Stopped Southampton Village Beach Parking Restrictions

The Surfrider Foundation opposed and stopped proposed changes included in the repeal and replacement of Chapter 86 of the Southampton Village Code, sponsored by Mayor William Manger Jr.

Under the proposed replacement of Chapter 86, the most egregious change was that permit parking would no longer have been limited to May 15–September 15. The proposed §86-3 said a permit is required “at all times” at Village beach parking areas and the properties listed in Article II, unless a specific exception applies.

There are thousands of East End Residents who, for many reasons, are unable to obtain a parking permit for the Village of Southampton ($600 per season) and look forward to the September 15-May 15 window when they have the opportunity to freely enjoy our beautiful ocean, waves, and beaches.

This change would have put Southampton Village at odds with neighbors in Southampton Town, East Hampton Town, and East Hampton Village, all of which only require permits from May 15-September 15. This would have cause confusion and headaches for the Village and Southampton Village Residents.

The proposed changes to Chapter 86 also appeared to expand the geographic scope of parking areas that require permits, such as Road D, decreasing opportunities for the public to enjoy a public resource.

Restricting parking not only limits swimmers, it limits the activities that make Southampton great: surfing, fishing, kite surfing, paddle boarding, sunbathing, and more. Even where the public retains a legal right to use the shoreline, eliminating practical parking access will substantially diminish the public's ability to exercise that right, violating the Public Trust Doctrine.

Furthermore, the Surfrider Foundation found the explanation and messaging around the changes to be convoluted & difficult for the public to understand. The changes, while simple at face value, represented a major departure from what has been tradition, what other local municipalities continue to maintain, and a further restriction of the public’s right to beach access.  

We hope that the Village of Southampton will work with stakeholders, residents, and advisors to develop a more clear and fair beach parking policy.

Leading up to the public hearing on August 13, 2026, Surfrider Foundation's Eastern Long Island Chapter published information about the proposed regulation changes and the public hearing itself--as well as alerted media. Surfrider staff and volunteers attended and testified at the August 13, 2026 public hearing, where the Southampton Village Council voted against the changes to parking regulations.