As a Scarborough committee weighs solutions, the beach parking issue again divides the oceanside community.

The perennial dispute regarding parking at Higgins Beach is once again dividing the oceanside community in Scarborough, with some calling for further limits on free street parking and others decrying the need for more restrictions.

At a meeting last week, the town’s Ordinance Committee took public comment on several proposals that could lead to the elimination of the few remaining one-hour, free parking spots on Bayview Avenue, which was first requested in late February.

The June 23 session followed a series of meetings throughout the late winter and early spring among the stakeholders involved. The meetings led to a series of proposals, including the possibility of adding metered parking.

At last week’s meeting, however, a number of people stood up in defense of keeping the free parking spots on Bayview, arguing that during the past several years there’s been a continual chipping away of the public’s access to the beach.

While further parking restrictions, designed to eliminate problem behavior at the beach, are still on the table, Councilor Jean Marie Caterina told the crowd that no changes would be made this summer, at least.

“We want the community to work together to make the best situation possible for the most number of people,” she said.

Caterina also called the proposals laid out on June 23 “a start only. This is going to be a process.”

Even so, several residents argued against making any changes, with Sue Ferrar calling Higgins Beach “a beautiful, rural beach. Do we really want to add parking meters?”

Dave Fillinger, a year-round resident at Higgins Beach, called any further restrictions on parking unnecessary.

“To exclude people is offensive,” he said. “This was defeated several months ago. How many times do we have to say don’t change it?”

Douglas Lund Yates also called on the Ordinance Committee not to further limit the parking options at Higgins Beach, which include an 86-spot municipal parking lot on Ocean Street that costs $10 per day.

He said that free parking at Higgins Beach has now been “whittled down to 11 places. Don’t take any more parking. We need more, not less.”

Former Town Councilor Sue Foley-Ferguson agreed, and said most people in Higgins Beach do not find the small number of free on-street parking spots a problem.

“This is not about behavior, the goal is to eliminate the parking,” she said. “A few people year after year ask for changes. My issue is the process and the whittling away at rights of access.”

Foley-Ferguson said the first question the Ordinance Committee should ask itself is whether there truly is a problem. If there isn’t one, she argued, then nothing needs to be done.

She was backed by Mary Burn.

“None of the complaints are about everyday people,” Burn said. “Don’t change the on-street parking. It’s not fair.”

But, Barbara Bombaci and others, who have long complained of behavior such as tailgating, nudity, urinating and obstructing the sidewalk, said it’s not fair for their neighborhood to be “used as a locker room.”

“Several months ago we wanted help with behavior problems that started when the one-hour parking was allowed,” she said.

She argued that the one-hour spots are being abused and said early morning use of the beach by surfers and fishermen is “very disruptive.”

Betsy Siebert, another resident of Higgins Beach, agreed with Bombaci that there is a problem on Bayview Avenue. She also complained about the lack of enforcement of various rules at the beach.

In closing the meeting, Councilor Kate St. Clair, chairwoman of the Ordinance Committee, urged people to email the committee members with their suggestions for solutions to these ongoing problems.

There is little in the way of free parking at Higgins Beach. A prime parking spot on Bayview Avenue, for example, is designated for the quick loading and unloading of beach gear only.Staff photo by Kate Irish Collins

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