Accessing the Maine Coast.com
Everything you wanted to know about rights and responsibilities of accessing the coast of Maine.
The title of this website says it all. And you have fewer rights than you think.
We recently lost parking spaces at Higgins Beach. Remember PARKING = ACCESS.
(Drawing from accessingthemainecoast.com)
“Go Fly A Kite”
Francie Lefkowitz, part-time Gooch’s surfer / full-time cool person, has an essay in the Feb. issue of The Sun.
“Not stoked about surfers”
Two articles came out in local papers regarding the Parking/Surfer issue at Higgins Beach.
“Not stoked about surfers” Scarborough Leader. A great title.
“Parking at Higgins Beach makes waves with surfers, residents” in the Current.
Janice Parente, Chair of Northern New England Surfrider, did a great job as a voice of reason and logic on behalf of surfers and all beach-goers.
January Thaw
Day two of the windswell. Sunny and close to 40 degrees. Balmy. Chest to head, offshore, fast and barrel-ly. A few more images here.
Windswell
Chest to head high with bigger sets. Air about 40 and sunny…warm January day.
A few more images here.
Scarborough Town Council Meeting
Discussing parking/surfers at Higgins Beach. Watch January 20th meeting below.
Higgins Beach Parking
Janice Parente, Chair of our local Surfrider Chapter, attended the Scarborough town meeting as they voted on proposed changes to the “No Parking” restrictions at Higgins Beach. Below are her observations of the meeting.
At last night’s Town meeting the proposed changes to the on-street parking at Higgins was voted down. No Parking remains April 1 – October 1 for now. It will go back to the ordinance committee for further review. Nothing was really lost here. We just didn’t gain anything either.
More unfortunate however was the presentation of a seemingly mounting campaign against surfers at Higgins beach. Property Owners were there in numbers with 8×10 glossies of “surfer behavior” at Higgins. Made a HUGE impression on the Counsel members. Concerns like Congestion, Pedestrian safety, emergency access, traffic safety and lewd behavior were sited as surfer derived issues on “mid to big wave” days. Absolutely no other Beach User Type was spoken about.
What I was told was that the parking lot is being plowed and the gate will be open from dawn to dusk. A request was made that surfers police ourselves and encourage use of this lot.
Public Works agreed to post the snow ban hotline on the website. The number is 730-4300. No on-street parking when the snow ban is in effect. Respect the Snowplow.
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