Starting next Friday, New York will open its state beaches with new rules restricting the number of visitors and requiring social distancing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at his daily press briefing today.
The decision to reopen the state’s beaches was made in conjunction with governors in New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware, Cuomo said.
“If other states were opening and New York wasn’t, you would have millions of people from New York flooding those beaches,” he said.
Counties and towns may choose to keep their municipal beaches closed, he said, but if they open, they must have at minimum the same social distancing and safety restrictions required at state beaches.
The number of visitors allowed on a beach at one time will be limited to 50% of normal capacity, Cuomo said, with employees stationed at entrances and exits to monitor the flow of visitors and limit parking to enforce capacity restrictions.
Group activities, including sports like volleyball and football, will remain prohibited. Areas of social gathering, such as pavilions, playgrounds, designated picnic areas and concession stands, will also stay closed.
Beachergoers will be required to maintain at least six feeet of social distance between groups of visitors from the same household. Employees will also be required to maintain social distance.
Masks or face coverings will be required for both employees and visitors when social distancing is not possible.
Beaches, along with parks and other public open spaces, have been open only for hiking since March 23, when New York’s stay-at-home orders went into effect.
Suffolk County has already developed a plan to begin reopening county beaches, according to a county document outlining the plan published by Newsday this morning.
Smith Point County Park and Cupsogue Beach County Park would both open Memorial Day Weekend, according to the document. Other county lifeguarded beaches would open the third weekend in June, as they usually do.
Suffolk County also plans to add additional staff at all of its beaches to monitor the flow of visitors, remind visitors of social distancing requirements and hand out masks if visitors do not have them.
Masks will be required at county beach restrooms, parking lot areas, boardwalks and decks, according to the document. Visitors will not need to wear a mask on the beach or in the water.
Local governments must make a decision to open or close municipal beaches by May 20, Cuomo said, so that the state can anticipate influxes of visitors at state beaches where municipalities have closed their own beaches.
If local officials do not enforce social distancing and safety requirements at both state and municipal beaches, Cuomo said, the state would move to shut non-compliant beaches down “immediately.”
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
