State reports smooth transition in Deauville Beach takeover

Following the inability to reach an agreement with Rehoboth Beach officials, the state’s Division of Parks and Recreation is now overseeing operations at Deauville Beach in Rehoboth Beach for the first time in nearly 50 years.

The state announced in February that it was assuming control of the area, which includes 600 yards of beach, a parking lot, tennis courts and the dune crossings coming in from Surf Avenue. The state began charging entrance fees to all state parks March 1, but delayed entrance fees at Deauville until May 15, while an operations plan was created and approved. A little more than a month into the implementation of that plan, the state is reporting that visitors are pleased with the changes made so far and with the team operating the site.

“The transition has gone extremely well, and Deauville Beach has become a routine part of operations in the Cape Henlopen State Park management unit,” said Shauna McVey, Division of Parks and Recreation spokesperson, adding that the lifeguard program is fully operational and the division increased the number of stands to five.

In Rehoboth Beach, seasonal transferable parking permits costs $325, seasonal non-transferable permits cost $295, an eight-day parking permit costs $120, a three-day weekend permit costs $60 and a daily parking pass costs $25.

Under the state plan, parking at Deauville Beach costs $15 per day for a weekday, $20 per day for a weekend day, and $115 for a seasonal pass that’s non-transferable and only valid at Deauville Beach.

McVey said the total amount generated in daily entrance fees from Memorial Day weekend through June 11 is $25,730. There have been 382 Deauville Beach annual passes sold through June 19, she said.

Beginning Aug. 1, both annual parking permits in Rehoboth are discounted – $165 for the transferable, $150 for the nontransferable.

McVey said the state has no plans to discount the annual pass for Deauville after a certain date. Based on standard pass and permit sales practices, the division does not discount nor prorate passes and permits due to purchasing later in the season, she said.

However, for people who already have a Delaware State parks annual pass, the Deauville pass is $90, said McVey. Of the 382 passes sold, 216 have been at the discounted rate, she said.

There are also a few other changes put in place at Deauville Beach by the state: Parking enforcement will continue through the end of November instead of ending Sept. 15 like the rest of Rehoboth Beach; a carry-in, carry-out program has been implemented for trash and beach cleaning; and sun canopies are permitted on the beach.

This spring, in advance of setting the parking rates, state officials said operating Deauville Beach will cost about $170,000 annually, with a one-time start-up cost of $50,000.

It is difficult to gauge the total revenue impact for the season as this week is the first full week when schools are out for the summer, and vacation visits and rentals start to ramp up for the summer, said McVey.

Looking to next year, McVey said Deauville Beach will undergo a safety inspection like all the other properties in the state park system. Reviews include conditions of dune crossings, amenities, parking conditions, accessibility and infrastructure, she said.