Rehoboth officials reflect on potential pool ban

The landscape of one of Delmarva’s beach towns may be forever changed.

“Rehoboth beach would be quite different.” Says Carol Everhart, the President and CEO of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Covered up swimming pools could become reality if the Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners votes on Friday in favor of forcing people who own rentals to close their pools.

“It’s like using a machine gun to kill a yellow jacket. It’s really over-reaction” Said Steve Elkins of CAMP Rehoboth, who told 47 ABC that he thinks a potential ban on pools would be over the top.

Elkins says the real issue city officials originally had was noise complaints.

But somewhere along the line, noise became directly tied to swimming pools which he feels is misplaced blame.

“The noise ordinances are new ordinances that they put in place. Let them work, make them work.”

Carol Everhart with the Rehoboth Beach Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce has spoken with chamber members and realtors and believes that the ban would have a negative impact by driving away visitors.

This, in a city that relies on the small window of summer months to make their money.

“A lot of these businesses only have a few months to make the majority of their income.” And “You have a pretty high number of rental properties in the rehoboth proper area and even if you lose ten to twenty percent, that’s a considerable amount.” Said Everhart.

If passed the proposal written by Mayor Sam Cooper would require homeowners, who rent out their property, to lock and cover pools while being rented.

47 ABC reached out to Cooper at his office and on his cell phone however he was unavailable for comment.

Back in October all new pool construction was halted in Rehoboth Beach after a moratorium went into effect.

That was a unanimous decision by all eight members on the Rehoboth Beach Board Of Commissioners.