Matthews v. Bay Head Improvement Association
Supreme Court of New Jersey
471 A.2d 355 (N.J. 1984)
Relevant factsFree
The Bay Head Improvement Association (defendant), a quasi-public entity owning portions of the town's beach, restricted daytime summer beach use to its members, and generally limited membership to Bay Head residents; since the town had no traditionally public beaches, nonresidents were effectively excluded from using the shore at all unless they personally knew a private beachfront owner.
IssueFree
Whether the public has the right, ancillary to the public trust doctrine, to use a beach owned by a quasi-public entity.