PETERSBURG — Upper Township is likely to join many other shore communities by instituting a beach tag program and charging for use of Strathmere’s beaches.
Township Administrator James Van Zlike gave a presentation during Upper Township Committee’s workshop session July 13, outlining the need for offsetting township taxes already being spent on the beach.
According to Van Zlike, the township has spent more than $513,000 in 2026 on the beach and related services, including lifeguard wages and pensions, as well as another $2.1 million in matching beach replenishment funds.
He said tags likely would raise about $320,000, but time would tell.
Van Zlike proposed Upper Township create four levels of tags, as other towns do, with a daily tag costing $10, weekly tag costing $20 and a seasonal tag costing $45. Tags could be purchased at the preseason rate of $30.
The suggestion to create the first-ever Upper Township beach tag program comes at the recommendation of a subcommittee formed for the purpose of studying the matter.
Committeemen Zack Palombo and Tyler Casaccio served on the beach tag subcommittee. Casaccio told the public those who use Strathmere beaches have enjoyed not only free beaches but free parking as well.
The establishment of a beach tag system is intended as a way to help fund beach operations and “not to scalp residents,” he said.
Asked during the regular meeting if residents could have a discount on beach tags, Mayor Curtis Corson said it is not possible.
“You would have to change state law,” he said, suggesting people contact their state legislators if they wished to gain an exemption for residents.
While some might balk at the notion of paying for once-free beaches, Corson said he thought the $45 price for seasonal beach tags is probably too low.
Casaccio said the proposed seasonal fee is on the high end for Cape May County, adding that most towns offer a $10 discount on preseason sales.
Township Committee is expected to consider the matter in the form of an ordinance, likely to be introduced in August. There will be a pubic hearing on the ordinance following the second reading.
At this point, the township has not determined how it would issue the tags, but is considering having both physical and virtual tags. The virtual tags would be similar to using a parking app on the user’s cell phone.
Van Zlike said some people like to collect beach tags year after year but that virtual tags would eliminate the need for beach tag checkers to sell them and deal with money.
Van Zlike asked solicitor Scott DeWeese whether the township needed to seek any approvals from the state or take any steps to register with the state.
DeWeese said as long as the township owns the beaches it would simply have to enact an ordinance establishing the beach tag requirement. He said the township would have to include in its ordinance who, or what entity, would enforce the ordinance.
The township last considered beach tags in 2021, Corson said.
Most beach communities in Cape May and Atlantic counties require beach tags, including Ocean City and Sea Isle City.
– By CHRISTOPHER SOUTH/For the Sentinel