Children of Marshfield residents who live near Rexhame Beach protested yesterday where access may be limited to the public if a ruling favors residents whose property abuts the beach. (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)
Hey, richers want to shut off a public beach!
"The suit was filed in 1998 by members of the Rexhame Terrace Land Trust, who own homes in an affluent section directly abutting Rexhame Beach, seeking to block access to the beach by other neighbors and the general public."
Woooh-wee, I can smell the elite stink all the way out here!!!!
And the STATE is HELPING THEM!!!!
Yes, this is "LIBERAL" MASSACHUSETTS, readers!!!
"Residents protest for public beach rights; Rexhame dispute can be traced to 1700s court case" by Steve Hatch, Globe Correspondent | August 3, 2008
A long-simmering beach-rights dispute with pre-Revolutionary roots flared into protest yesterday with 200 people rallying to keep Marshfield's Rexhame Beach public.
The protest was sparked by reports of an imminent Land Court deal between the state attorney general's office and abutters who claim private ownership of the beach. Speaking to the bathing-suited crowd through a bullhorn, Marianne McCabe of nearby Homestead Avenue accused the attorney general's office of agreeing to a settlement giving up public rights to use the beach, allowing them only the right to walk across it.
"Martha Coakley doesn't care about us," McCabe, a lawyer who is a defendant in the case, said of the attorney general. "It's a slap in the face to the people of Marshfield and the general public."
The suit was filed in 1998 by members of the Rexhame Terrace Land Trust, who own homes in an affluent section directly abutting Rexhame Beach, seeking to block access to the beach by other neighbors and the general public. Citing a need to protect the general public interest to access the beach, the state intervened, and the matter languished for years.
The dispute began in the late 1700s, when Marshfield farmer Briggs Thomas claimed private ownership and lost in court. McCabe said a court case in 1832 ruled that the beach was public. Residents supporting beach access cite action by the town in the 1640s setting aside Rexhame Beach as a public common, and several signs at the rally read: "Public Beach 1645-Forever."
Other signs read, "No One Owns the Beach," "Don't Close the Beach," and "We Live Here Too." A large banner read: "AG Hear our Plea, Keep Rexhame Beach Public." The crowd chanted, "Stop Martha Coakley" and "Down With Martha," and petitions were circulated asking the attorney general to drop the settlement.
Ken White said he has lived near the beach on Ford Street for 12 years and that when he bought his home, "the understanding was I had rights to the beach." If he and his neighbors lose access, they will face a lengthy walk down sidewalk-less streets to a public section of beach. The plaintiffs not only want to keep people off the beach, they want to keep them from using several small streets leading to it.
Jonathan White of Vincent Drive, who has lived in the area 37 years and who helped lead the rally, said it was conceived last week in discussion on the Marshfield Forum website. Neighbors and their children went door-to-door with fliers, and the protest had a thoroughly family atmosphere.
State Representative Frank M. Hynes, Democrat of Marshfield, earlier yesterday said he had met with officials from the attorney general's office Wednesday, and they told him historical records had been researched and did not support the contention of public access.
"I'm disappointed in the attorney general's role thus far," Hynes said. "Those neighbors in that general area have traditionally over the years used and accessed the beach over the ways that are there and over the dunes and, at the very least, the attorney general should press forward to establish those limited rights." Hynes said he had a meeting scheduled with the attorney general's office tomorrow and that he would pursue a postponement of any settlement.
Brian Rogal, an attorney for the Rexhame Terrace homeowners, declined to comment two weeks ago on the settlement. He did not return a message seeking comment yesterday.
Jill Butterworth, deputy press secretary for the attorney general, said recently that a settlement had been reached. She declined yesterday to talk about any settlement and would not say if any delay had been agreed to. She said a Land Court status conference on the case was scheduled for Aug. 11."Now THAT is deserving of SO MUCH print!
These protests are not.
