Newport This Week — Access to Shoreline Parking Remains Problematic

Nov 4, 2021

By Christopher Allen — Middletown employees from the Public Works Department recently installed public right-of-way signage provided by the Coastal Resources Management Council, the state agency charged with identifying and maintaining access points to the public shore.

The right of access to the shoreline is enshrined in the state’s constitution. But the definition of “access” is less clearly defined, as many people feel these rights-ofway do not include adequate parking for visitors.

“The town of Middletown believes in everyone’s rights to access the shoreline safely and without issue,” said Shawn Brown, town administrator. “They are the lifeblood of who we are as a community, and we have to use them properly. We’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the state Coastal Resources Management Council on its efforts to clearly define the accepted rights-of-way to the water, whether it’s for people to fish, hike or just enjoy the shoreline of Middletown.”

While it is one thing to have physical access to the shore, in many places a lack of parking can make the journey to these access points impractical. For the novice, unschooled in the never-ending process to ensure that citizens in Rhode Island have clear and defined access to public rights-ofway, the controversy surrounding public and private access may be viewed as settled with these identifications. However, this is not always the case, as natural plant growth and time can muddle these boundaries, and clearly defined parking areas become nonexistent.

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