Middletown Coastal Access Alliance Holds Introductory Meeting
NEWPORT, R.I. – November 21, 2024 –Middletown and Newport residents filled the community room at the Middletown Fire Station on Nov. 16 to hear from Melissa Welch, board president of the newly formed Middletown Coastal Access Alliance (MCAA).
At the organization’s introductory meeting, Welch outlined the aims of the MCAA, fielded questions and comments from the public, and presented an overview of the town’s 10 state-designated shoreline public access rights- of-way. A key goal of the organization is to “adopt” multiple rights- of-way in Middletown and assign a stewardship team of volunteers to monitor and maintain each one.
“Serving as a community focal point on rights-of-way issues is something that we’re all sort of feeling like we need, especially since the demise of Clean Ocean Access,” she said. “When issues arise at a right-of-way, or generally about their management, or how they’re used, there is really no one place to go right now.”
Welch provided an overview of the shoreline access rights guaranteed by state law and reviewed some of the unique characteristics of Middletown’s 10 rights-of-way. She also said the town recently had some of the rights-of-way surveyed. The MCAA has requested to see the results.
Seven of Middletown’s access points are on one strip of shoreline on Easton’s Point, from Dunlap Wheeler Park on the east end of First Beach and to the Clambake Club on Tuckerman Avenue. One is near the Norman Bird Sanctuary at Third Beach, and two are on the western shore of the Sakonnet River, via Indian Avenue. The Wolcott Avenue right-of-way on Easton’s Point and the Kingfisher Avenue right-of-way to Pebble Beach, near the Portsmouth town line, are the only two with public parking.
Several members of the MCAA’s board were in attendance, including John Peixinho of the Clambake Club, Norman Bird Sanctuary Executive Director Kaity Ryan, Newport County Saltwater Fishing Club President Dennis Zambrotta and school committee member Tammy Holden.
Welch has also reached out to likeminded organizations across Newport County in the spirit of collaboration. Representatives from Save the Bay and Newport Friends of the Waterfront were present at the meeting. Lynda Stevenson, president of Newport Friends of the Waterfront, offered advice for building a volunteer shoreline access monitoring program and maintaining strong documentation, suggesting people visit their website where a checklist is available…Click here to read the full article.