OCEAN CITY, Md. - Sticking out 10-feet over the boardwalk, the multi-colored Ferris Wheel baskets are violating Ocean City zoning codes.
At Monday night's council meeting, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan says he believes Trimper's Rides placed the Ferris Wheel over their property line to gain more attraction.
"That ride was there last year and I thought it was great. I was down there for the ribbon cutting and I thought it was a great ride," Meehan says, "I don't know why you didn't put it in the spot it was last year. It's because you wanted it to be out front and you wanted it to overhang the boardwalk so it would gain more attention."
Town regulations permit signs and other items to encroach 4 ft. onto the boardwalk.
For those who walk the boards like Cynthia and Michael Doyle, they say where the Ferris Wheel is not is a safety issue. "I think they should push it back because it's unsafe. You care about money instead of caring about people's safety and that's not good. To me it's not," Cynthia Doyle says.
At Monday's council meeting, Antoinette Bruno, president of Trimper's Rides, says moving the Ferris Wheel could be costly to Trimper's. Bruno acknowledged the wheel is sticking out too far.
"It will cost $37,000 to take down the Big Wheel. It will cost $37,000 to put the Big Wheel up," Bruno tells the mayor and council, "it will cost $10,000 to move the Rock 'N Roll. How much will it cost to move the Techno and Magno?"
Trimper's has several other attractions on their property which may need to be moved so the Ferris Wheel is in code with the town.