Free Beach Days in Strathmere Could Be Coming to an End

The community of Strathmere, with its 1.5-mile coastline, is one of only a few South Jersey beaches that still don't require beach tags, but may change that policy later this month.

Officials in Upper Township, Cape May County, who have been weighing the benefits of beach tags for several years, now plan to hold a public hearing and vote on the idea at the Monday, Aug. 24 Township Committee meeting.

A Brief History of Strathmere

Strathmere, a quiet beach community on the northern end of Ludlam Island, was first used by the Lenape Native Americans for seasonal fishing and hunting.

Sea Isle City sold the land that is now Strathmere to Upper Township in 1905 to pay off $31,500 in municipal debt.

Strathmere is neither an independent town nor a borough. It is an unincorporated community thought of as a neighborhood of Upper Township.

At least that's how Upper Township looks at Strathmere.

Upper Township has a population of about 12,500, but fewer than 300 year-round people live in Strathmere.

After a lengthy legal battle, in 2010, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled against Strathmere in its plan to secede from Upper Township and rejoin Sea Isle City.

During that trial, Upper Township projected that it would lose 17.5 percent of its $2.4 billion tax base if Strathmere left. That's a long way from $31,500.

Upper Township Wants Strathmere Beach Tags

Upper Township has favored beach tags for Strathmere for several years. An ordinance to create a beach tag program was introduced at the latest Township Committee meeting.

According to the ordinance, a daily tag will cost $10, while a weekly tag will cost $20. A seasonal tag costs $45, or $30 if you buy it in the pre-season.

Those prices would be in line with, or slightly higher than, other Cape May County beaches that already require tags, with the seasonal tags in Ocean City ($35), Avalon and Stone Harbor ($40), Sea Isle City ($30), and Cape May ($40).

Upper Township last considered beach tags in 2021, but passed on the idea due to concerns that the administrative costs could offset revenue.

Why the Money is Needed

Upper Township Administrator James Van Zlike now says a beach tag program in Strathmere could generate about $320,000 in revenue that would help offset the cost of other beach services, according to Phillyvoice.com.

Upper Township has paid about $513,000 this year for beach maintenance, lifeguard wages, and pensions.

The township has paid another $2.1 million in matching funds for beach replenishment, a cost that's shared with the state and federal government.