The third rail of life in summertime Maine – competition for limited beach parking – is heating up in one of the state’s southernmost coastal towns.
Wells town officials are actually considering reducing the numbers of beach permits taxpayers can get to park in the eight oceanfront municipal lots.
The officials are even thinking about telling veterans that if they don’t have a veteran plate on their cars, no more reserved beach spaces for them.
If you think these tourist-driven plans won’t send the restless natives in Maine’s third-oldest town to the streets, hold on to your flip-flops:
The town of 11,000 – where the summer population increases exponentially – may also do away with reserved beach spaces for local taxpayers.
Under the current policy, 10% of the spaces in each metered lot along the beach are reserved for them.
Meanwhile, the town’s non-resident taxpayers – aka “summer complaints” in Maine’s tourism lexicon – are breathing sighs of relief.
A plan to prohibit them from buying beach passes is all but dead.
The board of selectmen is actually planning to allow part-time beachfront property owners to enjoy the parking privileges they already have.
But reducing the number of parking permits the full-time residents are allowed is pouring gasoline on the grill in Maine’s native-versus-tourist culture.
The firestorm created by weaning taxpayers of their coveted beach passes will get a full airing Tuesday (March 18th) at a public hearing set to review the controversial new parking policies.
“No one on the board or staff wants to pit year-round residents against non-resident taxpayers,” John MacLeod III, selectmen chairman, said. “Both groups are valued in the community, and we don’t want to create division.”
No need to create it – it’s already simmering before the summer sizzle even begins.
The town’s full-time residents have always been allowed to buy as many beach permits as they wanted.
Under last summer’s policy, there was no limit to the number of beach stickers for local taxpayers.
The name and address on a resident’s car registration simply needed to match the name and mailing address on the tax bill.
But the current proposal would reduce that to two per house.
The crackdown on where locals can park will extend to boaters with harbor moorings. They’ll be allowed fewer reserved spaces than they now enjoy.
The working-class locals are also feuding with the part-time summer residents – the ones who think they own the beach – over access.
Wealthy beachfront property owners – many of whom live out of state and only use their pricey domains part-time – want to post the sand in front of their cottages “no trespassing.”
The latest chapter of the ongoing 40-year legal battle over what constitutes tidal boundaries is now pending before the Maine Supreme Court.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="36571 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=36571">10 Comments
Mr. Cohen might have done a bit of research before he printed his half fast article. Those of us who own waterfront property only have to allow people “fowling or fishing” free access to walk across the sand, rocks or mud flats in front of our property. Most of us never enforce that, but if trespass becomes a problem, the tax paying land owner does have some rights.
About a year ago there was major flooding and errosion .. I have not done any research as of yet as to whom paid for the repairs to these beaches
the town name please! people from ruining everyhthing
The rich folks may own to the high water mark, but not the beach to low water. The rich dont own the water either. Towns and states must protect and provide access to natural resources that we all own!
Thus, the “Vacationland”. Maine’s Trinity: Lobstering, Logging and Agriculture. It’s no “vacation” for them. And no 3rd grader flags either.
LOL ….I don’t think we are done with the “ third grader flags “:…LOL
They will make us “ wear one “ on our license plates soon ……marxists never give up . They just keep chipping away .
The original deeds in our section of Maine Beach read “to the horizon” and that means to the next shore, Stright out. Then I say you defend it>
Some early deeds in Maine do state that their property is to the low water mark. My wife and I had a property on the mid-coast with that in the registered deed. However, we never told anyone they couldn’t access it, (mostly clammers and sea urchin gatherers working hard to make a living), never had to, because they always respected it and we respected them. There WAS a mutual respect there then that seems to have somewhat vanished in the last 25 years or so since selling that property. And, believe it or not, we are also staunch conservatives. In the end, MUTUAL respect is key ! Who knows, perhaps the property owners and the so-called trespassers might even become friends. “Life is too short” people !!
Why do the rich democrats in All the beach areas hog all the land and access to the ocean when they themselves never are out on the beach enjoying the sun, water and conversing with other people different from them? It is like this everywhere- they scream at you just for walking in the water, fishing, etc. they prove how elitist they are and their stupid Ukraine and This home has no hate signs are BS and they hate all of us who are not Ivy League and Yacht club inbreds.
Just to let everyone know we as part-time residents of Wells pay property taxes as well. So we should be entitled to buying beach passes. If we didn’t pay property tax or occupancy tax then part-time residents wouldn’t complain. Just so you’re aware we support your town and local businesses, which is our town during the half the year.