The Issue

• Beaches are usually crowded. Some people are there with children, some are surfing, some are riding bikes and ATVs, and some are just sunbathing. Is it necessary to regulate which activities people are allowed to participate in or where they can do them?
  
  

For Regulation

• The reasons why a local government might choose to enact beach regulations are varied. Usually there is an incident like a fight or an injury that brings about a rule. Pressure might come from area residents as well. Local governments have instituted rules against alcohol, four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles and unauthorized fishing.
  
  Alcohol might be banned if authorities notice its use has led to disorderly acts such as fighting or drunken driving. Four-wheel-drive vehicles and ATVs have often been prohibited because of concerns for pedestrians on the beach, especially children. Fishing is occasionally prohibited because of depleted fish populations.
  
  

Against Regulation

• Most arguments against beach regulations point out that beaches are public property that is maintained by taxpayer funds. For this reason, regulations should be kept to a minimum to allow the greatest number of people to enjoy themselves. Also, regulations are frequently adopted to control groups. ATV owners and people who drink alcohol, often identified as rowdy, feel they are being unfairly targeted because of the actions of a few people.
  
  

Sample Regulation

• Here is an excerpt of beach prohibitions taken from the municipal website for Hilton Head, South Carolina:
  
  Alcoholic liquor, beer, wine
  Glass (bottles, containers, etc.)
  Indecent exposure (nudity)
  Disorderly conduct
  Disturbing the peace
  Unauthorized vehicles
  Fires and fireworks
  Shark fishing
  Removal, alteration, or damage to dunes, sea oats, or other dune flora
  Operation, launching, or landing of unauthorized motorized watercraft
  
  

Widespread Debate

• The debate about beach regulation is a global one. In 2008 at Australia's Rainbow Beach, local 4WD owners formed a protest convoy and rode across the beach to demonstrate against a new policy restricting access to 4WD vehicles and new beach access fees. Advocates for the new policy pointed out that Rainbow Beach was in the process of becoming a World Heritage Site and that to preserve the area, 4WD activity need to be curbed. They also said that the new fees would help maintain the beach.
  
  At New York's Rockaway Beach in 2003, residents faced a long list of prohibitions, including the consumption of alcohol, walking dogs and riding bikes in the sand. The unhappy residents held rallies and petition drives until some of the ordinances were repealed.