Cape Elizabeth will revisit parking safety near Cliff House Beach
Cape Elizabeth Town Council Sends Parking Review to Traffic Safety Working Group
CAPE ELIZABETH, ME — The town’s parking rules that began on May 1, 2026, limiting visitor parking along Shore Road to Cape Elizabeth residents with the municipal recycling sticker, are now under review. After a year of mixed reactions from residents and business owners, the Town Council unanimously authorized a Traffic Safety Working Group to study the impact and consider changes.
The group, composed of the town manager, police chief and public works director, will examine safety concerns that surfaced during the first summer of the new policy. “We knew we weren’t going to be able to get to a perfect solution,” said Councilor Tim Thompson. “We’ve been talking about this for years, and with a couple of more tweaks, we could get to an even better solution.”
Under the current ordinance, approximately 20 side streets on either side of Shore Road between Preble Street and Woodland Road allow parking only for residents during the peak summer months (May 1 through Oct 1). Streets just outside that corridor, including Preble and Woodland, remain open to all visitors year‑round. The restriction is designed to reduce congestion on the main thoroughfare and improve safety for beachgoers at Cliff House Beach.
Residents have voiced a number of complaints. Some say the policy has made it difficult to park service and landscaping vehicles for local businesses. Others report that side‑street driveways have been blocked by non‑resident vehicles. “Word has to get out that Cape isn’t messing around,” said Council Chair Elizabeth Scifres, who urged the group to explore adding a small number of permit‑based parking spots back onto Shore Road between Woodland Road and 880 Shore Road.
Councilors also highlighted growing traffic on Preble Street and Woodland Road and asked the working group to look at enforcement options. “These tow truck companies will come if we call them,” said Councilor Jonathan Sahrbe. “Some residents have said that their driveways have been blocked by vehicles.”
The council’s decision to postpone immediate policy changes until the end of the summer was prompted by an earlier recognition that the full ripple effects of the new parking scheme were not yet known. “It was too early to determine the full ripple effects,” the council noted in its statement. The working group’s findings will guide any future adjustments, including whether to re‑permit limited parking or to tighten enforcement on the existing restrictions.
The review comes amid broader community debate over Cape Elizabeth’s “secret beach” parking rules, which have sparked outcry and protest from some Greater Portland residents. The town’s leadership, however, remains focused on balancing beach access, resident convenience, and traffic safety.
The working group will report its recommendations to the Town Council in the coming months. For now, Cape Elizabeth’s summer parking landscape continues to evolve under close municipal scrutiny.
