Residents urge Halifax Select Board to restrict ramp access and step up enforcement after weekend safety complaints

Halifax residents pressed the Select Board on Tuesday to act after weeks of what they described as escalating safety and nuisance problems at Halifax beach and the 4th Avenue boat ramp. Dozens of people told the board that out-of-town jet skiers were operating inside the no‑wake zone and within the swimming buoys, leaving trash, blocking emergency access and driving recklessly through nearby neighborhoods.

"It's a pretty big safety issue. It's a pretty big liability issue for the town," resident Steve Goodman told the board, showing photos and video he said were taken from public and nearby private beaches that showed jet skis and trailers parked near the ramp and craft operating close to swimmers.

Other speakers described a similar pattern: crowding at the ramp and beach, alcohol and fires on the sand, and trailers left that block emergency access. "I have two children — I cannot let them out on a weekend to play in the yard," said Mark Dillon, who lives across from the ramp. Several residents said parking attendants and occasional state environmental police citations had not stopped repeat visitors from returning.

The board acknowledged that the town's authority is limited for activities on the water but said it can act on land-use controls and enforcement. Chair Tom Pratt said the town is willing to pursue multiple tracks, including local bylaw changes and coordination with state enforcement for the Route 58 state boat ramp.

In a formal motion Jonathan Selig moved, and the board unanimously approved, a request that the police and fire chiefs review the feasibility of installing a locked gate with a Knox‑box at the 4th Avenue ramp (for resident and emergency access) and report back. The board also asked staff to check whether such work would require a filing with the Conservation Commission (for work within 100 feet of the pond) and to send a letter to the state environmental police asking for additional enforcement resources.

Select Board members stressed a mix of near‑term and longer‑term responses: targeted overtime enforcement and towing to curb repeat violations; quick installation of perimeter controls where legally feasible; and, over time, consideration of patrol assets such as a police boat. "Let's do the small things that add up to a difference," one member said, urging staff to move quickly on measures that do not require lengthy approvals.

Next steps the board directed staff to pursue include: (1) a joint police/fire feasibility review of a locked gate at the 4th Ave ramp and proposed gate locations; (2) contacting the state about closing or gating the Route 58 ramp at dusk if enforceable; (3) seeking a Conservation Commission determination if the gate or posts fall within resource-area buffers; and (4) preparing draft bylaw language for potential consideration at a future town meeting. The board said it would return with recommendations after consulting chiefs and conservation staff.