New Jersey Governor Murphy has given the OK for shore towns like Brigantine to officially, re-open their beaches.
On May 14, NJ State set so-called beach occupancy limits and other recommendations.
- 6 feet of space between strangers
- NO groups of 10 or more on beach.
- Masks on beach encouraged, but not mandatory.
- Some towns may close parking lots to deter visiting beach.
- Beach showers, water fountains and rest rooms can open.
- Amusement rides and arcades stay closed for now.
- Beach fireworks cancelled.
State also wants towns to limit amount of beach badges sold. Local Brigantine officials have plenty of wiggle room in all of this. They’re ultimately in charge of making, and enforcing the rules.
Individual beach towns will decide which directives to follow. Example #1 > Brigantine ignored NJ State mandate to close all golf courses. Example #2 > Brigantine typically sells 6,000 4×4 beach permits each year, for a beach that handles only 700 vehicles.
According to Brigantine Mayor Andy Simpson and City Council:
Effective Friday May 22, all Brigantine beaches will be open for recreational activities like swimming and sunbathing.
Families permitted to congregate in groups, up to 10 in size. Couples may sit together.
Swimming permitted at guarded beaches only.
At this time, lifeguards will be on beaches at Roosevelt Blvd, 16th street, 26th street and 38th street only.
Brigantine Beach Tag Office at 42nd street open starting Friday May 22 at 9a.
- Beach tags, parking and 4×4 permits will be available for sale.
- 4×4 permit and beach tag pricing will remain at preseason discounted price for time being.
- Effective Friday June 5, all 4×4 vehicles must have 2020 permit. 2019 permits will no longer be valid after June 5.
- Brigantine Cove Beach recreational area remains closed until further notice.
- Jetty beach is now open to 4×4 vehicles with a valid permit.
Social distancing rules in place for both areas. Overcrowding and failure to follow protocols may result in closure or limiting of vehicles permitted.
The north-end sea wall promenade will remain closed until further notice.
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Think it is to soon to open to every person in every State. Should be NJ residence only. We will have people from NY and PA etc bringing additional viruses and strains. Not good.
So Michael here’s a question. If I own a home in Brigantine and in PA, I shouldn’t be allowed to come to my home that I pay taxes on?
Last I checked, the hardest hit state is NJ…not NY. So healthy people who want to go to their home that they pay for, they shouldn’t be allowed to because they also own a home in another state?
You don’t want them spending money in the local restaurants and helping bolster the local economy because you believe they all have the ‘virus’? That is a very closed-minded thought process, especially considering the strong effects sunshine has against covid. You need to stop thinking solely about yourself and what benefits you.
If you own a home in this town, come the hell down. It’s your right just like everyone else who owns a home and pays taxes. End of story.
Dave P….People like Michael are incapable of dealing with rational logic. Hopefully his “stupid”, “closed mind” is not contagious.
Thank you Michael for welcoming all of your fellow tax payers back to our homes. We’ll try not to bring too many additional strains and viruses with us when we visit you.
What beach did you say you were on ?
The beach is open but not the promenade? This is just stupid crazy. What are the people who live down supposed to do? Walk 5 blocks to the beach. You don’t want people crowded together but that’s exactly what your doing.
i pay taxes just like everyone else. I don’t think keeping the promenade closed is the answer.
How are you going to sell beach badges in the community center and keep people 6 ft apart from one another?
On a regular day, the line is out the door and down the street. does that make sense?
I see you mention 700 passes for 4×4’s. Please ENFORCE this especially now. It has not been enforced in previous years. A NIGHTMARE on the Beach. Safety First.
Passes should be sold to residents first (open dates) then, if passes are still Available for sale, they can than be sold to non-residents.
Olga, just making sure to clarify you…not RESIDENTS, but PROPERTY OWNERS. Just because someone doesn’t live there year round doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be entitled to a ‘residents’ first as you put it.
The city makes no distinction between Homeowners or Residents. All home owners were and will continue to be welcome to stay at your Brigantine Homes. Restrictions were in place through Governors who imposed stay at home orders. Brigantine never told Homeowners to stay away. It was asked that you come and stay as long as possible in order to contain the disease. Many of my neighbors have moved to Brigantine to escape possible contraction in neighboring states. We have all worked together to contain the spread.Unlike some who have continued to rent their Brigantine Homes for profit with no regard to neighbors or their health. I know of one instance of a homeowner who Rented their property to 10 different groups of People in 16 days. Several one one night/party rentals with 50 or more attendees. This is the type of behavior we were trying to prevent.
We will leave it up to the people to fuck it up and the government,( law), and the military to fix the human fuck up, god bless, have bless day, aloha , kevin
Did you ever think that no one is ever going to agree on how we start reopening and living life again. At a certain point we are going to have to be able to make decisions for ourselves. So many people are already carrying the antibodies to the virus don’t even know it. It should be
optional at this time to make your own decision on how cautious we have to be from here on out. Everyone is different and I pray every night for the families who have lost a loved one. I fear this virus like everyone. It doesn’t seem 2 matter how much you protect yourself. I work in a very busy bar restaurant. My last day of work was mid March and at our bar we hug everybody it’s like a big family. We are full of college kids home on spring break at that time. And we were scared working the last two shifts. Following all the guidelines the mask wearing gloves disinfecting everything in my home and car. My biggest fear was I may have been exposed and brought this home to my family. Luckily I did not however under quarantine my 28 year old high-risk daughter got the virus then gave it to me. My youngest daughter who visited before we tested positive and she kept her social distance and just needed to pick up paperwork for her finals also got sick and tested positive. Yes we were lucky, blessed and thankful. But the mental depression the financial destruction and the fear the media puts in US is going to cause more damage then the virus. We have to be able to leave our homes. We have to be able to socialize at our own risk . We are human beings that need to laugh hear seagulls watch kids playing in the sand go to a restaurant and practice hand washing and the other guidelines on a personal level. Of course some people will be careless but that is going to happen no matter what the rules are. You have to make that decision on your own. If you are high risk are you fear getting sick wear your mask don’t go into areas that are crowded and I’m sure people will respect your rights. But we are a bunch of intelligent people who needs to address this on our own. They’re not doing a real good job figuring this out. My family got sick never leaving our house. Make your own decisions think of others start to live life again.
well put…if you feel safe enough to open your business, go outdoors, interact with *gasp* other humans…DO IT. If you don’t feel safe, and you choose to stay sheltered in place and avoid the outdoors…DO IT. This is a choice…we do not live in Nazi Germany under a dictator’s rule. Kudos to those who open up, I for one commend you. I don’t know about anyone else, but I couldn’t afford to stay sheltered in place and wait it out. I have bills to pay and mouths to feed!! Not everyone has 50 mill in the bank like Murphy does to just ‘wait it out’ for a cure.
why do post comments that are yours and not that of the Brigantine citizens. I’m am sure your Joe the Taxpayer is you. You use the word sycophant , a term that you once called me because I supported Mayor Gunther against one of your comments. That was the first and last Time I ever heard that term used. whatever You choose to be called, now is not the time Create a riff between Brigantine residents. We are all in this to protect our island, but your disgruntled comments do nothing to solve our present crisis. So I implore you to keep your Malign comments to yourself unless you have something positive or helpful to say.
Who are the sycophants who work for Brigantine who constantly praise and support and defend city officials and policies and put down all who question or raise the slightest objection to their policies
Who sure they
They must be exposed
Good things come to those who have patience. Economies survive. They always have and always will. Exercising caution at a time such as this will insure we are around to see the future. Take my advice and you will be around too see.
Tom Sustek
Take your advice? Economies survive? Must be magic!