New Jersey bans alcohol on beach and boardwalk after commissioners unanimously passed stricter law

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New Jersey bans alcohol on beach and boardwalk after commissioners unanimously passed stricter law

New Jersey officials are banning alcohol on the beach and boardwalk after city commissioners unanimously passed the stricter law.

Introduced in early May, the new ordinance does not only prohibit the drinking and or open display of alcohol but also says the mere existence of any kind of alcohol is prohibited, Mayor Pete Byron said.

alcohol has always been banned on the beach and boardwalk. There is already a sign at every street entrance to the beach, he said.

He told CNN that the proposed ordinance was tweaked to include alcohol on the beach and boardwalk in the town, about 40 miles south of Atlantic City.

Revelers over Memorial Day weekend will be spared from enforcement, as the new ordinance doesn't go into effect until mid-June. The mayor says the law will go into effect on Friday and will be effective within 20 days.

If not, those not abiding by the ordinance could walk off with a warning, a fine of up to $2,000 or potentially 90 days in jail, Byron said.

The law mirrors those in other shore towns, officials said, and seeks to crack down on the matter of possession.

It exempts designated restaurants or permit events on the beach and boardwalk, the release said.

The mayor of Wildwood, Krista Fitzsimons, cited the numerous complaints about drinking, marijuana use, and smoking on the beach and boardwalk every year as a cause for the new ordinance.

This is a matter of public safety, Steve Mikulski, the commissioner of public safety, said in a statement. We understand people are on vacation and want to have a good time, he said.

We offer a wide variety of entertainment options to keep people coming back for years to come. drinking excessive amounts of sun, especially in the summer, frequently leads to excessive and unruly behavior, not to mention increased health risks. Wildwood's website states that it is made up of five separate municipalities consisting of Wildwood, North and West Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Diamond Beach.

A breach of peace ordinance also approved to help police crack down on juvenile curfew violations, excessive noise, littering, vandalism, setting off illegal fireworks and riding bikes on the boardwalk after hours, officials said.