SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board continued its discussion on recommended changes to the Fisherman’s Beach lot for parking during its latest board meeting.
Planning Board Chair and Harbor and Waterfront Advisory Committee member Ted Dooley was the first to speak on the matter, where he gave a brief background on the issue and spoke about efforts to address concerns from the Select Board.
Dooley noted that the committee revised some of the recommendations so that the recreation sticker hours span from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“There would be a cutoff at 5 p.m., to allow for patrons of local businesses and other establishments in town to use the parking lot,” Dooley said. “Additionally, there was a conversation about the ability for the yacht club to have reserved parking there — and what was revised from that was to have a temporary pass/recreation sticker for employees of the Yacht Club who don’t live in town, of which there are several, to be able to park their cars in the lot.”
This means that any resident with the sticker would be able to use the parking lot within the timeframe provided.
Dooley continued, “Those are the two real revisions that have come since our last presentation in front of you.”
He clarified that it would be on a basis of seven days a week. “And it’s seasonal — so, it’s the same as recreational parking for the rest of town — which is from May to October,” Dooley said.
“May 1 to October 1 is the current recreation sticker parking, but the sticker is good for the entire year,” Swampscott Police Officer Kevin Reen said.
“I know this was a concern at our last meeting, which was ensuring the public’s continued ability to use the lot, and also access the beach,” Dooley said. “The conversation that we’re having here is about the lot, with the 41 parking spaces that are painted there… Meanwhile, there are an additional 81 parking spots between Fuller Terrace and Cedar Hill, which would be unaffected by this.
“So, we found that this was a good balance between providing residents and fishermen with the ability to use the lot, while not disallowing other members of the public, from other communities, access to the features in that area.”
Dooley also mentioned that anyone that may have a boat moored in town, along with their boats registered in Swampscott, are also eligible to purchase their recreation sticker “just like a resident would be able to.”
Another element of discussions, as Dooley explained it, centered around veterans being eligible for free parking passes.
Select Board Chair MaryEllen Fletcher asked Dooley if he knew the numbers on how many people with boats moored in town were not Swampscott residents.
Reen responded, saying, “There’s roughly about 175 boats in the harbor… I believe it’s between 20 and 30 non-resident boat owners.”
He continued, “With Lt. Bill Waters as the Harbormaster, when the seasonal mooring permits go out, that’s something that we would be able to remedy on our end, and make a pass specifically for the Fisherman’s Beach lot… So that they can use the pier and access their boat, without overindulging in extracurriculars in other areas.”
Non-residents will have to register their boats through the Harbormaster the same way they’d have to register their motor vehicle, Reen said.
Harbor and Waterfront Advisory Committee member Michael Gambale Jr. spoke in support of the recommended changes, noting they have the support of local commercial fishermen.
“The commercial fishermen support this… It doesn’t encroach upon our inherent rights to the reservation at this time,” Gambale Jr. said. “Some of the fishermen have ‘deck-hands’ or workers, who may not be residents… There’s got to be some consideration.”
“I’m curious about the hours from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., and why those hours were picked,” Select Board Vice Chair Doug Thompson said. “I almost never see that lot full except when there’s big events — and maybe it happens later in the day.”
Dooley noted that during many days throughout the summer, the lot gets completely filled with cars, and residents who pay mooring fees aren’t able to park in the lot.
The amended timeframe for the recreation parking ended up being 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., though Dooley noted that element of discussion can be amended if necessary.
“It’s also going to fall under the same umbrella of all the other lots in town that have recreation parking for beaches in the area,” Reen said. “When there’s an abundance of cars or commercial vehicles that come in, it creates a level of frustration where most of the boat owners are paying for accessibility. … This is just an opportunity to continue their ability to access the lot.”
The Select Board voted 4-1 in favor of adopting the recommended changes to the Fisherman’s beach parking lot.
