Lewes beach parking problems spark debate

Most residents at the Lewes Beach Parking Committee meeting July 16 agree something has to be done to reduce congestion on the streets at the beach. How that will happen is up for debate.

The committee is looking into issues such as parking on the streets between Cedar Street and Bay Avenue and how the alleged right-of-way encroachment by homeowners affects parking. The group will also consider alternative sites for more parking. 

Councilman Dennis Reardon, a beach resident, said part of the problem is there’s no consistency to property lines and setbacks for beach properties. Some homes were built in the 1920s before setbacks existed, so in some cases the homes are built right on the property line. Complicating matters is the fact that the roadway isn’t always in the middle of the right of way, he said.

“This is not an easy task,” he said. “We have to realize one size does not fit all. We almost have to look at each block individually to see if there are areas where we can provide parking.” 

Committee member Pres Lee, a Lewes Beach resident, said a long-term solution is to require property surveys when building permits and lease renewals are sought.

“I don’t think we can say to leave it as it is,” he said. “We all have to work together. Hopefully, through this process, we can find a way over a long period of time to correct the problem.”

Deputy Mayor Fred Beaufait, committee chair, said the city has been flooded with emails and letters regarding the beach situation. Suggestions include everything from parking permits to an additional public parking lot to prohibiting parking entirely from Savannah Road to Roosevelt Inlet, he said. 

“Whatever solution, it will please some, but not others,” he said. “We will make every effort to not leave any stone unturned to try to find an equitable solution.” 

To get started, City Planner Tom West has developed an app for city staff to build an inventory of possible right of way encroachments. The city is also attempting to acquire data used by engineering firm George Miles and Buhr for a Bay Avenue project nearly a decade ago. City Manager Ann Marie Townshend said the data will not show all property lines between Bay Avenue and Cedar Street, but it will indicate where the property lines are for the properties cornering on Bay Avenue. 

Chief Tom Spell said he’s committed to enforcing the rules and regulations on the beach. With a small police force, he said, it can be challenging, but it’s not anything they can’t handle.

West Canal Street resident Barbara O’Hanlon said her main concern is safety because that affects everyone, including beach residents, in-town residents and beach visitors. Some of the problems she often sees are high-speed drivers on Cedar Street, parked cars blocking intersections and narrow streets limiting access for emergency personnel. 

She encouraged the committee to think outside the box and to not focus only on creating more space for parking. 

“I would encourage a multiprong approach,” she said. “So far, the only solutions I see are those put on the backs and shoulders of residents of Lewes Beach. It has to deal with creating more space for parking. I’d like to hear other initiatives that deal with beach behavior as well as creating alternative ways for people to come to the beach.”

Drake Knoll resident Stephanie Tsantes said there are a number of simple issues that can be addressed now. She said rental signs are often placed in the right of way and trash and recycling cans are left out too long. City staff could easily take care of those issues, she said. 

For the long-term, she said, the city should consider adding a jitney service to relieve stress on parking at the beach. 

“I would take it on a regular basis to get to and from the beach instead of dragging a car down there and creating more of a parking problem,” she said.

She said it is already done for special events, like the Lewes Garden Tour. 

“If there was something that ran around within a regular schedule in the summer months … I think a lot of people would use it, and it would clear up some of the congestion in the streets,” she said. 

On a similar note, West Canal Street resident Mark Lizzi said city officials should work with Cape Henlopen School District to use empty parking lots during the summer months. 

“I realize you’re dealing with the board of education, but the infrastructure is already there,” he said. “It seems like a slam dunk.” 

As for behavior of visitors parking in front of his home, Lizzi said, he just wants them to treat his property as if it were their own.

“I personally don’t have any trouble with anybody parking at my house – it’s just the destruction that they do when they do it,” he said. “[The police] can’t be everywhere. Whether it’s changing their kids’ diapers or peeing on your lawn … some of it’s part of living at the beach or whatever. I just want my property respected. The beach is for everyone.” 

New York Avenue resident Mark Schaeffer said he wasn’t aware there was a parking problem on the beach. The day of the meeting, a Monday, he said, there were six or seven parking spaces available. 

“On days we do have an influx of people coming to recreate on the beach, we do have problems,” he said. “Unfortunately, sometimes you have to park far away from the beach and walk.”

He said the city needs to take a comprehensive look at all the issues before taking actions that will affect residents. 

“This is a much larger issue than parking on the side streets of Lewes Beach,” he said, noting the city also needs to recognize a lack of public transportation, public facility issues, bicycle and pedestrian conflicts and speeding on Cedar Street.

Houston Avenue resident Joe Smith said right-of-way encroachment by his neighbors has gotten out of hand. 

“The only place you can park now is out on the street,” he said. “It’s created an unsafe situation. I just think blocking the street, not letting people park on your street is just so unneighborly, and the town has to do something about it.” 

Beaufait said the committee will carefully consider every issue brought forward before making any recommendations to city council. The committee’s next two meetings will be at 2:30 p.m, Monday, July 30, and 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 6. Each will be held at Lewes City Hall.