of money is staggering and unprecedented," Dattilo said.
• Truck Routes: City Council gave final approval to an ordinance that dramatically increases fines for drivers who ignore designated truck routes. The ordinance raises fines to up to $500 on a first offense and $500 to $1,000 on a second offense. The old maximum first-time fine was about $50.
  
• Post-Sandy Zoning Relief: City Solicitor Dottie McCrosson reported on a new state law that allows nonconforming uses to be elevated (to meet new flood requirements) without seeking new variances (in limited situations). Duplexes, for instance, in a single-family zone could be elevated "as long as the structure is not altered in a way that increases the degree of nonconformity."
• FEMA Flood Maps: Dattilo reported to City Council that Ocean City hopes to see updated flood maps "any day." A hired consultant (Atkins North America) submitted a report of a couple hundred pages on their work advocating for changes that help Ocean City property owners.
• Merion Park Roads and Drainage: City Council approved a $328,000 contract with Michael Baker Jr., Inc., of Hamilton, for engineering plans for road and drainage improvements to the low-lying Merion Park neighborhood. Dattilo said work could go out to bid in about 24 weeks.