This chapter is authorized by § C-4B
of the Town Charter.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for
public safety on the beach.
[Amended 9-8-1995 by Ord. No. 50-95]
Activities prohibited. It shall be unlawful
for any person to carry or use an inner tube, plastic ring or life
jacket in the ocean waters while lifeguards are on duty.
Activities prohibited. It shall be unlawful
for any person to fish from the beach within the jurisdiction of the
Town of South Bethany while the lifeguards are on duty. A special
exemption may be made by individual lifeguards to allow fishing in
a designated area.
[Amended 3-10-2000 by Ord. No. 90-99; 8-9-2019 by Ord. No. 195-19]
The Town Manager or his/her designee is authorized to issue
a beach party/event permit to a resident of the town who is 18 years
of age or older (permittee).
A. Such
permits shall be limited to an area not closer than 75 feet to any
dwelling or any sand dune. The permittee accepts full responsibility
that the beach party/event does not create or lead to disorderly behavior.
The permittee is responsible for cleaning the beach/event area and
disposing of all waste. All beach parties/events shall end by 11:00
p.m.
B. Permittees
shall be charged a fee payable to the Town of South Bethany. The fee
shall be listed in the Town of South Bethany Schedule of Fees.
[Added 8-9-2019 by Ord.
No. 195-19]
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to build and/or light any fires
on the beach within the jurisdiction of the Town of South Bethany.
B. Notwithstanding §
34-9.1A above, the Town Manager is authorized to permit a Town-sponsored bonfire on the beach in accordance with guidelines established by the Town Manager.
[Amended 10-14-2022 by Ord. No. 209-22]
Any person violating the provisions of this
chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $25,
nor more than $100, plus court costs. Each day of continued violation
shall be considered as a separate offense.
[Added 3-10-2000 by Ord. No. 90-99]
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced
by the South Bethany Beach Patrol and South Bethany Police Department,
as required. The lifeguards shall be responsible for maintaining public
safety on the beach and monitoring beach activities. The Captain of
the lifeguards shall be responsible for conducting an orientation/training
program annually for all guards on public relations and beach safety.
The Chief of Police shall assist the Captain of the lifeguards in
the development and conduct of such training and serve as a resource
throughout the beach season.
[Added 3-10-2000 by Ord. No. 90-99]
Activities prohibited. It shall be unlawful
for any person to walk, climb or jump on the protective dunes within
the jurisdiction of South Bethany.
[Added 4-7-2017 by Ord.
No. 186-17]
A. Definitions.
As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
SMOKING
The smoking, burning, heating, inhaling, or exhaling of substances,
including but not limited to tobacco, herbs, weeds, marijuana, or
vaporized liquid or other substances used with electronic smoking
devices, using any pipe, cigar, cigarette, hookah, electronic smoking
device [as defined in 16 Del. C. § 2902(3)], or any other
similar device.
BEACH
The area defined to the north and south by the Town of South
Bethany north and south boundary lines, to the west by the east property
line of the oceanfront private property, and to the east by a line
that is 100 yards to the east of the high-water line of the Atlantic
Ocean.
B. Smoking
is prohibited in the following areas:
(2) Beach
access walkways from the eastern edge of Ocean Drive to the beach,
and from the eastern edge of Sea Side Drive to the beach, and all
handicapped walkways.