Swampscott board OKs beach parking plan

SWAMPSCOTT – To appease Phillips Beach neighbors, the Board of Selectmen voted to add recreation parking spots to only one side of Shepard Avenue, instead of both.In a meeting Wednesday night, Shepard Avenue residents were joined not only by other beach neighbors but also other parts of town to protest the Traffic Study Committee?s recommendation to change all resident sticker parking along both sides of Shepard Avenue to recreation parking from May to October, adding 38 spots for beach parking.?You have to recognize that two different groups of people have a mutual interest. Nobody is supporting both sides of Shepard,” said Shepard Avenue resident Jo Ann Simons. “I think it?s pretty remarkable that we heard each other, and we?ve come to say this proposal from the Traffic Study Committee should not move forward.”In the 4-1 vote, in which Selectman Glenn Kessler voted no, the board approved the east side of Shepard Avenue, which is closest to the beach, to be changed to recreation sticker parking, adding 20 parking spots.Chairman Jill Sullivan said earlier in the day she had been leaning to support the committee?s recommendation, but after hearing from residents she was concerned parking on both sides would be too much.?We feel that the community wants more parking, and we?re trying to do it in a safe and equitable way,” said Sullivan of the compromise. She added that the board would check in to gauge how the change would affect the parking situation next summer.Committee Chairman Dave Castellarin said some may complain that the parking will be on one side and not the other, but, as he said after the meeting, there were many meetings and open forums for those residents to voice their opinion. “If they didn?t come ?” he said, shrugging, “It?s not up to us now.”