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Beach & Landing Policies

Select Board Public Beach, Pond And Landing Policies  (POLICY NO: 22)

DATE APPROVED: 5/22/95, AMENDED: 8/25/97, 4/23/12, 12/19/16, 5/8/23

Public Beach area includes the beach, the parking lot and abutting Town sand dunes and flats.

  1. Vehicle permits are required for parking at all Town beaches, ponds and landings from June 15 through the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.  Permits for parking may be obtained by residents using the mail-in program or online at www.brewster-ma.gov. Residents will be issued a physical permit that must be placed on the rear left bumper of the vehicle. Failure to properly attach and display the resident beach permit will result in a fine.  Please see Policy #64 for rules and regulations at First Light Beach. Non-resident daily and seasonal permits can be purchased online and will be issued electronically using plate reader technology verification. All permits (resident and non-resident) will bear the registration number and state for the vehicle for which it has been issued and shall be valid only for that vehicle.
  2. Motor vehicles are not permitted to park or travel beyond the designated parking areas. Parking is only permitted in marked spaces. Parking is prohibited from blocking entrances to beaches, ponds, walkways to beaches, emergency access and side streets. Between the Saturday before Memorial Day and Labor Day of each year, motor vehicles, boats and trailers are prohibited from parking within the traveled portion of the road layout on beach and pond landing roads, for more information please see the regulations governing roadside parking on town ways near town landings. Beaches, ponds and parking areas are closed from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am the following day, unless otherwise posted. 
  3. Tents, travel trailers, campers or other recreational vehicles are not allowed overnight on Town property.  Vehicles over 22 feet are not permitted in public areas.  Vehicles must fit within the painted lines.
  4. When there is no lifeguard on duty, swim at your own risk. There is a lifeguard on duty at Long Pond Beach in the summer months from 9:00am to 4:00pm (subject to change). Please see Policy #54 for more information on Long Pond Use. Please supervise children at all times within the public beach and pond areas, including in the water and on the flats.
  5. Please keep off dune areas. These are areas which are subject to erosion from wind, water or traffic. Do not pick or disturb sea lavender, beach grass or other vegetation.  Be aware of poison ivy, which is abundant. Please stay on designated paths.  Certain paths or areas may be closed from time to time and will be so designated by signs. No feeding of waterfowl is allowed.
  6. The consumption of alcohol, the consumption of marijuana (whether through smoking or edibles) and the use of illegal drugs is not permitted in or on Town facilities.  No person shall possess alcohol, marijuana products or paraphernalia, or illegal drugs on Town property.The prohibitions in this section apply to all Town-owned properties, including but not limited to all public beaches, ponds, Town landings, Town owned parks, playgrounds, playing fields and walking trails, including vehicles thereon.
  7. Per Board of Health Regulation, smoking is prohibited on all Town-owned properties, including but not limited to all public beaches, ponds, Town landings, Town owned parks, playgrounds, playing fields and walking trails.
  8. Per Board of Health Regulation, all dogs, horses and pets (except service animals) are prohibited from public beaches, ponds, landings, and tidal flats 24 hours per day from May 15 to September 15. This includes all parking areas for and access areas to the beaches, ponds, landings, and tidal flats. Transferring an animal on a leash from a vehicle to a watercraft is allowed at landings.  Per Board of Health Regulation, no person owning or having care, custody or control of any dog shall allow such dog to soil, defile, defecate, or commit nuisance upon any public beaches, ponds, landings, and tidal flats.
  9. Littering is prohibited.  All refuse and recycling must be placed in a rubbish or recycling container. Please separate your refuse and recycling into the provided appropriate containers. Rubbish and recycling containers are in place seasonally; at all other times, please take your refuse and other materials with you when you leave. Glass containers are not allowed on beaches or at ponds.  Household refuse may not be disposed of in beach refuse or recycling containers.
  10. No person shall disturb the peace and tranquility of others. No lewd, obscene, profane or indecent acts or language or excessive noise are permitted on Town property.  
  11. The damaging, defacing, or removing of any building, structure, or sign on Town property is not allowed.  Violators will be prosecuted.
  12. Selling, advertising or giving away of goods or services on Town property is not allowed, except with written permission from the Select Board.  The selling of single use plastic water bottles is prohibited per Town bylaw.
  13. Use of detergents, boat washing or rinsing is prohibited. Boat storage and boat moorings require a Town permit. Please contact the Natural Resources Department for more information.
  14. No person shall take from the flats or waters of the Town of Brewster sea clams, soft shell clams, mussels, quahogs, razor clams, oysters, scallops, sea worms or eels without first obtaining from the Town of Brewster a permit or license to do so. Please see Town Shellfish Rules and Regulations for more information.  
  15. Use of open fires on Town property is prohibited at all times, per the Fire Department. Fireworks are illegal in the State of Massachusetts.
  16. Access to Town owned beaches, ponds, and landings may be restricted at the discretion of the appropriate Town staff at any time.
  17. Private events on Town public beaches, ponds, and/or landings are not permitted between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.  Questions about use of these Town properties should be directed to the Town Manager’s office. 

Possible Fines up to $200.00 for offenses.