After complaints of drug use, nudity and other rowdy behavior, the town of Freedom will limit parking to recreational boaters and local residents, cut back hours and prohibit “disorderly conduct” at a popular boat launch and swimming spot.
The select board has been trying for weeks to settle on new rules for the boat launch and swimming area on Freedom Pond, also known as Sandy Pond. The revised policy, released this week, forbids “indecent acts, intoxication or coarse language” and includes a $250 fine for vehicles that exceed the boat launch’s weight limits.
The policy does not include mechanisms for enforcement and does not specifically say how officials will determine whether people who park vehicles in the adjacent lot are “local residents.” The policy does not bar non-locals from using the pond itself.
The town will not be issuing parking stickers for local residents and is still considering the possibility of creating a neighborhood watch to keep an eye on the site, said Select Board member Lissa Widoff.
“It will take time to find the right community solution,” Widoff said. “Most of the time things are peaceful, but we want to be sure that our policies are clear.”
In response to the revised policy, some social media users questioned whether the town has the authority to police language and complained that the wider community was being punished for the bad behavior of a small group of people.
Earlier this month, the board announced that it would restrict access to town residents and property owners, sparking outcry on social media. The Select Board reversed course after learning that the move was not within its authority.