Belmar has followed the lead of other popular Jersey Shore towns to stop "beach-spreading"
BELMAR -- The Belmar council on Tuesday night passed an ordinance to ban so-called "beach-spreading," adding it to a growing number of popular Jersey Shore destinations looking to stop beach-goers from setting up elaborate tents.
The ordinance, which passed by a 3-2 margin, will take effect during the summer season in 2018.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, thousands of people flock to the beaches in Belmar to enjoy its mile-long swath of shoreline. To maximize the time -- and space -- at the beach, day trippers and locals alike bring what Mayor Matthew Doherty has likened to a tailgate at MetLife Stadium.
The practice of bringing massive, sprawling tents to claim chunks of space at crowded beaches became known as beach-spreading after a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer did a story on it in July.
But by that time, Belmar had already taken notice.
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Doherty said the trend started catching on in the summer of 2015.
"That's when they really started to become noticeable on the beach," he said. "In 2016 was when beach-goers and residents started ratcheting up the complaints."
The borough's administrator, Colleen Connolly, said Belmar installed signs on the boardwalk in June to deter beach-goers from bringing on large tents.
The signs, posted along the Belmar boardwalk, are meant to deter beach-spreading. But borough officials say the signs are ineffective. (Matt Dowling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)But it didn't work, she said.
"Without something to write tickets against, we weren't succeeding," Connolly said.
Following the footsteps of other beach towns, like neighboring Avon-by-the-Sea and Seaside Heights, Belmar crafted an ordinance barring tents and canopies on the beachfront from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It had its first reading on Aug. 1.
Sea Isle City officials are reportedly in talks to do the same on its beaches next summer.
Under the Belmar ordinance, beach-goers will still be allowed to bring umbrellas and parents looking to provide shade for infants and toddlers will be able to set up smaller canopies no larger than 36-inches by 36-inches.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.