County Cracks Down After Crowds Trash Cedar Beach

SOUTHOLD, NY — After a crowd swarmed Cedar Beach in Southold over Memorial Day weekend — fishing in large groups, setting up unauthorized food and watercraft sports trucks, littering, failing to practice social distancing, and even defecating on the beach — Suffolk County is cracking down.

County crews were at Cedar Beach Wednesday erecting large signs that said "Suffolk County Residents Only; IDs Will Be Checked" and "Park Closes At Dusk."

Other county workers were seen cleaning the beach and parking lot, which had been left littered with debris, dead fish, and human waste after the long weekend.

Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski said that a new booth was being set up Wednesday or Thursday for an attendant who will check identification. Also, he said, no food trucks or vendors of any kind are allowed on the beach.

Parking is for Suffolk County residents only and the parking lot will close at dusk.

Outraged residents turned to social media Tuesday to cry out for help from officials after large crowds flooded Cedar Beach.

Many were seen in photos without face masks and not observing social distancing protocols.

One resident, who asked that her name not be used, said she drove to Cedar Beach, a spot she has been frequenting for more than 30 years to walk and enjoy the osprey, terns and other wildlife.

"For the second time in a week, I drove there and left," she said. "I drove there this morning and the parking lot was almost full ... While there, I saw an illegal food vending truck, a box truck with watercrafts to rent and a continue flow of cars. There also was a city taxi."

She said the crowd packing the beach was from Brooklyn and other parts west, although that was not immediately confirmed by officials.

Cedar Beach is a county park; Suffolk County residents need to show identification to park at the beach.

Many expressed concerns before the holiday weekend that city dwellers might head east and pack Suffolk County beaches, which were open to residents only, as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio kept city beaches closed due to the coronavirus.

"Hours later, we took a boat ride and passed the beach. It was packed," the woman said. "There were tents, some people wore masks, many did not. There obviously was not any social distancing. This beach has three, small trash cans. There are no rest room facilities. Lately, when I walk in the back area it is nothing but human feces and used toilet paper. It is so disgusting."

'It has to stop'

The beach has been littered recently with filament, broken poles, garbage, and discarded fish hooks, she said.

"This is the new North Fork. It has to stop. Something needs to be done. I don't know what the answer is, I just know this has to stop," she said.

Krupski said the issue has been discussed with the county parks department for the past two weeks. On Tuesday, he provided an update from Suffolk County Parks Department Commissioner Jason Smagin, stating that a beach attendant will be present by the coming weekend.

The attendant will be positioned at the entrance to the beach in a booth, checking identification, Krupski said. A person has already been hired and signage is being worked on, Krupski said.

Krupski said signage will state that beachgoers are to leave no trash, that Cedar Beach has no bathroom facilities, and that the beach is open to Suffolk County residents only. Krupski said he plans to have signs put up at every county beach in his jurisdiction stating that no trash is to be left behind and the beaches are for residents only.

Signage, he said, is critical; many of those reported in attendance were from the New York City area, he said.

Smagin, Krupski said, told him that the problem exists countywide. "He said it's everywhere in Suffolk County — every nook, cranny and road end is crammed with people."

The push for a beach attendant has been ongoing in the past few weeks; the county was proactive in addressing the issue, Krupski said. "We knew it was going to be a big problem. It's going to take time to get people to respect our beaches," he said.

The parks department, Krupski said, had agreed to set up an attendant at the entrance last week but the county, he added "has been very busy. There's a lot of county parkland. We had to insist they get it done and get it done soon."

The actions of those crowding the beach and leaving behind their trash, he said, "is unconscionable. It's just horrible. It's very much a problem."

Issues will only be exacerbated, he said, as the weather grows warmer and those wishing to swim may come into conflict with the scores fishing on the shore.

The county beach, Krupski said, has no bathroom facility and there are currently no plans to add any type of amenity. "There's a lot of parkland that doesn't have facilities," he said. But that doesn't mean individuals should be defecating or leaving waste behind, he said. "That's no excuse for bad behavior," Krupski said. "Where does it end?"

"The place is always a mess and always crowded this time of year," Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said. "It's just a little worse now. Evening fishermen have been packing the place for weeks and have been this time of year for years."

Russell said the problem he has with the beach is "the mess that gets left behind, including diapers, etc. Some fishermen for porgies will just leave sea robins on the beach to die by the dozens when they take the bait instead of a porgy," he added.

Russell and Southold Town police, Krupski said, have been an excellent source of help, with officers policing the beach.

In past years, when a similar situation arose at Goldsmith Inlet County Park, Krupski said "no parking signs" were erected as far up as the North Fork; police then began to ticket individuals. In that case, drivers would drop off passengers at the beach, drive up the road, and park. Signage and ticketing helped to resolve the problem, Krupski said.

"Residents need to use the beaches," Krupski said. "That's what we preserved all this land for. We've put a lot of effort into preserving this land."

The problem, Krupski added, isn't unique to Southold: It's one faced across the East End and Long Island with beaches in New York City closed. "I'm sure people are trying to force their way in everywhere," he said.

Russell said because the beach is county-owned, the town is somewhat restricted to as to what they can do.

"We do patrol and walk the beach," Russell said. "If they can't produce an ID such as a driver's license with a Suffolk County address, we tell them to leave. We also check all fish to make sure they are legal — and we have been enforcing social distancing there as best as we can."

Police, he added, "just can't be there at all times."

Parking has been a bad situation not only at Cedar Beach but at other locations in town, as well, Russell said.

Walk-in beach permits considered

"That is not new, but takes place every year," Russell said. "It's a new day in Southold and the parking permit for beach use may not be enough anymore. We have to go a step further and start assigning walk-in permits. People may not want to hear that but, we need to develop a permit/badge program that regulates walk-in as well car entry."

As for social distancing over the Memorial Day weekend, the supervisor said he was surprised that he didn't receive many complaints about people not wearing masks or maintaining a proper distance.

"To be sure, some don't — and we have put extra patrols out to step up enforcement but it is a challenge," Russell said. "Again, we simply can't be everywhere at all times."