Shelter Island board approves suite of 2026 beach and summer commercial licenses with conditions

The Town Board approved a series of commercial-use licenses for vendors seeking to operate on town beaches and waterfronts during the 2026 summer season.

The approvals covered a range of applicants — a ship-to-shore launch service at Crescent Beach (Rideshore LLC), therapeutic massage/physical therapy at Crescent Beach (Bonham Spa), Pilates classes at Wade's Beach, a food truck (the Islander), an ice-cream vendor ("Mr. Softy"), kayak and paddle-board rental operators and others. Each license was granted with specific conditions that the board read into the record: application fees (typically $350–$500), proof of general-liability insurance including the town as additional insured, adherence to hours and seasonal dates (examples: Rideshore May 15–Sept. 30; Pilates limited to certain Saturday/Wednesday morning windows), limits on tent size and daily removal of gear, prohibition on reserving parking spots, and generator noise limits where applicable.

For example, the Rideshore LLC license specifies operation between May 15 and September 30, a 10x10 vendor tent, and a required $500 final fee and insurance coverage; food-truck conditions included an operating permit from the Building Department and a generator noise limit (65 decibels at 25 feet). Board members asked that licensees coordinate with the Police and Highway departments for final location placements.

All licenses were approved on voice votes during the meeting. The board reserved the right to revoke any license for cause and required license execution and submission of insurance certificates before operations begin.