In an effort to limit the number of people at East Hampton Village beaches, the village announced on Monday that beach parking permits will be required and no daily parking passes will be issued starting May 15. East Hampton Town enacted a similar policy on April 24, and the village police had started using barricades to restrict parking at the beaches that day as well.
The village said it will also develop new protocols for the use of bathrooms and lockers at the beaches, and it will be monitoring them to ensure that people are either social distancing or wearing face coverings. Hamptons Free Ride, which normally offers a free electric shuttle service to Main Beach from various points in the village, has also temporarily suspended its service.
Access will be further limited, the village said, if the beaches become overcrowded or people are not complying with protocols. "If procedures cannot be followed, beaches will close," it said.