OC boardwalk store owners take issues with spray paint performers to city council

"I'm a very resilient person, it takes a lot to make me worried. The worst that happens is that we have to argue about it again," said spray paint performer Mark Chase.

Chase says he's ready for round two as store owners on the Ocean City boardwalk look to bring their problems with the artists before the city council.

"The store owners keep pushing the council, the council has to make rash decisions, and then it comes back to us and it's just not right,' said Chase.

On Monday, the city council heard the many concerns and frustrations businesses owners on the boardwalk have with the artists who perform just a couple of feet away from their stores. Those issues include loud music and paint fumes that they say affect their business.

"My employees complain about headaches and feeling queasy, and it gets to be overwhelming on certain nights we don't have a way to get the paint out of our store. I should be able to come to work and be able to breathe clean air without having the spray paint come right in," said one business owner.

But spray paint artists say those claims just aren't true.

"It's a misconception about the fumes. at best you might catch a small whiff maybe no different than somebody standing on the side of the street and you catch a whiff of their cigarette. Outside of a three foot radius you really have no harmful effects whatsoever," said Chase.

One by one each store owner addressed the city council demanding action be taken.

"My son and everyone else will be inhaling, drinking, eating spray paint until it stops. You the local government are to protects us in situations when our right to live in clean air is infringed upon," said another business owner.

There's no word yet on what the council will decide to do, but artists tell 47 they want to talk these issues through with the business owners in hopes of coming up with a solution they can all agree on.

"Come talk to us. Unless you talk to us we don't know what you're thinking, what your concerns are, we can't help you with your concerns if you don't tell us," said Chase.

Again, the city council has not made any decisions yet regarding the issue, but they are taking each and every concern seriously.