Madison Hikes Parking Rates For Non Resident Beachgoers

MADISON, CT - Several changes have been approved by town officials in Madison to try and stem criticism of the newly implemented beach parking system.

Madison residents have been complaining a new parking system was not charging out of towners enough and the result was that Madison residents were having trouble finding spots on their own town beaches.

The issue reached a crisis point on this past July 4th when Hammonasset State Beach closed around 11 a.m. due to overflow crowds and out of towners flocked to Madison town beaches looking for a respite from the 90-degree weather.

At a special Board of Selectmen meeting on the issue Thursday evening, the Selectmen:

— approved a recommendation from the Beach and Recreation Commission to increase the hourly parking rate at all Town beaches from $3/hr to $10/hr, to be replaced by a daily rate system when the computer software allows it;

— approved a recommendation from the Beach and Recreation Commission to set the hours for hourly parking passes to 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. at East Wharf and West Wharf; and from 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Surf Club;

— approved a recommendation from the Beach and Recreation Commission to set a daily minimum pass rate as part of the current Beach Pass System, at $50 per day Monday – Thursday and $75 per day Friday-Sunday and Holidays; to be implemented in accordance with the software requirements of the contractor.