[Adopted 9-7-1984 as Ch. 4 of the 1984 Code]
[Added 7-8-1994 by Ord. No. 304; amended 5-10-1997 by Ord. No.
374; 12-6-2008 by Ord. No. 636 cont'd]
Any violation of this article is declared to be a civil offense pursuant to Chapter 80 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Dewey Beach.
It shall be unlawful for any person to be on
the beach between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. during the
summer season.
[Amended 4-6-2013 by Ord. No. 700; 12-15-2023 by Ord. No. 828]
No person shall permit a dog or other animal
to be on the ocean beach between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
beginning the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the Sunday
following Labor Day weekend.
[Amended 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767[1]]
No person shall engage in surf fishing when
bathers are within 100 feet between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. during the summer season.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also changed the title of this
article from "Use and Activities" to "Ocean Beach Use and Activities."
[Amended 6-8-1985 by Ord. No. 65; 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767]
Glass containers are prohibited on the beach.
A.
No person shall have a beach fire without receiving
a permit and paying the fee required by the Town of Dewey Beach Fee
Schedule.
B.
All fires must be extinguished and the beach cleaned
up by 11:00 p.m. All residue from the bonfire, including burned wood
or coals, must be completely removed from the beach and disposed of
in a proper trash receptacle. Residue cannot be buried, dumped in
the ocean, bay, dunes, or any public trash receptacle.
C.
Any individual found in violation of this section
shall be subject to a civil violation and fined no more than $150.
D.
Permits may be revoked for failure to comply with
the regulations. Upon revocation, fees paid shall not be refundable.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided that it shall take
effect 4-1-2024.
[Amended 7-9-1993 by Ord. No. 268; 7-9-1999 by Ord. No.
409; 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767]
A.
No person shall keep, anchor, maintain, or permit
any boat owned or operated by him to be kept, anchored, or maintained
on any public beach within the Town of Dewey Beach between the hours
of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. during the summer season without the previous
written consent of the Commissioners of Dewey Beach.
B.
Motorized boats, including but not limited to watercraft
described as boats with propeller-driven motors, jet-skies, personal
watercraft propelled by mechanized water propulsion or systems, and/or
sailboats with auxiliary motors, whether such motors or propulsion
devices are engaged, are prohibited from being launched or landed
from any ocean beach areas during the summer season. Nonmotorized
boats are prohibited from being launched or landed from any ocean
beach areas between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. during the
summer season
C.
No person shall be permitted to swim out to or in
from a boat off the beach at any time.
[Amended 12-8-1984 by Ord. No. 61; 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767; 6-16-2023 by Ord. No. 816]
No vehicles shall be driven on the beach at any time, except
those operated by police, fire, emergency, Town, beach concessionaires
under contract, or other authorized vehicle on official business.
[Added 3-9-1986 by Ord. No. 343; amended 7-17-1998 by Ord. No.
394; 10-14-2006 by Ord. No. 580; 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767]
A.
All volleyball activities and games shall be restricted
to designated volleyball areas as established by the Dewey Beach Patrol
or the Town Manager.
B.
Private volleyball posts and nets may be erected on
public beach areas, provided that the location of posts is approved
by the Dewey Beach Patrol or the Town Manager. The Town of Dewey Beach,
its officers and officials shall not be responsible or liable for
volleyball equipment erected or for incidents and/or injuries resulting
from the use of the beach for volleyball. By the act of erecting the
volleyball posts, the persons doing so shall indemnify and hold the
Town and its officers and officials harmless from any incident and/or
injury that may occur from the use of the beach for volleyball.
C.
Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekends
and holidays all sports activities involving airborne objects other
than volleyball and sports activities involving adults or teenagers
over the age of 13 shall be prohibited. The term "sports activities"
shall include any physical activity which, as a result of the activity,
could cause physical harm to another individual.
D.
For definition purposes, whenever a holiday falls
on a Thursday, the following Friday is considered the "holiday" identified
in this article. Whenever a holiday falls on a Tuesday, the preceding
Monday is considered the "holiday" identified in this article.
E.
Exempt from the provisions of this article are all
sports activities involving a mother and/or a father, or guardian,
who is playing with a child under the age of 13.
F.
Regulations for the designation and location of all
sports activity zones shall be prepared by the Town Manager.
G.
No person shall use a surfboard or skimboard, or any
other type of water sport device that is constructed with nonflexible
material when within 100 feet of bathers. All uses of a surfboard
or skimboard, or any other type of water sport device that is constructed
with nonflexible material, shall be restricted to designated areas
as established at the discretion of the Dewey Beach Patrol.
[Added 5-10-1997 by Ord. No. 374; 6-25-2021 by Ord. No. 767]
A.
The captain of the Dewey Beach patrol is hereby authorized
to exercise reasonable discretion to determine and declare the beach
and surf area within the Town of Dewey Beach closed for reasons of
unsafe weather, tide, surf, or any other hazard or unsafe condition
determined by the captain. The term “captain” as used
herein shall also include a deputy or acting captain as determined
by the captain of the Dewey Beach Patrol.
B.
No person or persons shall be permitted on the beach
or within the waters of the Atlantic Ocean contiguous to the beach
declared unsafe for use.
