Town Cracks Down On Overcrowded Beaches With New Task Force

SOUTHOLD, NY — Southold Town is cracking down on overcrowded beaches with a new beach patrol task force.

The task force, created by Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley, will consist of additional officers, Southold Town bay constables, an expanded traffic control officer staff, as well as any other staffing necessary to control access — and night-time patrolling of the shoreline, including road ends and other points of access for non-permitted individuals.

Increasing daytime staffing will, with the oversight of a beach manager and available law enforcement, make sure only town residents or others holding recognized passes are able to access the beaches, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said.

Russell issued an executive order stating that anyone entering the beach must produce verification of town residency upon request; guests accompanied by a resident will not be required to show proof. Proof of residency can consist of any documents typically accepted by the town clerk for issuance of a residential beach permit, he said.

Information on various documents that satisfy those requirements can be found on the Southold Town clerk’s page on the town's website — proof should be carried at all times.

Hotel-motel passes are now accepted for entrance and those who operate businesses in the hospitality industry should contact the clerk’s office at 631-765-1800, Russell said.

Residential beach passes are still available by ordering online or by mail and can be issued at the drive-thru at the Southold Town Annex from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays.

All residential permits which expired on December 31, 2019 will continue to be honored until July 10, 2020; however, for parking purposes only. Proof will still be needed to enter the beach.

As part of expanding the town's daytime staffing, anyone interested in applying for a beach attendant position should call Recreation Supervisor Janet Douglass at 631-765-5182.

“We realize that these rules will put an undue burden on our residents and presents a substantial inconvenience that had not been necessary in past years," Russell said. "However, they are being put in place to maintain the quality of our shoreline and to make sure their day at the beach is a pleasant one.”