As homeowners on Cedar Street in Lewes Beach, we are concerned about safety on Cedar Street and for the preservation of the character of Lewes Beach.
The town’s comprehensive (master) plan should be governing the decisions made for the issues having to do with parking.
We purchased our house because we loved the character of the neighborhood and the quaint, historic charm of the beach. We do not wish to see parking added in the open space next to our house, which would take away from the setting and increase the trash and traffic hazards for those who step out of our house onto the street.
While growth in the area is a challenge to the capacity of the beach, several recent events have occurred that continue to degrade and erode the beach:
1. Oil spill in Oct. 2020 - tons of sand removed to dispose of the oil that washed ashore.
2. Damage from the recent storm, further eroding the beach.
We have photos that were taken Feb. 6 at low tide, when beach has the most surface area. There is not much room for beachgoers as shown by three people walking abreast. At neap tide we measured only 40 feet of beach area between the water and the dunes.
We believe trying to find additional parking is not the problem. Rather, the problem is how to preserve the integrity and character of the beach that is eroding while it clearly does not have the capacity to support a larger peak influx of visitors.
Because there are not public restrooms at the center of the bay area, the current homes adjacent to the beach provide restroom facilities, or for those who are not resident, there are none. Since parking was expanded by the Children’s Beach House, we have observed people changing clothes in the streets, leaving trash and diapers in the road by our house and have had at least one near-miss trying to cross the street with speeding cars.
Lewes’ comprehensive plan from 2015 addressed issues of parking and traffic congestion. With new development, the problem is now exacerbated. The 2015 comprehensive plan stated, “Transportation Strategies: Lewes has a problem with traffic congestion and lack of parking during the summer season. These two problems are integrally related as people in cars arrive in the crowded center of town and Lewes Beach areas, cannot find a parking spot, then circle around in the hopes that a space will become available. Obvious solutions such as widening the roads or creating additional surface parking require demolishing the very structures (and beach) that people come here to enjoy, are not an option for Lewes. Get people out of their cars by placing a greater emphasis on pedestrian, bicycle and transit networks.”
We agree with the suggestion to incorporate access for bicycles, and believe creating additional parking lots will not support preservation of the beach as the capacity simply is not there.
Parking permits could help control the access to the beach, within its capacity. We do not believe Lewes property owners should have to pay for the permits as we already pay property taxes and property owners who rent their properties already pay 5 percent of rent to the town.
A permit system in force during high season on Lewes Beach, which includes designation of public parking spots and enforcement, could help manage preserving the beach within its capacity.
We do not believe additional lots are warranted on the paper streets, as they would not be in line with the capacity of the beach and would be a detractor to the adjacent properties.
The town leadership must consider these issues to protect our neighborhood, beach and the enjoyment of it by all within the overarching vision for the town and beaches of Lewes.
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