Why 4 parking spaces at a public boat ramp have Watch Hill homeowners up in arms

WESTERLY – The stubby peninsula north of Watch Hill Cove is an idyllic place to spend the summer. For generation after generation, families return to sprawling, shingled homes on privet-lined streets where young children ride bikes, walk to friends' houses and set up lemonade stands.

A few years ago, the town even built a canoe and kayak rack at the southern end of Waters Edge Road, where there's a public boat ramp. But unless you own one of the multimillion dollar homes in the neighborhood, good luck trying to use it: Parking is strictly prohibited on Waters Edge Road and all surrounding streets.

To remedy what it considers to be an "exclusionary" policy, the Westerly Harbor Management Commission wants to create four parking spaces near the public right of way. That might not sound like a dramatic change, but residents say it would endanger small children, threaten the “charm and historical character” of the neighborhood and potentially lead to more contaminants in local waterways.

"The implementation of parking would completely change the feel of the historic district of Watch Hill," Karin McCormick, who lives on neighboring Pawcatuck Avenue, wrote in a plea to Westerly officials. "I see no reason to disturb the course of Watch Hill's history with the addition of four more parking spots."

Some neighbors have already banded together to retain an attorney, Thomas J. McAndrew.

To Jason Jarvis, the chair of the harbor management commission, the uproar is a classic case of wealthy homeowners trying to keep the public out.

"It's literally the voice of the few against the voice of the many," he said in an interview. "It's pretty much class discrimination."

A longstanding 'weapon' to discourage visitors

As The Public's Radio recently reported, street parking is banned in much of Watch Hill – and has been for decades.

"'No Parking' signs blanket beachfront roads for miles and are repeated on many of the dead‐end roads that lead to the water in fashionable Watch Hill," The Providence Journal reported in 1949, describing the tactic as a "weapon to discourage unwelcome, or nonpaying, waterfront visitors."

Waters Edge Road is home to the only public boat launch on Watch Hill Cove, the Harbor Management Commission noted in a recent 14-page memo to the Westerly Town Council.

But the nearest parking spots are at least a third of a mile away, on commercial Bay Street – where you'd be hard-pressed to find a space in summer.

"Little, if any, use can be expected under these circumstances," commission member Dave Reis said at Wednesday's Town Council meeting. He noted that kayakers and fishermen don't want to leave expensive gear unattended at the boat ramp while parking their cars and walking back.

The commission wants to create an 80-foot-long, eight-foot-wide crushed stone parking area at the end of Waters Edge Road. There'd be plenty of room for cars to turn around, and no need to narrow the existing road, their proposal argues. Trailers would be prohibited.

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Doing so would require the approval of the Westerly Town Council, which agreed to move the matter forward at its Monday night meeting.

"We are talking about a town road. We are talking about a town right of way," said Councilwoman Joy Cordio. "Sue us. You’re not going to win."

Other council members expressed concern that there wouldn't be enough room to turn vehicles around, and suggested that there might need to be some other compromise.

Street parking detracts from 'charm and beauty,' residents allege

Ahead of Monday's meeting, council members received roughly two dozen letters of opposition from people who live on Waters Edge Road and the quiet streets that lead there – often for just a few months of the year.

"Watch Hill residents are not all local and able to come and attend these meetings to have their voices heard in the middle of March," wrote Brian McCormick, who argued that proposing a change to the parking ban during the off-season was "inconsistent with the democratic process."

"There will be additional vehicles and trailers, noise and garbage to deal with that have never been there before," wrote Nicholas C. Moore. He contended that the "nuisance" of on-street parking would "destroy the quality and the value of the residences along Water's Edge."

Some residents indicated that they were worried about an influx of visitors looking for parking spaces, which "risks overwhelming our streets and disrupting the peaceful atmosphere that defines Watch Hill," in the words of Nancy Du. She lamented that parked cars would detract from "our community's charm and beauty."

Others framed it as a public-safety risk. "I am especially concerned about the risk to small children due to drivers who may be unfamiliar with the area or distracted while looking for spots," wrote Alexa Vignone of Waters Edge Road.

Waters Edge is a public road, but residents Dan and Carolyn Townsend noted that it "feels more like a shared driveway for the few houses it serves." Other homeowners made the case that Watch Hill already has plenty of parking for visitors.

"At considerable expense, the citizens of Watch Hill have established several parking lots, totaling 429 parking spaces, in the village to accommodate day trippers," wrote Thomas F. McWilliams. "On-street parking endangers the peaceful and enjoyment of the properties affected, serves no legitimate purpose and degrades the overall environment of Watch Hill."

Objectors cite concerns about fire trucks, burglaries, leaking oil

The Watch Hill Fire District – which does fight fires, unlike some of its coastal counterparts, but also owns waterfront docks, bathhouses and the village's iconic carousel – is also opposed to the proposal.

"The town cannot afford to prioritize recreation over public safety," moderator Joan Beth Brown said at Monday's meeting.

Fire Chief Dennis Reall Jr. submitted written comments indicating that he had "serious concerns."

Even though the four proposed parking spots wouldn't require making the road any narrower, residents contend that adding any public parking would be a problem for first responders.

"Anyone who has ever been to Watch Hill in the height of the summer knows that almost every license plate parked in downtown Watch Hill is from out of state," wrote Audrey and George C. Moore. "Summertime crime with home burglaries and auto theft has also rapidly escalated in recent years. Why do we want to further jeopardize our community and place more difficulty for our police to protect the homes in our community?"

Another resident, Linda M. Swainson, said no one seemed to have studied the environmental impact.

"With globally rising water levels and changing climate, rain and run-off and occasional flood waters wash contaminants down Waters Edge Road and into Little Narragansett Bay," she wrote. "This might include leaking oil and other environmentally unfriendly products from automobiles, not to mention the plastic trash which will certainly find its way from cars to the ground and ultimately into the water."

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Previous parking proposal abandoned amid protests

The battle over Waters Edge Road isn't a new one: Westerly's previous town manager tried adding parking spaces there in 2021, when the kayak rack was built, but ultimately abandoned that plan amid vehement protests from neighbors.

Some residents now claim that creating a parking area would violate the town's agreement with the Coastal Resources Management Council. In fact, nothing in the permit for the boat rack indicates that Westerly is banned from adding parking near the boat ramp. It only states that the town would need to apply for CRMC permission in order to do so.

The assent also notes that, in the view of CRMC staff, "an appropriate public access plan associated with a small craft launching area and public kayak rack associated with a public road should involve provisions for public parking."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Watch Hill homeowners rally against four parking spaces at public boat ramp