Ayer Parks Commission Restricts Sandy Palm Beach to Residents for 2021 Season

AYER -- May 6, 2021, Ayer's Parks Commission voted unanimously to bar non-residents from Sandy Palm Beach for the entire 2021 swimming season. The three-member board approved the resident-only policy at its May 6 remote meeting, with Commission Chair Jason Leone, Commissioner Jerry Metz, and a third commissioner present. Town Counsel Greg Corbo, who drafted the policy, told the board that limited parking, limited beach capacity, and ongoing COVID-19 conditions, including the ineligibility of children under 16 for vaccination, provided sufficient rational basis for the restriction. Parks Director Jeff Thomas recommended against allowing a set number of guest passes per resident, citing enforcement difficulties for beach staff. The final policy includes a provision allowing the beach director to grant written hardship waivers for non-residents in specific circumstances, such as out-of-town caregivers accompanying resident children. The policy supersedes a 2016 rule under which non-residents paid a fee to enter, and expires automatically at the end of the 2021 season.