By David Harry

Staff Writer

As beach season arrives in Scarborough, parking on Higgins Beach will be a prime topic to consider throughout the summer.

At Wednesday’s council meeting, Town Manager Tom Hall asked councilors to approve formation of a seven-member committee comprised of a beachfront property owner, a non-beachfront property owner, an Acorn Lane resident, two town residents, a member of the local Surfriders chapter and a town councilor.

The committee will study parking issues in the beach neighborhood and adjacent areas and is expected to create a report by Sept. 30 for council consideration.

Hall said topics will include possible amendments to restrictions on street parking at the beach and the effect of overflow beach parking Acorn Lane residents have experienced.

Hall said a separate task force to consider improvements to the beach parking lot off Ocean Avenue may also be formed. The parking lot now is  property of the town, although it will continue to be leased to owners of the Higgins Beach Inn until next April.

Hall said conditions at Higgins are unique because the beach is a favorite of surfers throughout the year, but used mostly at low tide by other beach-goers because high tides may wash right up to seawalls.

Hall said determining how Higgins Beach use compares to other town beaches is complicated by the unpaved, unmarked parking lot and because residents allow friends and relatives to use driveways to park.

The fiscal year 2011 municipal capital improvements budget contains $300,000 set aside for improvements on the parking lot, which was purchased from the heirs of former landowner Jimmy Vasile. The lot was bought in March as part of five parcels, including three along the Nonesuch River off Mussey Road.

Parking restrictions on neighborhood streets last from April 1 through Oct. 1, as opposed to parking restriction in the Pine Point and Prouts Neck areas that extend from May 1 through Sept. 15. 

Hall said no plans have been discussed on how to improve the lot or what may be charged to park there next year. The current $10 fee will be discussed because Hall said the cost may be a reason people choose to park on Acorn Lane, a side street that extends from Spurwink Road near the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Spurwink Road.

While he wants to be sure to include the opinions of summer residents at Higgins Beach, Hall said he is already hearing from beach residents who want to participate and have been contributing to the council committee that had been formed to draft or revise parking ordinances at the beach.

Councilor Karen D’Andrea was committee chairman and said that work is on hold for now.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219