My family has lived in the Shore Acres neighborhood of Cape Elizabeth for 26 years. During that time, we have enjoyed unfettered access to the ocean; it’s been terrific.

As letters to the editor have indicated (July 24; Aug. 9), some claim their shore access will be eliminated if the Cape Elizabeth Town Council vacates Surfside Avenue, a paper street.

Following the situation closely, it’s clearly not true. The Ocean View Association has no desire to change what is now excellent access (along the existing gravel path on Surfside), nor would there be any real changes we are aware of with respect to the undeveloped and impassable Surfside area between six abutting homes and the shore.

The council voted last fall in favor of extending the paper street primarily because the same people claiming that they’ll lose their shore access are intent on the town installing a Greenbelt path along that paper street. In talking with dozens of neighbors (not on the path route), we all feel this is a terrible idea for our little neighborhood.

The path itself would connect to nothing. Its length would be less than one trip around the high school track, and it abuts houses virtually along the entire route. This would be mean-spirited to the abutting houses’ residents. Strangers’ traffic would create unnecessary dangers to families with young children.

There is no parking. The streets are narrow, and the neighborhood itself is confusing directionally. A Greenbelt path here would be costly, dangerous and completely unnecessary, as the ocean access now (including the Surfside gravel path and the Trundy Point land trust beach-bluff) is fantastic, and won’t change with the vacating of the paper street.

These issues have deeply divided the neighborhood. We applaud the courage of the Cape Elizabeth councilors who vote in favor of vacating the paper street and eliminating this ridiculous public path from further discussion.

Andrew Ingalls

Cape Elizabeth

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