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Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find information that might help you understand how to find things or learn about information you might need to know about your city or town.

Public Works

3

  • To find out when your trash will be picked up, view the

    Public Works

  • Special trash collections may be scheduled by calling the Town Hall at (302) 539-8011.
    Public Works

  • Household hazardous waste collections & recycling guidelines
    Public Works

Beach Patrol

4

  • The first step in the hiring process is to submit your name and contact information to Captain Joe Donnelly by phone at (302)752-6273. From that point on, we will arrange a tryout and interview to be conducted some time during the spring prior to the coming summer. Open tryouts are typically conducted through March and April or by appointment as agreed upon by the applicant and Captain.

    Beach Patrol

  • The format for the open tryout includes, but is not limited to, the following events: 500m swim in under 10:00 minutes, 1 mile run in under 8:00 minutes, 150 soft-sand sprint run, 50m sprint swim, and a simulated rescue
    Beach Patrol

  • The Town of Bethany Beach has two beach wheelchairs for public use that can be checked out on a first come, first serve basis. They are stored and can be checked out at the Lifeguard Station at the top of Garfield Parkway.
    Beach Patrol

  • If you are interested in becoming a Junior Lifeguard, please complete and submit the following 2025 Junior Lifeguard Registration.

    Beach Patrol

Parking

12

  • Proceed to the Police Department entrance at Town Hall, 214 Garfield Parkway, and provide the police dispatcher with proof of the ParkMobile payment including the start and end time paid for and the license plate number. The dispatcher will reduce the ticket to a warning with no fine if this is the first ticket of this nature. If someone is unable to provide this information in person, they may send the information to the parking department via email to parking@townofbethanybeach.com. This MUST be attended within 10 Calendar Days of ticket issuance.

    Parking

  • Pay to park is in effect every day for all public parking from May 15 through September 15 according to posted hours. The rate is $4.00 per hour.

    Parking

  • Yes

    Parking

  • 1-Day ($40), 3-Day ($120), 5-Day ($200) and 7-Day ($280) permits are digital and sold online ONLY at https://ctitt-bbeach.cticloudhost.com. They are valid in any pay to park space except on Garfield Parkway. They are valid the day purchased for and until 10 A.M. of the next day.

    Parking

  • Convertible drivers should display the ticket receipt on the dashboard or on the side of the windshield where the windshield connects with the frame. A motorcyclist could place the ticket under the seat strap. Both motorcycle and convertible users are encouraged to write their license plate number on their receipt to minimize the chance of theft.
    Parking

  • Please reread the directions and try again. The most common reason the pay station does not work is because the user inserts and does not remove the credit card or the card is bent. Remove the card immediately after fully inserting. If after retrying, the machine does not work, please report the problem to 302-539-1000 or speak to any Parking Officer. If the unit will not work, customers may still park in the area by either using ParkMobile to pay by phone or purchasing a time receipt from another Pay Station.

    Parking

  • Yes
    Parking

  • Visit the Parking Portal, create an account and follow the instructions. Support should be provided with the appeal. The appeal may be subject to an appeal fee by the court. Appeals MUST be made within the 10 Calendar Day limit using the appeal website.

    Questions may be directed to 302-539-1000.

    OTHER APPEALS:
    If this is the first time that you received a citation for Expired Time ONLY but have a paid parking receipt or paid ParkMobile session covering the time of the ticket, please send an email (including ticket number and any supporting documentation) within 10 Calendar days of the citation issue date to: parking@townofbethanybeach.com.

    Parking

  • Parking Enforcement Officers will check the kiosk before issuing a parking summons. If a summons is inadvertently issued, the receipt can be used in court to dispute the citation. Customers MAY be provided with no more than five minutes of grace time on the parking receipt to allow time to return and place the receipt on the vehicle dashboard - only applicable when initiating a pay-to-park session and paying at a pay station, not after a session has expired.

    Parking

  • Seasonal Residential parking permits are available to owners of residential property within the incorporated town limits, and seasonal Business parking permits are available to owners of businesses in the downtown business area.
    Parking

  • East - West streets with Residential Permits Required signs.

    EXCEPTION FOR 2025 - Resident Parking Permits with the word "RESIDENT" across the top are valid in all of the beach end parking lots. Please read the signage placed at the front of these beach lots.

    Parking

  • East - West streets west of Pennsylvania Avenue designated Resident/Business parking by permit.

    Parking

Building Department

4

  • View the Table of Dimension Requirements in the
    Building Department

  • 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC from

    Building Department

  • Fill out an application which can be found on the Town's website or at Town Hall.
    Building Department

  • See the map

    Building Department

Code Enforcement

3

  • No construction activities (to include the delivery and supply of materials, removal of refuse from construction sites, or the starting up of engines of mechanized equipment or vehicles)

    Shall be carried on except between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, year-round; or, between October 1 and May 15, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. All hours are prevailing time.  Nothing herein shall prohibit repairs, renovations, or other construction activities carried on by the occupant(s) of any building (including their personal house guests if accompanied by the occupant).

     

    No construction, and no site preparation, lot clearing, or earth-moving activities utilizing any motorized or powered equipment shall be done on any Saturday, Sunday, or holiday as designated by the Town of Bethany Beach.

     

    Recognized holidays for calendar year 2022 are as follows:

     

    January 1 – New Year’s Day

    January 17 – Martin Luther King’s Birthday

    February 21 – Washington’s Birthday

    May 30 – Memorial Day

    June 20 – Juneteenth (Observed)

    July 4 – Independence Day

    September 5 – Labor Day

    October 10 – Columbus Day

    November 11 – Veteran’s Day

    November 24 – Thanksgiving Day

    December 26 – Christmas (Observed)

     

    Please call Town Hall at (302-539-8011) if you have any questions regarding recognized holidays.

    Code Enforcement

  • Maximum height is 8 inches
    Code Enforcement

  • Open flames of any kind are prohibited on the beach year round. The Town does not issue bonfire permits.

    Code Enforcement

Police Department

5

  • Call our non-emergency telephone number (302) 539-1000.

    Police Department

  • You can call our drug/crime hotline at (302) 381-5833 or online under Police Department, Submit a Drug/Crime Tip page.
    Police Department

  • Please contact Records Division at (302) 539-8102 for this information. Picture ID is required. Accident reports cost $18.50. Victim's crime report is free (first copy), additional copies $20 each and you must be listed as victim on the police report. Copies of others (defendants, etc.) need to file a Motion of Discovery through Attorney Generals Office at(302)856-5353. Also, you must have the report/complaint number. If not known, provide date/time/location in order to research requested information. Allow approximately four (4) business days to process your request.
    Police Department

  • Parking permits are available from the Parking Division, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The following items must be present at the time of application: driver's license, valid vehicle registration, signed copy of lease for renters or document showing ownership such as tax record, deed, closing papers, and a parking permit application.
    Police Department

  • No, you must contact the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)
    Police Department

General - Home Page

9

  • View the
    General - Home Page

  • View the
    General - Home Page

  • 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, year-round
    General - Home Page

  • Tax bills are mailed the last week of May. A penalty will apply if taxes are not received by August 31.
    General - Home Page

  • View the
    General - Home Page

  • Bicycles are prohibited on the boardwalk between May 15 and September 30 of each year, except between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 am. Bicycles are prohibited on the sidewalks at all times. Please use the marked bike lanes. The use of skateboards, roller skates, and in-line skates is prohibited on the boardwalk and bandstand (including all sidewalks leading to the boardwalk).
    General - Home Page

  • Town code requires that you clean up after your pet at all times. Dogs must be leashed and curbed at all times in Bethany Beach . Dogs are prohibited on the beach and boardwalk from May 15 to September 30. Licenses are required and tags must be worn at all times. Dogs found running at large or contrary to these regulations may be delivered to the Delaware SPCA
    General - Home Page

  • View the
    General - Home Page

  • Visit the
    General - Home Page

Alderman Court

6

  • There are written instructions on your ticket that you should read carefully. It is important to determine what sort of ticket you have received and who it is payable to. If your traffic ticket is payable to the Voluntary Assessment Center (VAC), make your check out to the Voluntary Assessment Center and mail it to: Voluntary Assessment Center PO Box 7039 Dover, DE 19903 If you have questions regarding your ticket you may call the VAC at (302) 739-6911. Town of Bethany Beach employees cannot assist you with tickets payable to the VAC, which is part of the State of Delaware. If your traffic ticket is payable to Court 31 then make your check out to Court 31 and mail to us at: Alderman Court 31 PO Box 109 Bethany Beach, DE 19930 If you have questions regarding your ticket you may call the Town of Bethany Beach Court Clerk at (302) 537-3891. You may also fax credit card payment information to us at (302) 537-3776 as indicated on the ticket you received. If your ticket is for a parking violation then please refer to the
    Alderman Court

  • Call the Voluntary Assessment Center at (302) 739-6911. The Alderman Court of Town of Bethany Beach cannot assist you with a ticket written to the Voluntary Assessment Center, which is managed by the State of Delaware.
    Alderman Court

  • You must contact your own State’s Department of Motor Vehicles for this information.
    Alderman Court

  • You must contact the court in writing or by phone at (302) 537-3891 by the due date listed on your ticket to be scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment. Your plea of not guilty may be entered at the arraignment. You will then be scheduled for a trial. You must appear in person at our court in Bethany Beach for both the arraignment and the trial.
    Alderman Court

  • You must appear in our court before the Alderman. You cannot handle this matter remotely. Your court date is shown on the front of your ticket.
    Alderman Court

  • You may reschedule your court date one time by calling the Court Clerk at (302) 537-3891.
    Alderman Court

Finance

3

  • Each May the Town mails an annual bill to the property owner or their mortgage company if requested by the mortgage company. This bill is made up of five parts. 1. Property Tax - The current rate is $0.196 per $100 of assessed value. 2. Trash Fees - The standard residential trash rate is $580 per year. The standard commercial trash rate is $810 per year. The rate for dumpsters vary by size: $2,300 for 2 yards, $3,000 for 3 yards and $3,560 for a 4 yard dumpster. 3. Water Bond Sinking Fund - The current rate is $1.07 per front footage with a minimum charge of $53.50. This fee funds debt payments on the water plant and distribution system. 4. Ambulance Fee - The Town collects this fee and uses it to pay the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company for ambulance services. The fee is currently $60 per year. 5. Each April and October the Town mails the semi-annual water usage bills. Rates in effect as of 4/1/2018 are as follows: In Town properties: $180 Flat Fee per year ($90.00 per six months) $4.50 per 1,000 gallons for the first 10,000 gallons $5.50 per 1,000 gallons for 10,001 to 40,000 gallons $6.50 per 1,000 gallons for usage over 40,001 gallons Out of Town properties (Savannah’s Landing, Salt Pond…): $265 Flat Fee per year ($132.50 per six months) $6.50 per 1,000 gallons

    Finance

  • The annual Property Tax, Trash, and Sinking Fund bill is due August 31. A two-percent (2%) penalty will begin to be assessed monthly on unpaid balances as of September 1. The semi-annual Water Usage bills are generally due six weeks from date of mailing, so in mid-to-late May and mid-to-late November. A two-percent (2%) penalty will be assessed monthly after the due date.

    Finance

  • Yes, the annual Property Tax, Trash & Sinking Fund bill and the semi-annual Water Usage can be paid online with a credit card. You can also pay Business License renewals , Real Estate Rental Tax and Parking Tickets. Other payments such as traffic tickets, building permits, water hook up fees and first time business licenses may be paid with a credit card but only over the phone or in person so that we are sure we have all the information needed.

    Finance

Building Inspector

9

  • See link to
    Building Inspector

  • The Bulk Density ordinance will take effect October 21, 2017 and will affect properties in the R-1 and R-1B districts.

    Building Inspector

  • See link to forms for Building permit application.
    Building Permit Application
    Supplement to Building Permit

    Building Inspector

  • See link to Table of Dimensional Requirements.
    Building Inspector

  • See link to Zoning map.

    Building Inspector

  • See link to Table of Dimensional Requirements
    Building Inspector

  • Call Building Inspector for flood plain determination or link to FEMA for flood insurance rate maps. Ph: (302) 539-8780 Ph: (302) 539-8011
    Building Inspector

  • See link to Table of Dimensional Requirements
    Building Inspector

  • No construction activities (to include the delivery and supply of materials, removal of refuse from construction sites, or the starting up of engines of mechanized equipment or vehicles) Shall be carried on except between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, year-round; or, between October 1 and May 15, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays.


    All hours are prevailing time. Nothing herein shall prohibit repairs, renovations, or other construction activities carried on by the occupant(s) of any building (including their personal house guests if accompanied by the occupant).

     

    No construction, and no site preparation, lot clearing, or earth-moving activities utilizing any motorized or powered equipment shall be done on any Saturday, Sunday, or holiday as designated by the Town of Bethany Beach.

     

    Recognized holidays for calendar year 2024 are as follows:

     

    January 1 – New Year’s Day

    January 15 – Martin Luther King’s Birthday

    February 19 – Washington’s Birthday

    May 27 – Memorial Day

    June 19 – Juneteenth (Observed)

    July 4 – Independence Day

    September 2 – Labor Day

    October 14 – Columbus Day

    November 11 – Veteran’s Day

    November 28 – Thanksgiving Day

    December 25 – Christmas (Observed)

     

    Please call Town Hall at (302-539-8011) if you have any questions regarding recognized holidays.

    Building Inspector

Town Clerk

1

  • The information is found on the
    Town Clerk

Public Safety

3

  • Technically, yes. Title 20, Section 3117 of the Delaware Code gives law enforcement the authority to direct and compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from any area within the state that is necessary for the preservation of life.
    Public Safety

  • Basically, there are two, Rt. 1 to the north and Rt. 26 to the west. Keep in mind that should the evacuation be caused by a coastal storm the Inlet River Bridge will likely be closed, leaving only Rt. 26 as an evacuation route. Rule of Thumb: Evacuate early!
    Public Safety

  • Although shelters are scattered throughout Sussex County and Delaware the type of emergency will determine which shelters will be open. Local public should call (302) 539-1000 to obtain shelter information or listen to local media to obtain a list of opened shelters.
    Public Safety

Chloramine

13

  • Not at all. Many cities in the U. S. and Canada have used chloramines for decades. Denver, for instance, has used chloramines since 1917.
    Chloramine

  • The Town of Bethany Beach Water Department decided to use chloramines because they last longer in the distribution system, because they lack of taste and odor, and for their safety. It has also been shown that chloramines help deliver water with the lowest possible levels of disinfection by-products.
    Chloramine

  • There are two groups of people who need to take special precautions with chloraminated water: kidney dialysis patients and fish owners.
    Chloramine

  • Chloramines are harmful when they go directly into the bloodstream, as happens in kidney dialysis. In the dialysis process, water comes in contact with the blood across a permeable membrane. Chloramines easily pass through this membrane. Just as chlorine is toxic in that water, chloramines would be toxic and must be removed from water used in kidney dialysis machines.
    Chloramine

  • There are two ways to do that - either by adding ascorbic acid or using granular activated carbon treatment. You should first check with your physician, who will probably recommend the appropriate type of water treatment. Often, home dialysis service companies can make the needed modifications, but you should check with your physician to be certain.
    Chloramine

  • No. To be harmful, chloramines have to go directly into the blood stream, as happens in kidney dialysis. Fish take chloramines directly into their blood streams through their gills. That’s why chloramines must be removed from water used for either of these purposes.
    Chloramine

  • Yes. People with those medical problems can use chloraminated water for all purposes.
    Chloramine

  • Most water softeners are not designed to remove chloramines.
    Chloramine

  • Because fish absorb chloramines directly from the water into their blood streams, chloramines are toxic and must be removed from water, just as chlorine was toxic and had to be removed. You may not have had to remove chlorine from your aquarium water, however, because it disappears rapidly on its own. This will not happen with chloramines and steps should be taken to remove chloramines. Most pet stores have sold dechlorinating agents for years and, generally, have recommended using them. The chemicals used to remove chlorine should work just as well for chloramines. Several manufacturers have been adding chloramine information on labels on their products for years.
    Chloramine

  • No. Chlorine dissipates when water is left to sit for a few days. Chloramines may take weeks to disappear. If you don’t want to use a dechloraminating chemical, the next best solution is to install a granular activated filter and allow sufficient contact time.
    Chloramine

  • Chloramines affect salt water fish just as they effect fresh water fish. Chloramines will have to be removed if the water used to make salt water solution comes from a chloraminated supply.
    Chloramine

  • Yes. However, it must contain high quality granular activated carbon and you must permit sufficient contact time.
    Chloramine

  • No. Boiling is not an effective method of removing chloramines from water. The only practical methods for removing chloramines from water are using a water conditioner that contains a dechlorination chemical or by using granular activated carbon.
    Chloramine
  1. 214 Garfield Parkway P.O. Box 109 Bethany Beach, DE 19930 Phone: 302-539-8011 Fax: 302-539-8149 Email Us

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