Kennebunk Select Board discussed opening Beach Avenue, which runs along Mother’s Beach, shown here, and Middle and Gooch’s beaches to motorists at their April 28 meeting and asked the town manager to take a look at the issue in time for the next meeting. Currently, the beaches and the sidewalks are closed, and Beach Avenue is closed to all except those who must access the road to get to their homes. Rolla Wells photo
KENNEBUNK — Should motorists be allowed to drive by Gooch’s, Middle and Mother’s beaches on Beach Avenue, look at the ocean and smell the salt air?
Select Board members discussed the possibility of relaxing the driving prohibition on Beach Avenue at the April 28 meeting, but made no decision, agreeing instead to have Town Manager Mike Pardue examine the matter.
The issue first arose through public comment, and Select Board members spoke about it at their own comment section at the end of the meeting.
“I’m not sure making policy on the fly is a good move,” said Select Board Chair Blake Baldwin. “(Let’s) have the town manager come up with a proposal to relax the driving aspect of the ban … and come back to us for the next meeting.”
Beach Avenue has been closed to motorists, except for those who must use the road to access their homes —along with the sidewalks and the beach itself — for the past few weeks. Prior to the closure, members said, visitors to the beach often did not comply with social distancing requirements.
There was brief discussion about relaxing some other aspects of the beach ban, but those issues gained no momentum.
“I can remember when our beach was open and Wells (Beach) was closed, I went down there one weekend and you couldn’t find a parking space,” said board member Ed Karytko. “I’d rather not take the chance of overcrowding.”
Board member Shiloh Schulte said the beach closure issue has drawn the most email and is a big topic on social media.
“The beaches in Kennebunk are a unique draw, and one of the economic drivers of the town,” said Schulte. “If we open that economic driver back up, it increases the possibility of drawing large crowds. Prior to closing the beach, we said we could keep it open if people could maintain social distancing, and it didn’t work. If we did open, and the other beaches didn’t … we’d very quickly be crowded.”
He pointed out that Maine won’t open coastal state parks until June 1.
Pardue told board members that he takes part in a weekly online meeting with his counterparts in coastal communities from New Hampshire to Bar Harbor. He said they’re talking about a process that would allow for a coordinated effort to avoid placing too much pressure on one community’s beaches. The talks continue.
The board first implemented a closed beach policy in late March, reinforcing it in early April.
Early in the meeting, resident John Costin said he is opposed to keeping the beaches closed. Costin said he believed the decision to close the beaches was a fear- based reaction, not based on a realistic scientific basis or on law.
Resident Dave Garippey told board members he doesn’t favor reopening the beaches, and would take a harder stand, stationing police there 24/7.
“Help me understand how driving down the road is an issue,” said board member Frank Paul. “People ask ‘Why can’t I just drive down?'”
Baldwin raised the issue of the state discouraging joyriding.
Shulte said the idea of staying home was intended to decrease the workload of first responders for car crashes and other vehicle issues that would require their response.
Board member William Ward suggested maintaining the no-parking rule, but allowing people to drive along the roadway.
“We closed everything down and perhaps we were being overly harsh,” said Baldwin. “We discussed a slight relaxation by allowing people to drive down there. I don’t know if it is a good idea or a bad idea, but it is clearly something people yearn for … but will that invite a further erosion of the rules?”
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