DENNIS – The city of Dennis is taking steps to prevent a repeat of the last 4th of July holiday that saw out-of-control crowds leave local beaches destroyed.
4th of July rules for Mayflower Beach in Dennis
New restrictions announced Wednesday affect Mayflower Beach, Chapin Beach and Bayview Beach. Police prohibit parking in the neighborhoods around the beaches and parking tickets are not sold or accepted on the 4th of July. Only people with a residential, seasonal or weekly parking sticker will have access to the beach parking lots.
Authorities also said there will be “zero tolerance” for public drinking, drug use, loud music and “unsafe behavior” on the beaches. Anyone caught drinking alcohol on the beach will be fined $50 and have their drinks confiscated.
Rideshare drivers are stopped at the intersection of Beach Street and New Boston Road. All passengers disembarking there must work 2 miles to Mayflower Beach or 3.5 miles to Chapin.
“Local and seasonal residents and visitors to Dennis should be able to go to their local beach without encountering massive drinking parties organized by visitors who come to the beach for the day and leave total chaos in their wake,” Dennis Select Board Chairman Christopher Lambton said. a statement.
“Tons of trash” left on Cape Cod beach
Last year, police said thousands of young people arrived at Mayflower Beach at dawn and the crowds grew out of control despite the presence of extra officers. There were several calls about large groups fighting and people urinating on protected beach dunes, police said. Police also had to interrupt a ‘live boxing match’ and said an officer was surrounded and attacked on the beach.
A total of thirteen people were arrested and the crowd left behind “several tons of garbage”.
Dennis police
The beach restrictions will not apply until July 4 this year, but Lambton said further discussions will take place to see whether they should be continued or changed.
“It’s getting worse every year,” he said Wednesday. “At some point you have to change the way you do things.”
