OCEAN CITY, Md. — If you’ve ever tried to claim a spot on the Ocean City beach only to find yourself staring at a row of empty tents guarding the shoreline, you’re not alone.

Ocean City officials are officially over it.

The mayor and City Council are set to vote on a proposal that could ban tents and large canopies from the beach altogether. The reason? Beachgoers are showing up at the crack of dawn, popping up oversized tents to hold down prime real estate near the water, and then walking away for hours.

It’s become such a problem that locals and vacationers alike are speaking up, saying it’s not just frustrating, it’s also dangerous. The pop-up structures are blocking ocean views, making it harder to navigate the beach and creating a bit of a turf war on the sand.

Under the proposed

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