Beach side parking: full sized cars, golf carts and other low speed vehicles, and bicycles There are more and more golf carts (GC's) being operated to get members, their families, their guests and their beach gadgets to and from the beach. More recently, Delaware adopted regulations for Low Speed Vehicles (LSV's), which are street legal on roads of 35mph or less. On the other hand, parallel parking spaces along Dune Rd are all marked for use by SUV-sized vehicles. In most cases, each parking space along Dune Rd. can be occupied by multiple of these smaller vehicles. In many cases, owners of smaller vehicles voluntarily park multiple ones in a regular parking space. Some of the smaller vehicles are short enough that they can pull into these spaces perpendicular to the travel lane, as is shown below. However, a rear bench seat or chair bracket may make the vehicle too long to park in that direction. Each year, MBA hands out 3 parking passes per property (2 hang tags and 1 sticker), for a total of 735. Because it is easy to remove a hang tag from a smaller vehicle, owners of these are allowed to trade in one hang tag for a second sticker. While these passes do entitle Members to park in a few designated parking spaces adjacent Beach Plum Rd (primarily occupied by employees), the primary purpose is to control parking in the roughly 80 beachside parking spaces. Obviously the math doesn't work very well. A group has been formed to study the issue of beachside parking this offseason; they met on October 19, 2024. Any actual policy changes would be enacted by the Board after community input. Topics discussed included: Not a huge problem most of the time; weekends from July 4th through mid-August are the most crowded times. It's possible that different procedures would be in place on the 6 busiest weekends. Recommending a reduction in the number of parking passes distributed Additional issues with ensuring emergency access to all beachside streets (bicycles and smaller vehicles parking adjacent corners) Ways to mark existing spaces so golf cart drivers are encouraged to double and triple up in existing parallel spaces along Dune Rd. Search for additional spaces for golf carts. Not clutter the beachside with too many additional signs or paint beyond the minimum necessary A community survey is planned to at least get an idea of how many such smaller vehicles are owned by Community Members, in addition to input on basic questions. Random ideas off the top of the President's head: Prohibit large vehicles from parking on Dune Rd, and make each space about 2/3rds size; large vehicles would need to park in the diagonal spaces on stub roads. Prohibit GC/LSV's from using diagonal spaces on stub roads. Require reflecting tape on sides of rear extensions so they're more visible. Provide basic GC's with an extra sticker. Anything longer than standard length would need to use a regular sticker. Reduce # sticker/tags to 2 per property. Each spring, all brush that overhangs homeowner property lines into the air space over the 30' width of Dune Road (MBA owns about 5' on each side of the 20' wide asphalt road) should be cut back. Any trash enclosures or other obstructions should be moved off of MBA property. Bicycles are always a concern, and of course take up far less space than any 4 wheeled vehicle. No matter what, we should ensure that there is space along each beach access walkway for bicycles to be leaned against the fencing. Below are some random photographs taken this summer illustrating some of these points.

	Head-in (Dune just north of E. Addy). Note that wheels are always a fixed distance from front of vehicles. Parking bumpers needed to protect homeowner fencing (i.e. MINE!)
	Different day; same as above. Note how far extensions stick out. Should we require reflecting tape on these "extensions" if parked like this?
	Unfortunate waste of space. The one in the background is lined up with a gap in my post/rail fence and thus the cart does not risk damaging anything. (I can walk between carts to access my yard.)
	Note chairs strapped to roof. Bench on back might make this one too long for head-in, but roof is a great place to put things without lengthening the vehicle. (I have since been advised that chairs on the roof lead to lots of sand descending on occupants of the cart.)
	Bracket for chairs on back probably make it too long for head-in. Note extension of bracket at top.
	Previous full space north of 41 Dune; could be marked for one GC/LSV.
	Head-in parking; a third was parked here earlier (Dune just north of Bridge). Parking bumpers likely needed to protect fence.
	Space for one to pull-in? (Legal distance from fire hydrant? 25'?) (41 Dune mailbox/driveway)
	Space for one? (south of 45 Dune) Mailbox would need to be moved.
	Full sized LSV. LSV's with legal tags are significantly longer than can't realistically fit head-in along Dune, and thus would need a full space.
	This is another waste of space. Easy to pull to the front or back of the space. But in the middle?
	This and several following photos are to demonstrate how long a basic golf cart is, and how much longer it is with rear extensions. Most actual golf carts are about 7'6" long; the seat/fold down storage and makes it over 9' long.
	Rear platform on this one adds about 2' to a basic 7'6" cart.
	Rear platform and "chair prongs" on these 2 adds over 3' to a basic 7'6" cart.
	Slightly narrower rear platform on this one adds about 1'6" to a basic 7'6" cart.

(putting this here so I don't forget to add some verbiage about bicycles) This Page: https://middlesexbeach.org/cfc/parking.htm. Last updated: 10/24/24; hit count: .