Stop Southampton Village Beach Parking Restrictions

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

The way we see it, under the proposed replacement of Chapter 86, the most egregious change is that permit parking is no longer limited to May 15–September 15. The new §86-3 says 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 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 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 could cause confusion and headaches for the Village and Southampton Village Residents.

These proposed changes to Chapter 86 also appear 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 finds the explanation and messaging around these changes to be convoluted & difficult for the public to understand. These changes, while simple at face value, represent 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. For these reasons, we hope that, at the very least, the Southampton Village Trustees will consider delaying this proposal until further presentations, hearings, and public comment can be heard, and the public can fully understand and express their opinions on these changes.

Nevertheless, we remain opposed to this change to parking law as a whole, and we hope that the Village of Southampton will withdraw this proposal and work with stakeholders, residents, and advisors to develop a more opaque and fair beach parking policy.

Surfrider Foundation's Eastern Long Island Chapter published information about these changes and the public hearing--as well as alerted media. Surfrider staff and volunteers attended and testified at the August 13, 2026 public hearing.