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A SURPRISING item is now banned at a popular US beach destination.
Beachgoers will need to pack lighter this summer, as one city announced it will restrict items that can be brought to the beach, effective immediately.
Officials in Ocean City, Maryland, voted to ban select tents and canopies that the public can bring to Ocean City Beach.
Vacationers will only be allowed to set up baby tents, but are prohibited from setting up any other types of tents.
Certain-sized canopies will also be restricted, local CBS affiliate WJZ reported.
Canopies are restricted to 10-by-10 feet and must be at least three feet apart from each other.
The new measure also prohibits canopies from being left unattended before 10 am.
Ocean City Beach Patrol Captain Butch Arbin told the outlet that the new rules are meant to help lifeguards have a clear view of swimmers and sunbathers.
In recent years, officials have noticed an increasing number of tents and canopies blocking lifeguards’ views.
“We saw large canopies and closed tents that blocked the views of other people trying to enjoy the beach, it limited the areas where people could go,” Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said.
“Our beaches are extremely popular, they get very crowded, and we want to make sure everybody has an opportunity to enjoy the beach,” he added.
On the announcement for the new tent restrictions, the Town of Ocean City wrote that the “ordinance aims to enhance safety, improve visibility, and ensure a more enjoyable experience for all beachgoers.”
“We realize that canopies are important for sun protection,” Meehan stated in the announcement.
“We just want to make sure that what we’re not doing is making it so other people can’t enjoy their time out on the beach as well.”
The changes also aim to reduce crowding during peak beach season.
The announcement stated that the beach is following suit of nearby destinations that previously banned tents.
Delaware’s Rehoboth Beach banned tents, canopies, grills, and campfires back in 2017.
The ordinance was meant to prevent “tent cities” from forming, CBS News previously reported.
Canopy and tent guidelines
- Must be open on all four sides
- Size limit: no larger than 10ft x 10ft
- Keep at least 3 feet of space between your canopy and your neighbor’s
- Anchoring must stay within the footprint of the canopy
- No canopies left unattended before 10:00 a.m.
- Canopies must be placed behind the lifeguard stand
- Baby tents are permitted but no larger than 3ft x 3ft x 3ft
“We’ve seen people get in arguments over them,” Kent Buckson, captain of Rehoboth Beach Patrol, said.
“Some use them to illegally smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol on the beach and even set up toilets inside them.
“And it’s a problem that’s been getting worse over the last couple of seasons.”
Delaware’s ordinance only allowed umbrellas up to 7 feet, 6 inches.
