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Town Board to regulate beach driving Island-wide

AMBROSE CLANCY PHOTO The Town Board at its Tuesday work session. From left, Councilman Paul Shepherd, Supervisor Jim Dougherty, Councilman Peter Reich, Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar and Councilman Ed Brown. Councilwoman Chris Lewis was absent.
AMBROSE CLANCY PHOTO The Town Board at its Tuesday work session. From left, Councilman Paul Shepherd, Supervisor Jim Dougherty, Councilman Peter Reich, Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar and Councilman Ed Brown. Councilwoman Chris Lewis was absent.

At its Tuesday work session, the Town Board decided to alter and clarify the town code when it comes to driving on the Island’s beaches.

Currently, the town only regulates beach driving on Crescent, Wades and Shell beaches, requiring permits of $25 for residents and $100 for nonresidents issued by the town clerk’s office.

Police Chief Jim Read told the board complaints have been made recently about people driving on beaches not covered by the town code and officers responding don’t have a law giving them direction on dealing with the situations. The chief noted that the spirit of the law in the code is that all beaches should be regulated.

“Our intent is to protect our beaches and wildlife on the beaches,” Chief Read said. “If you want to ride on them, you see [the town clerk] and get some clear directives on the law.”

Councilman Peter Reich said there should be some provisions for dock builders in any alteration of the code. He, along with Chief Read, Town Attorney Laury Dowd and Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar will draft new legislation for the board to consider.

In other business, the board agreed to increase the number of one-day parking permits at the town’s beaches from a limit of five passes issued a day to 10 per day. MS. Ogar said on two or three occasions, her office had issued the five passes limit, which cost $20, and had to turn people away. Last summer, more than 125 passes were issued by Ms. Ogar’s office.

The board discussed hiring a grant writer to identify funds available to local municipalities from county, state and federal sources and writing the applications. Mr. Reich suggested not only looking for companies that do that work, but also to seek out individuals.

Councilman Ed Brown suggested hiring a grant writer by September, instead of waiting to bring one on board January 1. “We should start the process soon” Mr. Brown said, adding the town can find money in the budget for that purpose.

Supervisor Jim Dougherty said he would contact other town supervisor’s for leads on a grant writer.

The board discussed with Chief Read and Highway Superintendent Jay Card Jr. repaving the Town Hall parking lot and, sometime in the future, reversing the traffic flow into and out of the facility.

The board approved a filming permit for a one-day shoot by Conde Nast/Glamour at 60 North Cartwright Road for Friday, June 19. The day’s filming will consist of 20 people and seven vehicles. Conde/Nast Glamour has agreed to pay the town $2,000 for the day.