Press & News
Projo — Narragansett Town Beach made more money this year, but is it unfriendly to out-of-towners?
By Antonia Noori Farzan — Narragansett Town Beach had a profitable summer, officials said this week, while also defending themselves against charges of exclusivity.
EastBayRI — Residents consider suit over Little Compton Town Landing access
By Ruth Rasmussen — Not all happy with state's declaration that spot is open to all, not just locals.
The Public’s Radio — Contested beach parking restrictions in Narragansett aren’t going up anytime soon
By Alex Nunes — Beachgoers say time-limited parking along the seawall in Narragansett will make it harder to enjoy the town beach and make the coastal community more exclusive. State officials want more time to review the restrictions that have already been approved by the town.
The Public’s Radio — Westerly beach parking bans are being called forms of ‘bigotry’
By Alex Nunes — Westerly’s Harbor Management Commission is recommending the town council begin addressing “exclusionary” parking policies in shoreline areas. An attorney for Watch Hill property interests calls suggestions of discrimination “absurd.”
CT Examiner — Breaking Standoff, Old Lyme to Assert Rights in Public Access Dispute
By Cate Hewitt — A nearly three-year standoff about public access is nowhere near resolution between Old Lyme and the owner of a historic landing on the Connecticut River. Nevertheless, the town announced Friday it will move ahead with installing signage on the property, establishing rules for public use.
The Public’s Radio — Fight for public access to Westerly beach moves one step forward
By Alex Nunes — A legal battle over a contested right-of-way to the beach in Westerly has become a flashpoint in the debate over shoreline access.
The Public’s Radio — Legal battle mounts over possible public access to Rhode Island barrier beach
By Alex Nunes — The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council Rights-of-way Subcommittee will meet Tuesday about a contested path to the shore in Westerly that’s become emblematic of the debate over shoreline access in the Ocean State. If designated public, the path would open a long-closed gateway to one of the most inaccessible, undeveloped beaches in the state.
WPRI — Narragansett mulls fee hikes for town beach
By Sarah Doiron — It might be more expensive to visit one of Rhode Island’s most popular beaches next summer. The Narragansett Parks and Recreation Department is proposing raising daily walk-on and parking fees for Narragansett Town Beach.
Projo — A day at Narragansett Town Beach could be more expensive next summer. Here's why
By Antonia Noori Farzan — Spending the day at Town Beach could be more expensive next summer. The town's Parks and Recreation Department proposes raising the daily walk-on admission fee from $12 to $15 and raising the parking fee from $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends to $20 every day. (Prices of discount seasonal passes, which are available only to Narragansett residents and taxpayers, would not change.)
Projo — Warwick found fake 'No Parking' signs in waterfront neighborhoods. Now, they're adding parking spots.
By Antonia Noori Farzan — After discovering that waterfront neighborhoods were littered with fake "No Parking" signs, the City of Warwick is moving forward with designating public parking spots near coastal rights of way.
WJAR — Warwick addresses the decades long 'No Parking' sign issues
By RJ Heim — The city of Warwick is finally taking action regarding legitimate versus fake "No Parking" signs, and even signs put up by the city that weren’t covered by ordinances.
The Public’s Radio — One Square Mile: In Westerly, shoreline access emerges as key issue in 2022 races
By Alex Nunes — Voters following the 2022 elections in Westerly are witnessing something they haven’t seen in years. Candidates are widely promoting their support for public access to Rhode Island’s shoreline.
Projo — 'It just really blew up': Why shoreline access is emerging as a campaign issue in RI
By Antonia Noori Farzan — … A few years ago, that would have been unimaginable: Shoreline access was barely on the radar of politicians seeking state-level office. But that's changing, and candidates are realizing the issue has broad popular support among voters who otherwise don't see eye to eye.
WGBH — Historic racism still raises barriers to beach access
By Chris Burrell — …Lynn residents are not the only people of color struggling to access Massachusetts' beaches. In some of the most racially diverse and low-income urban communities along the coast, including Lynn, pollution caused by inferior wastewater infrastructure can force local beaches to close to swimmers. And beaches in many other areas simply aren't open to the public, which critics link to lingering effects of overtly racist housing practices in coastal communities.
The Public’s Radio — 'We're gonna rectify that': In Narragansett, town officials are taking a closer look at encroachment on public paths to the shore
By Alex Nunes — In Narragansett, coastal property owners along several popular rights of way to the shore are encroaching on designated public roads, effectively limiting parking and public access to the waterfront.
Boston Globe — In Narragansett, some private properties have expanded into areas owned by the town, affecting coastal access
By Brian Amaral — The neighborhood near the shoreline where the town added parking -- and infuriated some residents -- is likely not the only place where adjacent property owners have encroached onto the town’s rights-of-way
Projo — RISD permanently bans public parking at waterfront campus in Barrington
By Antonia Noori Farzan — For years, if not decades, "RISD Beach" was one of Rhode Island's worst-kept secrets… Since 2020, visitors have been greeted by a locked gate, and RISD says it's decided to permanently restrict parking to faculty, students and staff.
WGBH — Barriers at the Beach: State law and town rules keep most of Mass. shoreline off-limits
By Chris Burrell — Massachusetts should be a beach lover’s paradise, but access to the state’s shores is deeply uneven. Entry to most beaches is dependent on personal wealth, your home zip code and a shrinking allotment of “visitor” parking spaces clustered far from the water and a system of parking restrictions aimed at out-of-towners.
ecoRI News — As Beach Days Come, So Does the Annual Ocean State Battle: Access and Parking
By Rob Smith — With summer approaching, the state’s activists are gearing up for battle over that most Rhode Island of issues: beach parking.
New Haven Register — Attempt to equalize CT beach access, parking draws fire from suburban officials
By Ken Dixon — A New Haven state representative’s proposal to equalize beach access throughout Connecticut was the focus of sharp criticism Monday from suburban officials who claimed that even their own highly taxed residents have a hard time getting into small parking lots at a time when the lingering COVID pandemic has attracted more visitors than ever over the last two years.