Slow Down in High Water: Ocean City Moves to Protect Homes From Flood Wakes

A car sits stuck in floodwater in the middle of West 17th Street in Ocean City during the September 2026 nor'easter, with homes lining both sides of the street.

Photo: David Campbell, via WPG Talk Radio 104.1

Ocean City has drafted an ordinance with tickets and fines for drivers who plow through flooded streets and push wakes into homes. Here's what we know, what's next, and a simple good-neighbor tip.

The short version

Ocean City has drafted an ordinance that would let police write tickets and fines for reckless driving through flooded streets, the kind that sends a wake of water toward homes and storefronts. It goes to City Council soon. For homeowners, that's a practical win.

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Anyone who has lived at the shore knows the scene. The street has a few inches of water, and a car rolls through a little too fast. The water doesn't stay in the street. It rolls up driveways, onto porches and against front doors.

Ocean City is doing something about it.

What's being proposed

Mayor Jay Gillian announced at the Oct. 8 City Council meeting that City Solicitor Dottie McCrosson has drafted an ordinance to give the police department "better tools" to keep drivers from plowing through flooded streets and damaging homes with their wake. The mayor said in his Oct. 9 update that it "will include penalties for reckless driving through floodwaters." After the meeting, he told OCNJ Daily those penalties would include tickets and fines.

A few key points:

It isn't law yet. The draft still has to go to City Council for approval, which the mayor expects "sometime soon."
The fine amounts haven't been published. We'll share them once the ordinance is introduced.
Ocean City doesn't have a rule like this today, according to the mayor. The new one is modeled on ordinances in other shore towns.

A familiar idea at the shore

Neighboring Sea Isle City passed a similar rule in 2019. It made almost the entire town a "no wake zone" and set heavy fines for drivers who create waves when street water is at least 6 inches deep.

Mayor Gillian framed Ocean City's version as much about education as enforcement: "People don't always realize the damage they can do," he said. "At the end of the day, it's a public safety issue." He also noted that cars stuck in high water can block roads, including the Ninth Street bridge, for everyone else.

Councilman Keith Hartzell, who owns property on Asbury Avenue, welcomed the idea right away: "The wake thing is a real problem, and I'm really glad that we're going to tackle that."

Why I like this for homeowners

Ocean City is a barrier island, and occasional high water on some streets is part of island life. Owners here plan for it, and the city keeps investing in drainage and pumping stations to reduce it. What owners shouldn't have to plan for is someone else's wake rolling into their garage.

This ordinance takes aim at that preventable piece. It shows the city backing its homeowners in a simple, common-sense way.

Jim’s Take: A tip from our local expert.

If the street's wet, go slow, or wait it out. Your neighbors' front doors will thank you. A few more easy habits the city has recommended:

Keep an eye on the forecast and tide times when rain or a storm is coming.
If you need to move your car, roads closer to the beach usually sit higher, and so do mid-block parking spots away from storm drains near intersections.

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SourcesDonald Wittkowski, "Ocean City plans to crack down on motorists plowing through floodwaters," OCNJ Daily, Oct. 9, 2026. Read the original.
City of Ocean City, "Mayor's Update — Oct. 9, 2026." Read the original.
Details can change; check the source for official dates and decisions.

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Photo: David Campbell, via WPG Talk Radio 104.1. West 17th Street, Ocean City, during the September 2026 nor'easter. Source. This post summarizes public information for convenience. It isn't official notice; please rely on the original source for dates, rules and decisions. Jim Murray, REALTOR® · Keller Williams Realty Jersey Shore · Each office independently owned and operated.