TIVERTON — Early birds may get the best parking spaces at Fogland Beach, but they’re also going to be reminded by members of the Recreation Commission who will be there just as early that they have to pay up when the gatekeeper arrives.

Recreation Commission Chairman Stuart Gilfillen said there will also be more of a police presence at the beach on weekends to enforce the rules, including no burning.

Commission member Bob Sedoma estimates that the town is losing about $500 every weekend by people who think they’re going to “beat the system by getting down there earlier.”

“We’ve got to run it like a business,” Sedoma said, and that means everyone who is supposed to pay has to pay.

The gatekeeper arrives at 9 a.m., but there is no gate to keep people from entering the beach before the gatehouse opens. There are homes at the far end of the beach so there is no gate across the road that can be locked at night.

The beach has been busier than usual this season.

Recreation Director Sarah Dwyer said they’ve already gone through 2,000 day passes at Fogland.

Residents can get a free resident sticker for a car registered in town, but any non-resident is charged $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends to park. Motorcycles are $5 and recreational vehicles are $25.

Last weekend, the beach was at capacity. Cars were turned away because there were no more parking spaces, said Gilfillen.

“I attribute this to people going a little stir crazy,” Gilfillen said of people being at home for so long because of COVID-19.

There will be more signs installed at the entrance reminding people that if they enter the beach property they have to pay to park. Gilfillen said the commission will have to come up with a long term solution sometime in the future.

The town’s other beach, Grinnell’s, has a gate across the driveway that is opened at 9 a.m. and closed at 10 p.m. every night.