In the face of proposed new restrictions at Higgins Beach in Scarborough, the Surfrider Foundation of Maine has started an online petition requesting that the Town Council reject the changes.

More than 270 people have already signed the petition, which appears on Change.org under the title, “Protect Higgins Beach for All People.”

The webpage states that: “By signing this petition, you urge the Scarborough Town Council to reject two proposed ordinances that seek to: Limit hours of legal, one-hour parking on Bayview Avenue at Higgins Beach from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. (and) create an anti-changing law.”

The Surfrider Foundation petition says, “We oppose these ordinances for many reasons, including (the fact that) limiting beach-adjacent parking hours limits public beach access for working families and others.”

The foundation argues, “There is no sufficient and regular noise issue to substantiate limiting the hours of parking,” adding that “respectfully changing in and out of wetsuits, sweaters, etc., is normal beach behavior and should be allowed.”

In addition, the Surfrider Foundation petition says, “the proposed changing ordinance would be difficult to enforce and could open the town up to litigation.”

In closing, the petition asks councilors to oppose the proposed new rules because they “would unnecessarily and significantly limit public access to Higgins Beach.”

The petition goes on to state: “Scarborough has a critical role to play in becoming a true leader in protecting public beach access. Voting against these ordinances is a good first step in achieving this goal.”

At its most recent meeting in mid-July, a divided Ordinance Committee sent two recommended new rules to the full Town Council for review.

Specifically the new restrictions would curb undressing at the beach and change the hours that free, on-street parking is allowed on Bayview Avenue.

In terms of changing clothes at the beach the new ordinance language states: “The dressing, undressing or changing of clothes is not permitted within the limits of any park or beach,” although it would not apply to children 5 and under.

The committee also wants to limit parking on Bayview from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., instead of allowing people to park beginning at 6 a.m., as is the case now.

During the July 21 meeting of the Ordinance Committee, Melissa Gates, northeast regional manager for the Surfrider Foundation, said she felt blindsided by the new restrictions.

That was especially true since she felt an informal committee made up of beachgoers and beach residents had reached a compromise.

In her comments last month, Gates argued that “Changing in and out of a wetsuit is acceptable beach behavior,” adding that people use the beach in the early morning hours because it’s often their only chance to get into the water during the workweek.

“Limiting the hours (for on-street parking) dramatically impacts beach access for people who work,” she added.

The new restrictions recommended by the Ordinance Committee capped months of discussion and controversy with many beach residents trying to get rid of the public parking on Bayview altogether.

It’s unclear when the Town Council would take up the new rules, but Town Manager Tom Hall previously told the Current it wouldn’t be before the council’s first meeting in September.

The Surfrider Foundation of Maine is encouraging locals to sign a petition on Change.org that calls on the Scarborough Town Council to reject proposed new rules governing activities at Higgins Beach.File photo

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