Say it ain’t so! One of NJ’s free beaches considering charging

Say it ain’t so! One of NJ’s free beaches considering charging

Getty Images | Lisa McCabe / edited with Canva (Townsquare Media)

It’s one of so many curious things about New Jersey. Almost all of our beaches require a fee.

Add that to Jersey’s many other quirks like the ban on self-serve gas and Bergen County’s blue law.

In other states, most beaches are free. They seem to manage just fine to keep those beaches clean and replenished. Here, where most beaches charge, the money is supposed to go strictly towards maintaining the beach. Yet there’s been a history of certain towns being called out for spending that money elsewhere.

There's only a handful of beaches in New Jersey that don’t charge you to set foot on their sacred sand. Soon there may be even fewer.

SEE ALSO: Quiet Jersey Shore beaches 

 

Kena Betancur, Getty Images
Kena Betancur, Getty Images

Free beaches in New Jersey according to visiting.org are…

Atlantic City

Bay Front in Lower Township

Beesley’s Point in Upper Township

Highlands

Ideal Beach in Middletown

Jennifer Lane Beach Bay in Stafford Township

Keansburg

Leonardo Beach in Middletown

Union Beach

The Wildwoods

William Morrow Beach in Somers Point

Strathmere

Hannah Beier, Getty Images
Hannah Beier, Getty Images

It’s that last one, Strathmere, that may soon be charging.

NJ.com reports that officials are discussing a proposal to bring beach tags to Strathmere. Under the proposal, a season pass would cost $45, weekly $20, and daily $10.

“We’re the only town in Cape May County and Atlantic County that offers free parking and free beach tags,” explained Mayor Curtis Corson on Monday.

Enforcement of fees would involve two groups of badge checkers patrolling the beach. A preliminary vote is anticipated next month, so this could be last summer Strathmere in Cape May County is free.

Hannah Beier, Getty Images
Hannah Beier, Getty Images

When some residents pushed back on the proposal, Committeeman Tyler Casaccio defended it, saying, “People in Ocean City, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Sea Isle — they all pay property taxes and they all pay for beach tags.”

Why is this controversial move even happening? Because Strathmere has suffered severe beach erosion in recent years that local officials say needs additional funding to fix.

Looks like the end of a local era.

Windfarm projects proposed for NJ coast — and what they might look like

These are the wind energy projects approved for and planned for the ocean off the coasts of New Jersey and New York. While the projects have the support of officials who say they will stimulate the local economy and create renewable energy to power millions of homes, many coastal residents have raised concerns about how the projects will impact tourism and the environment.

The gallery includes competing photosimulations — those on file with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and those recently commissioned by a group opposed to the wind farm development.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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