The Dublin Select Board stood firm on its decision to not revisit the Dublin Lake parking ordinance until next year, despite continued protests from a resident.
Dublin recently updated its parking ordinance to include a ban on parking on the shoreline side of the road on Lake Road.
The State Public Water Access Advisory Board (PWAB) protested the proposal, alleging it would prohibit public access to Dublin Lake, a public body of water, from traditional access points in the Brown’s Cove and Pumpelly Trail areas.
In a response to the PWAB, the Dublin Select Board objected to the assertion that the town isn’t providing “reasonable” parking for the town boat launch as well as Brown’s Cove.
The Select Board alleged the PWAB’s position was based off “misinformation” provided by Dublin resident Steve Baldwin.
“Mr. Baldwin does not speak on behalf of the [Dublin Board of Selectmen] or any other board or commission in town, and the claims he has apparently made concerning the extent of the town’s parking restrictions are incorrect. While he serves as a member of the Town’s Planning Board and Budget Committee, Mr. Baldwin has not been authorized to represent either board – or the town – on matters relating to Lake Road Parking,” Select Board Chair Chris Raymond wrote in a letter addressed to the Public Water Access Advisory Board on June 30.
The Select Board clarified that while parking on the side of the road adjacent to the lake had been restricted on Lake Road, due to environmental concerns and degradation of the shoreline, parking remained available in the area.
Parking is available along Lake Road on the side not adjacent to the lake, and also along Mauran Lane, which is close to the boat launch. A portion of Mauran Lane is a designated fire lane, but another portion includes about 120 feet of boat launch parking.
There is not immediate parking at Brown’s Cove, but parking is allowed within 100 feet from the Cove, which the board considered a “reasonable distance.”
The Select Board met with Baldwin on Tuesday, where Baldwin objected to the letter, which he said called him a “liar,” and contended he had never represented himself as a town official when speaking to the Public Water Access Advisory Board, only as a private citizen, and asked for a retraction to be made by the board.
Raymond said he would offer a retraction if Baldwin could “prove” he had not misrepresented himself to the Public Water Access Advisory Board.
Thomas Quarles, the chair of the Public Water Access Advisory Board, in an interview with the Ledger-Transcript on Wednesday, said that Baldwin had represented himself only as a private citizen with interest in the matter.
Quarles said the Public Water Access Advisory Board had made attempts to speak and receive information directly from the board, and Quarles himself offered his availability to discuss the issues in a letter to the board on May 12, and to Town Administrator Kate Fuller in a phone call on May 13, but never received a response to that offer, and also through emails with the town’s counsel, Matt Serge.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Baldwin offered to pay for a small placard sign to post beneath the current “No Parking” signs, which would say, “Please park responsibly,” which he said would at least suggest there was parking available.
The board agreed to consider that, but did not formally vote on the matter.