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Lines outside beach badge booths up and down the Jersey Shore are starting to get longer. But will any towns be limiting tag sales again this summer to help control crowds, even as the coronavirus pandemic slows down in New Jersey?

Last year, the Gov. Phil Murphy ordered capacity limits and social distancing on beaches and lakefronts across the Garden State, but left it up to local leaders to decide how to enforce those broad rules, whether it be restricting the sale of passes or closing access points temporarily.

With most mask requirements and most gathering limits being eliminated, many local officials say they wont impose caps on beach passes, and will simply keep an eye on crowd sizes.

Friends and families will do what makes them comfortable and self-police in regards to social distancing and crowd control, said Ventnor Business Manager Maria Mento. Although not anticipated, if there are any issues, our police are always available to assist.

But a few towns remain undecided about limiting beach passes, while waiting to see how the summer plays out. Belmar even plans to again use drones to get an aerial view of how crowded beaches are getting.

The Borough has not made a decision on whether it will limit daily badge sales, said Manasquan Business Administrator Amy Spera. We will be closely monitoring the crowd and if we feel there is a safety need to do so we will and will make an announcement at that time. We will continue to monitor crowd sizes at individual beach entrances and if we feel a beach is getting too crowded we may close the entrance and direct visitors to another entrance.

Below is a list of each towns plans for this season. And here, youll find how much a beach badge costs in every Shore town.

Daily beach tags will be limited based on capacity and at the beach managers discretion.

Not limiting daily badges unless crowd sizes are too high. Ending sales will be a day-by-day decision.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

No decision yet on limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Daily beach tags will only be sold on the online through a company called WRSTBND this year, so the town can easily monitor the number of visitors. The town will likely cut off sales around 7,500 and 8,000 daily passes, but it will be a day-to-day decision. Drones will be used to monitor social distancing and shut down overcrowded areas of the beach.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

No decision yet on limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales. The township will have beach staff, crossing guards and seasonal, special law enforcement officers present at its beaches to handle whatever circumstances occur each day.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales. The town will temporarily discontinue daily badge sales if the beach becomes so overcrowded that it affects safety a move they only made three times last summer.

Not limiting beach tag sales, but social distancing will be encouraged.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

No decision yet on limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales, but officers on the beach will encourage people to spread out.

Not limiting beach tag sales. (Margate only sells season passes).

Not limiting beach tag sales

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Point Pleasant and Jenkinsons boardwalk will not limit beach tag sales, but will monitor crowds and make a judgement call, the mayor said.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

No decision yet on limiting beach tag sales.

The beach control department will be monitoring crowds and shut down daily tag sales if capacity is reached.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales.

Not limiting beach tag sales. (Ventnor only sells season passes).

Note: Monmouth Beach, Longport and Ocean Grove did not respond to requests for comment. Atlantic City and the Wildwood beaches are free.

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Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo.

Read more from the original source:
Will Jersey Shore towns limit beach tag sales this summer? Heres what theyre saying. - NJ.com