Beach Busy Season Ends: Parking Questions Remain

Hampton Beach, with its new-and-improved state park facilities, continues to review an old challenge: Parking.

At a community stakeholders' meeting Oct. 1 at the Hampton Beach Seashell facility, local business people and residents questioned why parking meters are still in effect. Visitors getting tagged for a parking ticket, when parking lots and streets are relatively empty, is the worst kind of marketing, speakers said.

The state meters, as of today, drop from $2 to $1. State officials said the meters are scheduled to run until about Nov. 4.

Philip A. Bryce, director of NH State Parks, said the idea was to have the resources to keep the beach clean and open to accommodate visitors.

"We wanted, basically, the opportunity to keep the beach open. We need the revenue to do that," Bryce said.

The state unveiled new pay and display parking systems last spring, but some signage questions and consumer confusion led to some cars being towed and more than a few irate beach-goers and businesses.

The Division of NH State Parks is also working to comply with a legislative audit of the Hampton Beach meter fund, which found earlier this year, in part, that the state needs better controls over collection and monitoring of cash and coins.

Here is more information on State Park beach parking costs and times.

Parking problems earlier this year were addressed, starting with larger, taller signs to inform drivers about the pay and display stations and related parking information.

Some highlights of the season, so far, include:

• Hampton Beach being named a Five-Star beach by the Natural Resources Defense Council, for coastal water quality.

• 33 "special use" events (those open to the public) held.

• And the Seacoast Weddings and Events Guide, published to help people plan and book their special occasions at a Seacoast State Park. (Contact seacoastevents@dred.state.nh.us for more information.)