East Hampton Town Considers Driving Limits on Gin Beach in Montauk

The proposed amendment would prohibit parking and driving on the East Hampton Town portion of Gin Beach at the end of East Lake Drive starting on the Thursday before Memorial Day through Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to town records.

The proposal comes after New York State courts ruled that off-road vehicles could no longer be driven on a stretch of Napeague known as Truck Beach that pitted commercial fishermen against oceanfront homeowners.

The proposed restrictions on Gin Beach, which overlooks Block Island Sound, aims to mitigate traffic issues during the peak beach season when the park is at its busiest and not completely ban all off-road access.

If the amendment passes, it would be the fifth beach in the town to face identical time restrictions. The other four are the ocean beach in Amagansett between Indian Wells Beach and Atlantic Avenue Beach, the ocean beach in Wainscott between Town Line Road and the western boundary of East Hampton Village, the ocean beach in Montauk between Camp Hero State Park and Hither Hills State Park, and Fort Pond Bay beach in Montauk.

The town board voted to schedule a public hearing on the proposal for 6 p.m. April 2 at East Hampton Town Hall and invite the public to submit written comments to the town clerk.