Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., Seeking a Longer-Term Solution, Withdraws Cove Road Resolution From August 17th Council Agenda
President and Members
Wicomico County Council
Dear Council Members:
As you know, there has been some serious concern expressed in recent weeks about conditions at the county beach off of Cove Road, not the least of which involves the parking accommodations there. When the Westside Volunteer Fire Company alerted us to the fact that emergency vehicles could not reach the parking lot at the beach when vehicles were parked on both sides of the road, the county prohibited parking on
the south side of Cove Road.
More recently, I have been contacted by a number of residents of the area suggesting that both sides of the road should be closed to parking as the beach area cannot comfortably accommodate the additional traffic. After hearing from law enforcement and fire services, I proposed to the county council that parking indeed be eliminated on the north side of Cove Road as well. However, over the past two weeks, we have seen that the matter may be a bit more complicated and deserving of additional study and input before moving ahead to further limit parking.
After two well-attended community gatherings held in the last 10 days, I am persuaded that the resolution closing parking on the north side of Cove Road should be withdrawn for the time being. I offer the following for your consideration:
• Fire Chief Don Messick has assured me that emergency vehicles can access the parking lot and beach area with parking allowed on one side of the road.
• The summer season is drawing to a close and the causes for concern should diminish soon.
• The county will provide additional security over the Labor Day week-end via Park Police and I will ask the Sheriff’s Department for additional attention over the last few weeks of summer.
• I have instructed Director of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Gary Mackes, to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the county facility on Cove Road to determine what improvements are needed to make the beach an attractive and enjoyable resource not just for the local community but for the county at large. He will report his findings to me by the first of November. Believing that any solution requires
the direct involvement of those most affected, I shall invite four members of the local community to meet with us as we develop our plan.
• We shall ask that the Department of Natural Resources increase enforcement of the regulations regarding jet skis in the swimming area. Finally, I also plan to ask Acting Public Works Director John Redden to determine if the edges of the road can be improved so that parked vehicles will intrude less into the paved portion of the road.
Accordingly, in light of our plan to work with the community to find a lasting and equitable solution to the concerns recently expressed, I ask that Resolution 115-2010, prohibiting parking of motor vehicles on the north side of Cove Road be withdrawn from the County Council’s agenda for the meeting scheduled for August 17, 2010.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Pollitt, Jr.
County Executive
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12 comments:
Save the money and close the park!
Cove road again? Seriously? Folks, the only thing wrong with cove road are the politics involved. Granted there was one incident. But only one. Yet recently there has been meetings upon meetings to solve an isolated incident. Double you think maybe the time, money, and resources would be better utilized elsewhere? Where these are no longer isolated incidents but the norm.
8:42 Look it is a problem when you can't even get out of your driveway when the beach is full. I applaud these leaders for trying to find a solution to this. I guess you are one who does not live on Cove Road. Thank Mr. Pollitt for your efforts to resolve this problem.
People who bought on Cove Rd new there was a park there. Sure people shouldn't block driveways, but this isn't something that happens all the time. For the most part, the park is enjoyed by families who follow the rules. Not sure how you are going to fix the "edges", there are ditches along the road. It would be awfully expensive to move the ditches back. Not sure if you could get MDE approval. To those that live in Naniticoke. It is not just your park. If it is closed, that will mean it is closed to you as well. That seems to be that attitude of some westside people. If that is the way you think, I hope you don't venture outside of Westside to enjoy services located in other peoples communities.
Look out folks, Rick will try to buy it.
This a direct result of our failing economy . Most people would go to O.C. or go on vacation but who can afford it ?
The solution is simple....there is a perfectly good beach at the Bivalve Park/marina. It has plenty of parking, bathrooms, playground equipment, picnic tables and a pavillion. This was developed for the eact pupose of accomodating large groups of visitors. The cove was never intended to be utilized by large groups. The county should advertise and direct people to Bivalve or Roaring Point, not the Cove. It may be too late to put the genie back in the bottle and if that is the case, close the Cove to vehicle traffic. If you can get there by water, then feel free to use it.
3:54, That is a dumb and selfish idea.
"Park Police" ? What, is he halucinating.....there is no such force in Wicomico County.
5:31 It's a great idea and makes perfect sense . Or would you rather have over crowding litter and an over all bad experience ?
I live down there and I donb't hear anyone bit**ing. This is just a bunch of locals who can't control growth and want to close everything up. Well, If parking is such a problem, build a parking lot. It was done at Roaring Point!!
I am still surprised that the water quality at Cove Road has not come back into play.
Several years ago, there was not a public beach in Wicomico county that was open for swimming. A professor from SU, and others, performed water quality testing at numerous locations in the county, and Bay area, and determined that there were no safe swimming areas in the County.
So has the water quality improved to a safe level?
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