Town of Mashpee Restricts Access to Beaches

Last month access to town beaches in Mashpee were restricted to Mashpee residents, members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and those with vehicle disability plates or placards and/or current town beach permits. The order was approved by the Town of Mashpee Board of Selectman on Monday, July 27.

The restrictions to the town beaches are deemed necessary due to recently observed overcrowding and congestion at John's Pond and other Town beaches in order to regulate, on a temporary basis, the size of gatherings for the purposes of preserving and maintaining the public health, safety and welfare and effectively regulating vehicular parking on roads in and around said Town Beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order states “… no operator of any vehicle shall park or stand the same on any portion of any street or road leading to John's Pond, specifically: Back Road, Cranberry Avenue, Highview Avenue Hilltop Road, Hoophole Road and Valley Road and as designated by the signs containing the words "NO PARKING", which signs shall be placed on such roads or portions thereof pursuant to and for the duration of this temporary restriction. The Chief of Police and or his designees, are authorized and directed to place and erect temporarily, or cause to be so placed and erected, such signs on any such portion of any road subject to this temporary restriction.”

All persons authorized to access said Beaches during this temporary restriction will be expected to comply with all recommended COVID-19 safety measures, including appropriate social-distancing and wearing of face masks when social-distancing is not possible, while on the Town Beaches.

These temporary restrictions shall remain in effect until rescinded by the Board of Selectmen or until the State of Emergency declared by the Governor is terminated, whichever occurs first.

The Chief of Police and/or his designees are authorized to enforce these temporary restrictions by the issuance of citations and/or removal of non-compliant vehicles or persons in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.