The Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment granted a variance May 26, allowing an escape room at 50 Wilmington Ave.

Shaun Bauer and Sharusan Uthayakumar of Captive Industries Inc. requested the variance. That area of the city is zoned C-3, secondary commercial. There are some businesses allowed by right in the zone, such as a restaurant, but not entertainment venues, which the escape room falls under. 

The board held a meeting in late April. There was a general consensus that an escape room would be less detrimental to the neighborhood than a restaurant, but action was delayed so appropriate conditions could be drafted. The board resumed the hearing a month later.

Conditions as approved include, but are not limited to: no food or alcohol service; no more than 30 patrons at any one time; prebooking is required, unless spots are immediately available; there will be no more than three escape rooms; hours of operation can’t exceed 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; the business must follow the city’s noise ordinance; a change in ownership requires written notice to the city; and the variance expires if the application doesn’t receive all required permits within six months.

Board members Edith Herron, William Perlstein and Richard Perry voted in favor.

Herron said there’s enough uniqueness in this entire situation, with a lack of clear definition in city code, to grant relief. Just because it doesn’t fit the code now is not a reason to deny the relief for something new that will be a positive for the city, its visitors and its citizens, she said.

Chair Barry Brandt and board member Jan Konesey voted against.

There was a desire to have a business like this in the city, but all along he has not seen an undue hardship, said Brandt. There are other places in the city where this could work, he said.