By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

A proposal to build an additional access point to Scarborough Beach State Park gained support during a public meeting last week but drew criticism from Scarborough and South Portland residents.

Members of Surfrider, a national nonprofit organization, hosted the informational meeting March 16 at Camp Ketcha.

Sprague Corp., which owns the beach, wants to develop a 500-car parking lot and concession area and add access to more of the beach.

Janice Parente, president of the Maine chapter of Surfrider, said she supports development of the access area.

“Yes we are a surfing group, but this is about access to the beach for everyone,” she said.

Owner Seth Sprague asked the organization to support the proposal at a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing scheduled for March 31.

 “If we don’t get approval by the zoning board, this project is probably dead,” Sprague said.

While the proposal gained support from Surfrider, some audience members questioned Sprague’s intentions.

 “This is not about beach access, this is a business venture,” said Paul Cunningham of South Portland.

Cunningham, a surfer, said he is concerned the access area will infringe on piping plover habitats and negatively impact area dunes.

Cunningham said there is a noticeable difference in the height of dunes on land farther away from the state park beach.

Greg Wilfert, business manager for Sprague Corp., said weather and the Patriot’s Day storm in 2007 were responsible for significant erosion on the beach, not beachgoers.

 “The thing I cannot figure out is how they’re going to sell tickets to the beach when folks are going to walk up during high tide and there’s going to be no beach to go to,” Cunningham said. 

Portland resident Chris Powers said considering the proposed access area a “business venture” was ignorant and disrespected the Sprague family’s contribution to Maine.

 “Boiling it down to that is slanderous to me,” Powers said. “What’s the greater good here? Sharing the beach with others.”

Powers, who founded the Facebook group “Save Higgins” in response to a proposed parking ban at Higgins Beach, said part of living in a community is learning to share natural resources. 

“I’d like to see thousands be able to access the beach than a few very privileged people,” Powers said. “There has been a number of weekends where I couldn’t get to a parking area at any of the beaches in town.”

Sprague said although Black Point Resource Management must be sustained as a corporation, his top objective is to provide greater beach access.

“As a beach owner, we make little money. This will help us create a cash flow to maintain the property,” Sprague said.

He said the park generates $200,000 in annual revenue from entrance fees. Real estate tax for the corporation’s 64 acres of land is $26,000. Sprague said the state receives 5 percent of annual revenue generated at the park.

Doreen Morrow, whose property on Kirkwood Avenue is next to the proposed access area, spoke out against the proposal to build a parking lot next to land where corn and other foods are grown.

“People care about the quality of food and where it comes from,” Morrow said. “I would never want to limit anyone’s access to the beach, but what scares me is the size of the parking lot.”

Sprague said the parking lot would be approximately the same size as the lot at Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth and would not pose a threat to food production.

“This country is full of agricultural fields next to highways. If that logic were uniformly applied, we would all be very hungry,” Sprague said.

Sprague said residents who oppose the proposal fail to see the benefits of beach access.

 “The crux of the issue is that residents in Black Point don’t want us to provide access to Scarborough Beach,” Sprague said. “The idea that a picnic table with a grill is going to create an unpleasant odor to neighbors, or the idea that people laughing and screaming on the beach is unacceptable.” 

Sam Iler, whose house is near the park, said not all beaches are sufficient for development and Sprague Corp.’s intent is purely monetary. 

“It’s a little unfair to mask this as an altruistic thing when you stand to retain ownership of the property and collect mass fees. I wonder how much is going to be put back into conservation,” Iler said.

Sprague said admission to the beach is established by the state and is not controlled by the company.

“We’re not a land trust, we’re a corporation that needs to support itself,” Sprague said. “If we wanted to we could take all of our property and give it away, but I’m not interested in selling off our legacy, I’m interested in keeping it together.”

The proposal, which would require Sprague file for a special exception permit to develop fields adjacent to the park currently zoned in the Rural Farming (RF) district, was brought before the Zoning Board of Appeals Jan. 12. 

Scarborough and South Portland residents who spoke at the nearly five-hour hearing alleged beach development would create unwanted noise, light and odors.

No one spoke in favor of the access area and the issue was tabled until March 9 because of time constraints.

 As the date of the second hearing drew closer, Sprague proposed several changes to the access area, including the addition of a playground, walking trails and tall shrubs to create a buffer between houses and the parking lot.

The revision prompted the board to table the issue until a March 31 hearing, when public comment will be allowed only on new parts of the proposal.

Sprague said board approval would be one of many steps toward making the project a reality. He said Sprague Corp. also would need site plan approval from the Planning Board contingent on approval from Department of Environmental Protection.

A full traffic study also must be approved by the Maine Department of Transportation.

 “The final approval wouldn’t be until next November if everything happens,” Sprague said.

Sprague said his grandfather purchased land along the beach in 1916 to preserve the area for public use. He said a new access area would help offset the cost of maintaining the beach and preserve the legacy of his family.

“If we don’t get approval we will use the property the way it is as long as we can afford it.” Sprague said. “There have been suggestions that we sell the land for development, but I won’t do it, I couldn’t bear it.”

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.