OLS Beach Association Ordinances
ORDINANCES
(As Adopted 5/31/08)
Old Lyme Shores Beach Association (OLSBA)
It shall be the duty and responsibility of all property owners to communicate these ordinances to guests,
renters and bona fide service and tradesmen.
Sec.1. No person shall operate any motorized vehicle upon any road within the territorial limits of this
Association at a speed greater than fifteen (15) miles per hour.
a. Unregistered vehicles are not permitted in OLSBA boundaries.
b. Vehicles are not permitted on the Beach, except maintenance/emergency vehicles. Residents wishing to
operate a motor vehicle on the beach for personal reasons (i.e. launching of watercraft) should receive prior
permission from OLSBA beach security personnel.
c. Sleeping in vehicles or trailers is not permitted within OLSBA.
d. No parking on OLSBA roads.
e. No parking at the beach except for purposes of pick-up and drop-off.
f. No parking on Recreation field without prior approval from the Board of Governors or OLSBA beach
security personnel.
g. Campers, Tents, Storage Trailers, etc are not permitted within the boundaries OLSBA. Unoccupied trailers
may be parked on owner’s property, October through May only.
Sec.2. No person shall misuse Association property as defined by the Board of Governors. Notification of
continued misuse shall be warned in writing and continued misuse may be subject to penalty.
Sec.3. No person shall cut or remove any portion of any OLSBA roadway unless they receive prior written
approval of the Board of Governors
Sec.4. No person shall commit a nuisance within the territorial limits of such Association. The following acts
are declared to be acts of nuisance:
The causing of any excessive or offensive noise upon any street, right of way or beach.
The posting or displaying of bills, placards, or advertisements upon any building, wall, fence, post or tree.
Tradesman and Real Estate signs are not permitted during July and August, except during open houses.
Tradesman and Real Estate signs must be displayed from within the home, through a window.
The blocking by motor vehicle or by any other means of any street or right of way.
d. The depositing of garbage or other refuse within the territorial limits of said Association except in suitable
containers.
e. The entry in to the territorial limits of said Association of any person other than property owners, their
guests, and bona fide service and tradesmen.
f. The abandonment of any personal property on the beach after November 1st of any calendar year. If this
occurs, the Board shall give said offender written notice and if the property is not removed within 14 days of
the mailing of said notice, said Board may dispose of the abandoned property and may bill the person
responsible for the actual cost of such service.
g. Any motorized vehicles that have been deemed either inoperable or unregistered for a period of greater
than 30 days must be removed from the territorial limits of the Association or stored in a garage unless
granted special dispensation by the Board of Governors. If, in the opinion of the Board of Governors, any
violation of this subsection has occurred without permission, said Board shall give said offender written notice
of same, and if said condition so reported, is not remedied within 14 days of the mailing of said notice, said
Board may have the vehicle removed from OLSBA boundaries and may bill the person responsible for the
actual cost of such service.
h. Bonfires and Fireworks are not permitted within OLSBA boundaries without prior permission from the
Board of Governors.
i. Solicitation is not permitted within OLSBA.
j. Fraternities and sororities are not permitted within OLSBA.
Sec.5. A “Hammer Law” shall be in place within the limits of OLSBA property between July 1st and Labor
Day. No significant construction or home improvement projects shall be conducted during this time period
without first seeking a waiver from the Board of Governors. Only written applications for a waiver will be
considered. The application must have an outline of the work to be done and a completion date. Any
extension to the completion date must be requested separately in writing following the original application
process. Violations of the hammer law will be informed in writing by the Board of Governors and may be
subject to daily penalty.
Sec.6. Beach rules for residents, guests and tenants:
a. No eating on the beach.
b. No coolers on the beach.
c. No consumption of alcoholic beverages allowed on the beach unless at a Board sanctioned event.
Nonalcoholic beverages are allowed provided they are not in glass containers.
d. No hazardous activity on the beach except in designated areas until after 6:00 PM. Hazardous activities
include but are not limited to ball playing, Frisbee throwing, kite flying, etc.
e. No skim boarding or boating (excludes inflatables) in the designated swim area.
f. All holes dug in beach must be filled in before leaving the beach.
g. Boats may be moored at the end of Sea Spray road or beyond OLSBA swimming areas.
h. Loading and unloading of powerboats is permitted at the end of Sea Spray Road water lane.
i. Non-powerboats and tenders may be loaded and unloaded at the Billow Road water lane.
j. Catamarans, sailboats, canoes, sea kayaks and inflatables may be stored at the end of Billow Road
beach/seawall area. Canoes, sea kayaks and inflatables may be stored at the area against the seawall at the
end of Sea Spray Road. Personal watercraft must adhere to powerboat rules.
Sec.7. Rules regarding animals for residents, guests and tenants:
a. Dogs must be leashed when on Association property.
b. Dog Owners must remove their Animal droppings. Violators will be subject to Association fines.
c. No Dogs, Cats or other Animals allowed on the Beach during June, July, August and September.
Sec.8. Shrubbery/Fencing must not inhibit the view of motorists at OLSBA. Shrubs and obstructions must be
trimmed or removed at owner’s expense.
a. Shrubbery/Fencing must not inhibit property owner’s views within OLS of the beach and/or water.
Shrubs/Fences may not exceed 4 feet where they can inhibit views of the beach and/or water.
b. Between properties the maximum height of shrubbery/fencing is 8 feet unless otherwise agreed to by both
adjoining property owners. This is only the case where they border contiguous land of private owners not
OLS roads.
c. Shrubbery/Fencing may not exceed 3 feet in height where it borders OLS roads and it is placed outside the
homeowner’s actual property line.
c. If, in the opinion of the Board of Governors, any violation of this section has occurred without permission,
said Board shall give said offender written notice of same, and if said condition so reported, is not remedied
within 14 days of the mailing of said notice, said Board may begin levying fines on a daily basis until the
violation is brought back into conformance with the applicable regulations outlined in Sec.7.
Sec.9. The Board of Governors may fix a penalty for each violation of any ordinance or regulation by
residents, of not more than twenty five dollars per day. The property owner will be responsible for any
misconduct and fines levied for the misconduct of their guests and tenants. Any penalties or fines may be
recovered in an action brought for the purpose in the name of The Old Lyme Shores Beach Association
before any court having jurisdiction, for the use and benefit of said association. Hardship exemptions from any
of the ordinances listed above can be appealed by residents to the Board of Governors.
May 1, 2006
Residents:
The Old Lyme Shores Board of Governors has spent significant time researching whether “golf cart” type
vehicles could be operated on Association roadways. This was in response to the desire of the Association
membership as expressed at the fall meeting of 9/6/2003. At that meeting rules were put in place to allow for
limited use of these vehicles. Since then, the Board has endeavored to ascertain whether rules for usage of
these vehicles would be legal. It is the position of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles that this is
not possible and operation of these vehicles on our roadways would be illegal. The Association is prohibited
from adopting regulations or bylaws that conflict with the law in section seventeen of our Charter.
The Board asked for the assistance of State Representative Marilyn Giuliano to help clarify the law governing
this issue. She agreed to send a letter to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles for
information surrounding the legal use of “golf carts” on roadways in Connecticut. Rep. Giuliano asked
Commissioner DeFilippo in a letter “Can golf cart use be permitted as vehicular transportation if allowed by
borough or association by-laws?”. John Yacavone, the Bureau Chief of Legal Services for the Department of
Motor Vehicles responded to our questions. His response to the aforementioned question was as follows; “In
my opinion, the answer to this question is No, if the borough’s or association’s intention is to permit operation
on a highway”.
Therefore, the Board of Governors is formally notifying all property owners that they are prohibited from
operating “golf cart” type vehicles on Association roadways by Connecticut State law. Please cease operating
any “golf cart” type vehicle on Association property immediately. Continued operation will become a police
matter.
We have copies of both letters referenced above upon request. If you have any questions regarding this
matter please refer them to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles or the Connecticut State Police.
Regards,
Old Lyme Shores Board of Governors