Property values and increased traffic are not the only issues at stake in the proposed Black Point Park, which was praised in a recent editorial (“Beach plan deserves applause, not jeers” Oct. 5).

Part of what makes Scarborough Beach special is its tranquil and relatively unspoiled character. If you are willing to walk beyond the busy section where the boardwalk empties onto the beach, you can find a quiet spot — even on days when the lots are full.

You may see Piping Plovers nesting or Peregrine Falcons hunting the gulls and shorebirds that feed and roost in these lesser-used spots (precisely the spots planned for the new access).

I am all for public access. Limiting the use of public space on a first-come-first-serve basis is a fair and useful way to insure nice places are not loved to death. Limited use and unimproved access has kept the top of Katahdin from looking like the tourist trap at the top of Mt. Washington. Quiet, undeveloped stretches of sand beach are a rarity in southern Maine. We should preserve the little we have left.

I do not own land in Scarborough, nor am I writing for any of the park’s neighbors. I have been a regular beach-goer for over 20 years.

Part of what makes Scarborough Beach special is its tranquil and relatively unspoiled character.