Nudity Ban at NY Fire Island National Seashore

[rickvt]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/nyregion/crackdown-on-nudity-planned-for-fire-island-beach.html

 

The problem with the next article is there is no certainity that Suffolk County will not start enforcing the nudity laws. In fact, in some of the comments on these and other articles, it is stated that the County PD do ticket for nudity.

 

http://instinctmagazine.com/blogs/blog/there-goes-the-neighborhood-fire-island-officials-plan-to-enforce-laws-banning-nude-sunbathing?directory=100011

 

Run "Fire Island Nudity" in a google news search or other news search for numerous articles and comments in the last two days.

[adannyboy]

The FI Pines official facebook put this out today... pretty much says "business as usual"

 

 

NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE “NUDITY BAN” LEAVES FIRE ISLAND PINES UNAFFECTED

 

Fire Island Pines, NY - February 28, 2013 – The National Parks Service released a statement yesterday regarding their intention to begin enforcing state laws banning public nudity on certain Fire Island beaches this summer. FIP Ventures would like to clarify that this does not affect The Pines community.

 

The Chief Ranger of the Fire Island National Seashore, Lena B. Koschmann, sheds light on exactly what this means to the Pines:

 

“Fire Island National Seashore has chosen to start enforcing the state law prohibiting public nudity in the federal land it administers. Community beaches - including those in front of the Pines and Cherry Grove - will not be affected by this. They are policed by the Suffolk County police department, and it is not something they have chosen to enforce in the past.”

 

“The area known as “the Meatrack” is not a target of our enforcement. We do not plan on focusing our enforcement efforts in that area - however, of course, if people are disobeying the law, including having sex in public or doing drugs, of course we would enforce laws. Use and compliance will be monitored throughout the park, with additional measures being taken as necessary. Should concentrations of nudity and lewd and lascivious behaviors increase in other federal areas and cause conflicts with other visitors or protected species, then we may expand its enforcement efforts.”

 

The areas affected by the enforcement include:

- Lighthouse beach, from the western boundary of the park to the western boundary of Kismet

- The Sailors Haven tract, from Point O’ Woods to Cherry Grove

- One half mile on either side of the Barrett Beach lifeguard stand

- One mile on either side of the Watch Hill lifeguard stand

- From the Wilderness Visitor Center to the breach at Old Inlet

 

Here is a map of the Fire Island National Seashore: http://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/upload/FIIS_Map2_5-2006.pdf

 

Fire Island Pines was founded on the freedom of expression, and looks forward to maintaining that quality, and providing vacationers with a beautiful, safe environment to be themselves and enjoy their summer.