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Bethany Beach kicks off first summer with tent, canopy ban

Courtesy of townofbethanybeach.org

The Town of Bethany Beach has started its first summer with an ordinance in place banning shading devices like canopies, tents and large umbrellas on the beach.

The town banned canopies, large umbrellas and tents in February, after hearing complaints that they were proliferating the beach. 

Monitors have been walking around the beach informing people about the town’s new ban.

Mayor Jack Gordon says they’ve issued some warnings, but he doesn’t foresee any problems — even when a beach renourishment project is complete and people flock to the area later this summer.

“I look forward to when the beach is replenished, when it’s wide open and working well later this summer, that we will have no problems that might come up as a result of this,” Gordon said.

Gordon says he hopes the ordinance will have similar success to the town’s beach smoking ban enacted 10 years ago.

Bethany is the third Delaware beach town to ban canopies and large umbrellas from the beach. Rehoboth Beach and Fenwick Island have similar bans.

Rehoboth Beach banned canopies and tents in 2017. Krys Johnson, a spokeswoman for the city, said between mid-May and June 21 this year, Rehoboth issued 36 tent warnings and one violation.

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