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Hundreds of visitors learning the hardway about Rehoboth's new tent ban

James Morrison
/
Delaware Public Media

More and more visitors are finding out about Rehoboth Beach’s new tent ban the hard way.

 

Officials have issued more than 400 warnings and two citations since they started enforcing the ban three weeks ago.  

 

Rehoboth Police Chief Keith Banks said he’s not surprised to be issuing so many warnings.

 

“I expected it would be quite a few. We had to put the ordinance in place because last year and the year before there were so many tents it was becoming a safety issue and a distraction,” Banks said.

 

Lifeguards are giving about 25 warnings a day during the week and 40 during the weekends, according to Kent Buckson, captain of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol.

 

“I was joking with one of my guards the other day, saying ‘do you think we’ll reach 1,000 by the end of the summer’? And I’m pretty certain we will,” he said.

 

He expects the upcoming 4th of July holiday weekend to be especially challenging.

 

“You’re going to get a lot of people here who don’t know about the ordinance. Or you’re going to get people who know about it but try to push the envelope and get away with it,” Buckson said.

 

He's hoping as the summer goes on and the word spreads, lifeguards won’t have to issue so many warnings.

 

But, despite the warnings, he calls the ordinance a success. He said the beaches are a lot less crowded and it’s been easier for lifeguards to do their jobs.

 

Chief Banks agrees.

 

"I'm getting a lot of positive feedback from locals and tourists walking down the Boardwalk," he said.

 

The ordinance bans tents, canopies and barbecues on the beach starting this summer.

 

Baby tents up to 3 feet wide and umbrellas up to 8 feet in diameter are allowed.

 

The ordinance took effect mid-May and continues year-round.  

 

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