SWAMPSCOTT — The Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts has suspended plans to charge for public parking at the former Hawthorne by the Sea property after hearing from town officials that the practice is not permitted under the organization’s lease or the property’s current zoning.
The Select Board discussed the issue at its Tuesday meeting after concerns were raised about signs posted at the property’s entrance advertising parking rates of $5 on weekdays, $10 on weekends, and $40 on July 3, the day of the town’s fireworks celebration.
The performing arts center is leasing the former Hawthorne by the Sea property through June 2028 after being selected through an RFP process. Before the organization took over the site, the town-owned waterfront lot had been open for free public parking.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Town Administrator Nick Connors said the town contacted the performing arts center shortly after the parking plan came to its attention.
“We have been in continuing conversation with the new tenant,” Connors said. “They had posted … a paid parking program which is something that both by our agreement and by zoning is not an acceptable use of the property.”
Connors said the town intends to continue working with the organization to explore other ways to support its operations while remaining consistent with the lease language and town code.
“He understood where we were coming from,” Connors said of Executive Director Johnny Ray. “He’s looking for every opportunity he can to figure out a way to both support circulation uses of the property … But I did sort of walk through where in our agreement and in zoning that commercial parking use is not an acceptable use right now.”
Select Board Vice Chair Danielle Leonard said the paid parking plan did not reflect what town officials envisioned when they approved the arts center’s temporary use of the property.
“I was dismayed to see charging for parking at the rate that it was being charged for a holiday,” Leonard said. “It’s just not what we intended … the people that live here that were able to park for free a couple months ago, and now all of a sudden this sign is put up and … we’re charging them $40 for a day.”
In a statement provided to The Daily Item, Ray said the performing arts center’s goal was to generate revenue needed to fulfill the financial obligations of its lease with the town, which he said will provide nearly $1 million in revenue to Swampscott through June 2028.
“As part of that effort, we engaged a professional parking management company to oversee our parking lot,” Ray said. “When it was brought to our attention that the property is not currently zoned for commercial parking, we immediately discontinued paid public parking.”
Ray said attendants remained on site July 3 to help manage traffic and ensure vehicles could safely exit the property.
Ray said the arts center believes paid public parking could benefit both nearby businesses and the organization if the town ultimately allows it.
“We have begun exploring whether the zoning can be amended to allow us to offer public parking for local businesses and their patrons at a minimal fee,” Ray said. “We believe this would provide a valuable service to the community while helping us meet our financial commitments under the lease.”
Ray said the organization has also begun considering alternatives if a zoning change is not possible, including limiting the lot to performing arts center patrons and keeping the entrance gate locked.
He added that after paying the parking management company and attendants, the July 3 parking operation “essentially broke even.” Ray also said guests who paid to park that day will receive a complimentary treat of equal value once the center opens.
“We are making every effort to work collaboratively with the town and the community to find a solution that benefits everyone,” Ray said. “Our goal was never to create a significant profit from parking, but rather to provide an orderly, professionally managed parking solution while supporting our lease obligations and serving the surrounding business community.”
