Nude Beach Shut Down After Reports of Illegal Drug Use
A popular beach in Wisconsin frequented by nudists will be closed during weekdays. The state's Department of Natural Resources decided that the beach near Mazomanie was attracting the wrong crowd.
Local reports indicate that there has been a growing rift between the local conservative community, which is about 25 miles northwest of Madison, and nudists who visit the beach. Residents encountered lewd sexual acts and illegal drug use occurring in and around the beach area.
But the decision to close the beach on weekdays was issued after it was shown that most of the illegal and illicit activity occurred during the workweek when there are fewer visitors at the beach.
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Nate Kroeplin, the supervisor of the DNR in Dale County, revealed that of the 92 citations handed out since 2008, 83 were written on weekdays. The issues surrounding improper conduct have long been noted, given the tens of thousands visitors to the area every year.
"Obviously we're disappointed when we have to shut any portion of our property down … But our ultimate goal is to have a safe place anybody can feel comfortable using. And with the current activity going on down there, that's just not the case," Kroeplin told The Clarion Ledger.
However, Bob Morton, executive director of the Texas-based Naturist Action Committee, would have preferred to see better communication between state agencies and nudists in terms of how to provide a safe environment for everyone, rather than closing the beach.
"Honestly, we're on their side when it comes to enforcing things that are lewd and lascivious," Morton told the Associated Press. "There's something to be said about consulting the users of the place. There's got to be more to this somewhere."
Kroeplin insists that everything was done in order to prevent closing the beach, but circumstances did not allow for that.
"It's pretty incredible to see the amount of traffic that pulls onto the property … everything we've done has not made any difference," Kroeplin said.
