§ 72-r. Adopt-a-beach stewardship program. 1. The governing body of any municipality may enter into stewardship agreements with any person or persons for the purposes of preserving, maintaining, or enhancing its publicly-owned beach, shoreline area or portion thereof in accordance with the policies of this section.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

2. The stewardship agreement shall provide that the beach or shoreline area be preserved and maintained in its natural state or managed to enhance or restore the natural values they provide. Activities may include: remediating vandalism and storm damage, picking up litter and trash, establishing or maintaining access or nature trails, providing interpretive services for school groups and other citizens, and otherwise providing positive benefits to the beach or shoreline area.

3. Stewardship agreement with any person or persons may provide for assistance of personnel, facilities and supplies of the municipality for the purposes of supporting appropriate activities under such stewardship agreement.

4. The municipality shall establish procedures by which a person or persons may apply for a stewardship agreement, and shall be responsible for working with such persons to identify specific sections of a publicly-owned beach or shoreline area and specific activities deemed appropriate for such stewardship agreement. The municipality may consider factors such as safety, environmental sensitivity, need, cost and other factors deemed relevant in determining which beach or shoreline area or activities may be eligible or appropriate for a stewardship agreement.

5. The municipality shall provide recognition of the stewardship activities by appropriate signage on or near the adopted beach or shoreline area, and may provide recognition by such other measures as it may determine to be appropriate, including but not limited to press releases, certificates, and newsletters.

6. The stewardship agreement may be modified in scope or altered in any other manner at the sole discretion of the municipality, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section. The person or persons shall have the option of renewing the agreement subject to the approval of the municipality and the continuation by the municipality of the adopt-a-beach stewardship program. The municipality may immediately remove the signs and it may terminate the agreement upon thirty days notice, if in its sole judgment it finds and determines that the person or persons are not meeting the terms and conditions of the agreement.

7. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the municipality which has entered into a stewardship agreement and its employees shall not be liable for damages suffered by any person resulting from the actions or activities of such volunteers.