Latest news with #beachaccess
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Portugal pledges stricter beach access rules amid luxury resort development
Officials in the Portuguese government have committed to improving access to a 27-mile stretch of coastline where rising housing prices, and the development of luxury resorts, has sparked concerns about public access to beaches. Beach towns such as Comporta, coined 'the Hamptons of Portugal', have witnessed a spike in foreign investors and wealthy tourists. In turn, this has resulted in soaring costs and decreased access to public beaches where many local people grew up An assessment by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) of 22 beaches found that nine had access limitations. Of these, seven were restricted by private resorts and two had controlled entry. At Galé-Fontainhas, one of the affected beaches, access runs through the CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club. The resort is owned by US real estate investor Mike Meldman, co-founder of Casamigos Tequila with actor George Clooney. A young couple, who work at a nearby campsite, told Euronews: 'If you want to get to the beach, you either have to take the path that already existed, which is difficult from behind, or you have to leave your ID at the entrance and go through the campsite. 'It's only when you get back that you'll have your ID card back for security reasons,' they said. Portuguese Minister for the Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stated that no new tourist development near the beaches can be approved in mainland Portugal without first ensuring public access to beaches. In a speech last month, she insisted that 'there are no private beaches in Portugal and any attempt to limit or hinder the free access of the population to the beaches will be identified' and opposed. 'The beaches in Portugal are public, therefore, access to the beaches cannot be blocked under any conditions.'
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Snooty Lake Tahoe residents in uproar over plan to let local dishwashers access their private beaches
Wealthy residents of a upscale area on Lake Tahoe are outraged over a plan that will open their private beach up to local dishwashers, ski instructors and other area workers. Incline Village, a gorgeous lakefront community on the Nevada side of the lake, declared last week that seasonal employees and full-time workers in the area, plus their families, can now access its sandy beaches, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. Since 2023, Incline Village's beaches have been fully private and reserved for its roughly 7,800 homeowners and their guests. But the five-member board that governs Incline Village ultimately decided access should be expanded to the workers who keep recreation and utility services running. 'To me, it's the right thing to do,' said David Noble, a trustee for the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID), who introduced the Employee Pass Program to the board. 'It also serves as both a recruiting and retention tool.' The proposal wasn't without its critics. Several community members and one IVGID trustee spoke out against the plan at a June 11 meeting. Ray Tulloch, a trustee who's owned a property in Incline Village for 18 years, said he thought opening up the beach to employees would be unfair to homeowners, who each pay a $655 annual fee to maintain it. 'It puts the whole beach deed at risk,' Tulloch said. 'I'm not sure why owners should be paying that much money for a private facility that is then potentially opened up to the world.' Another person, who identified himself as Frank Wright, spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting and raged about Incline Village beaches being opened up to 'people who don't belong here.' 'The exclusive beaches will become public,' Wright said. 'You're going to have a nightmare on your hands. The people in town are going to rebel.' Wright lives in Crystal Bay, a nearby community that is also governed by IVGID. He has run for a trustee position on the board multiple times and lost his most recent bid in 2024. While he was running last year, he gave a statement to the Tahoe Daily Tribune and argued that allowing employees on Incline Village beaches violated the town's beach deed. Wright explained that while serving on a citizens group appointed to write rules and regulations for IVGID's recreational venues, he 'raised the issue of the irresponsibleness of the employees accessing the beach.' 'Employees who lived outside the district were accessing the beach (and their families), which was a violation of the beach deed,' Wright said. Incline Village employees had beach access for decades until the trustees revoked it in January 2023. The trustees sided with Wright at the time, pointing out that worker access could open them up to lawsuits or violate the deed authored in 1968, which only allows property owners, their tenants and guests to use the beach. During the June 11 meeting, Noble said that after beach access was revoked from employees, even people who worked on the beach during the day had to leave during their breaks. Noble said that there are about 500 staff members during peak season but added that many of them commute from outside Incline Village, which meant few of them used the beach in their free time anyway. Employees and their families represented just 1.5 percent of the total beach visits in 2022, when they were last allowed to be there, according to documents shared at the meeting. 'It's still exclusive,' Noble said. 'Nobody will notice whether they're there or not there.' The IVGID board voted to approve employee beach access, with the only dissenting vote coming from Tulloch. Before anything changes, the board will send homeowners letters asking them if they'd be willing to sponsor employees as their guests on the beach. That appears to be the way the board will comply with the beach deed. Noble said with enough buy-in from residents, employees will soon be allowed back in. That will mean access to sand and swimming areas, as well as an outdoor pool with a waterslide, playgrounds, picnic and grilling areas, paddleboard and kayak rentals, a snack and drink bar and a boat launch. Rob Watson, a property owner in Incline Village, told the board he'd be willing to sponsor employees. 'As any competent executive knows, the employees of a company are their most valuable assets,' he said. 'These are our employees.'
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Wimborne wheelchair user wants to make UK water accessible
A wheelchair user is calling for more to be done to make the UK's beaches and waters accessible to Behenna, from Wimborne, wants people with medical and mental health conditions and disabilities to share their blue space experiences in an online 53-year-old paddleboard instructor said his own desire to get out on the water independently inspired him to set up the Beach Access Project."I know how powerful it is for me to be on the water and to be connected with other people on the water," he said Mr Behenna was seriously injured when he road his bike into a car while training for a triathlon aged broke his back and was left paralysed from the chest 2021 he began thinking of ways that he could get out on the water without built a seat for his paddleboard and in 2023 he began teaching others with medical conditions and disabilities to paddleboard. He described being out at sea as his "emotional therapy"."Being in blue space reduces anxiety and depression and improves emotional wellbeing," he said."It then has connections with physical wellbeing as well and that's what I want to be able to give people the opportunity to experience."Mr Behenna said after doing research he found that the UK does not have any beach access guidelines and noticed coastal facilities across Europe, Australia and America were much better equipped for people who need support."We've got accessible parking and accessible toilet facilities and then it pretty much stops there," he said. After one week he said the Beach Access Project survey had received more than 140 said he had reached out to local authorities and the next phase of the project was to look at what solutions can be put in place. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Care home SLAMS Martha's Vineyard millionaire for 'stopping seniors from enjoying the beach'
A care home on Martha's Vineyard has slammed a millionaire homeowner for allegedly gatekeeping a beach from its elderly and disabled residents. Melinda Loberg, a longtime resident of the famed Massachusetts island, filed a lawsuit against Havenside - a non-profit corporation affiliated with the Island's Episcopal Churches and the Diocese of Boston - on May 12. Havenside is a senior living facility that sits just behind Loberg's $5 million waterfront home - but a fierce legal war was launched after elderly residents were allegedly crossing into the homeowner's land to get to Vineyard Haven Harbor. The care home, however, argues that they have always had a right to use the 13-foot corridor on the north side of her land to gain access to the beach. Now, Lucinda Kirk, the property manager of Havenside Corporation, told that Loberg's lawsuit is just 'a land grab against island seniors.' The majority of Havenside's residents are disabled and elderly - and they deserve to 'enjoy the many health benefits of salt air and serenity,' she said. In the suit, Loberg claimed that when she bought the home in 1992 she was never told about the easement access that the seniors allegedly have - triggering the neighborhood dispute last month. Fighting back, Kirk told 'The lawsuit that our neighbors filed should be seen for what it is: A land grab against Island Seniors. She has lived at her $5 million idyllic home on Crocker Avenue with her husband since July 1992. Havenside has since told Loberg its residents have a right to use a small path on her property to get to the water. (her property is circled in red on the left, and the senior home is circled on the right) 'The Lobergs want to incorporate our easement into their beach-front property, apparently without any care how that will affect Havenside's 36 Residents. 'Our neighbors are attempting to outspend us in legal proceedings to grab our land with bogus legal claims.' Many of Havenside's residents don't just live in the apartments for affordable housing, but also 'have mobility disabilities and/or chronic health conditions,' the spokeswoman added. Kirk added: 'The land of Havenside has an appurtenant easement which provides beach access for our Seniors. It is the safest and easiest way for our Residents to enjoy the many health benefits of salt air and serenity. 'The issue at stake for Havenside is not about money, but preserving safe and equal access to the beach for our senior Residents.' The legal filing went on to state that any access rights were taken away before Havenside took over its property. Loberg also emphasized that she has been using the land for 30 years which voids the corporation's past claims to it. Havenside said that information is false and that it has had an easement there since 1890, the Vineyard Gazette reported. The specific area that the senior center is claiming to control is a space that the Loberg's 'cleared the existing vegetation' from, along with 'removed tires, bottles, car mats, and large chunks of macadam and then planted Parcel 2A with grass,' the documents read. Following the cleanup, the couple decided to install a 170-foot fence along the area in question - cutting off access for more than two decades, the lawsuit stated. Havenside said they planned to gain access to the beach by cutting the grass between the fence and garden beds to construct an entry gate, the filing continued. After informing Loberg of its plans, the corporation sent a tenant by the name of Frank Rapoza over to the property, 'carrying tools,' so he could 'install' the fence, per the lawsuit. Tensions quickly rose when Loberg saw him standing in her driveway ready to get to work, so much so that she threatened to call the police if he attempted to install the gate. With that, Rapoza fled the property, but soon after Loberg received a phone call from him 'threatening to return and install the gate,' the lawsuit detailed. 'In response to this phone call, Plaintiff installed a "No Trespass" sign on the Property line near the Havenside Property,' it added. A manager with Havenside then reached out to Loberg and stated that Rapoza 'was not an agent of Havenside or its Board. Any representation otherwise has never been authorized.' Loberg, a former Tisbury select board member, chose to sit down with Havenside on July 14, 2024 to talk about the issue, but 'representatives were not inclined to discuss alternative solutions and instead insisted upon the existence of the purported access easement,' her lawsuit read. Later that month, the corporation offered to 'remove' the easement in exchange for 'a cash payment,' but Loberg denied the 'extortive offer.' By October of that year, Havenside filed a Wetlands Protection Act Notice of Intent (NOI) with the local Conservation Commission 'seeking approval to make improvements on Plaintiff's Property within the alleged Access Easement,' the lawsuit said. In that filing, 'Havenside falsely claimed to be the owner of the Property, failing to accurately fill out Section 3 requiring them to list the Property Owner if different from the applicant,' it went on. In February, the Loberg's said they 'discovered a group from Havenside, including Mr. Rapoza, trespassing on Plaintiff's Property and in the process of cutting Plaintiff's Fence in order to install a gate.' Loberg then called the police who asked the group to vacate, but 'declined' to forcibly remove them, noting that it was a 'civil matter.' The lawsuit also included an image of Rapoza, an alleged 'manager of Havenside,' and unknown person 'destroying a section of Plaintiff's Fence and installing the gate.' A police report was also filed in relation to the incident. 'Mr. Rapoza subsequently returned and finished installing the Gate,' the lawsuit said, adding that Havenside has since added signage to the entrance of Loberg's property stating that residents are allowed to use that as an access point to the beach. Loberg 'feels harassed and threatened by the conduct of Havenside's tenants and does not feel safe on her Property as a result of their conduct,' the filing concluded. She has demanded that 'Havenside, its guests, tenants and invitees' are not allowed to access her property and that it does not benefit from any easement over the Plaintiff's Property for the purpose of accessing Vineyard Haven Harbor.' An initial hearing was held on May 20 and the next is set for June 16, according to documents. Kirk said Havenside is working on obtaining a pro bono lawyer to fight for residents to gain access to the waterfront.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Merciless Martha's Vineyard homeowner wages war against elderly locals who 'cross into her $5M land to get to beach'
A homeowner on Martha's Vineyard has sparked a legal war against her elderly neighbors, who she says are trespassing on her land to gain access to the beach. Melinda Loberg, a longtime resident of the famed Massachusetts island, filed a lawsuit against Havenside, a non-profit that provides housing for seniors, on May 12. Loberg, who works as a secretary for a local elderly support group, claimed Havenside's senior living tenants were illegally crossing her ritzy waterfront land to get to Vineyard Haven Harbor. She has lived at her $5 million idyllic home on Crocker Avenue with her husband since July 1992, and now, more than three decades later, Havenside has told Loberg its residents have a right to use a small path on her property to get to the water. The independent living facility first informed Loberg of its easement to the property in June 2024 after sending her a letter detailing that they would be allowing its residents to use the 13-foot corridor on the north side of her land to gain access to the beach, according to the lawsuit obtained by The 16-page lawsuit, which goes over a detailed history of the beachfront property, claimed that when she and her husband Michael first purchased the home on the luxurious island, the deed did not at all reference any access easements. It went on to state that any access rights were taken away before Havenside took over its property. Loberg also emphasized that she has been using the land for 30 years which voids the corporation's past claims to it. In response, Havenside said that information is false and that it has had an easement there since 1890, the Vineyard Gazette reported. The specific area that the senior center is claiming to control is a space that the Loberg's 'cleared the existing vegetation' from, along with 'removed tires, bottles, car mats, and large chunks of macadam and then planted Parcel 2A with grass,' the documents read. Following the cleanup, the couple decided to install a 170-foot fence along the area in question - cutting off access for more than two decades, the lawsuit stated. Havenside said they planned to gain access to the beach by cutting the grass between the fence and garden beds to construct an entry gate, the filing continued. After informing Loberg of its plans, the corporation sent a tenant by the name of Frank Rapoza over to the property, 'carrying tools,' so he could 'install' the fence, per the lawsuit. Tensions quickly rose when Loberg saw him standing in her driveway ready to get to work, so much so that she threatened to call the police if he attempted to install the gate. With that, Rapoza fled the property, but soon after Loberg received a phone call from him 'threatening to return and install the gate,' the lawsuit detailed. 'In response to this phone call, Plaintiff installed a "No Trespass" sign on the Property line near the Havenside Property,' it added. A manager with Havenside then reached out to Loberg and stated that Rapoza 'was not an agent of Havenside or its Board. Any representation otherwise has never been authorized.' Loberg, a former Tisbury select board member, chose to sit down with Havenside on July 14, 2024 to talk about the issue, but 'representatives were not inclined to discuss alternative solutions and instead insisted upon the existence of the purported access easement,' her lawsuit read. Later that month, the corporation offered to 'remove' the easement in exchange for 'a cash payment,' but Loberg denied the 'extortive offer.' By October of that year, Havenside filed a Wetlands Protection Act Notice of Intent (NOI) with the local Conservation Commission 'seeking approval to make improvements on Plaintiff's Property within the alleged Access Easement,' the lawsuit said. In that filing, 'Havenside falsely claimed to be the owner of the Property, failing to accurately fill out Section 3 requiring them to list the Property Owner if different from the applicant,' it went on. In February, the Loberg's said they 'discovered a group from Havenside, including Mr. Rapoza, trespassing on Plaintiff's Property and in the process of cutting Plaintiff's Fence in order to install a gate.' Loberg then called the police who asked the group to vacate, but 'declined' to forcibly remove them, noting that it was a 'civil matter.' The lawsuit also included an image of Rapoza, an alleged 'manager of Havenside,' and unknown person 'destroying a section of Plaintiff's Fence and installing the gate.' A police report was also filed in relation to the incident. 'Mr. Rapoza subsequently returned and finished installing the Gate,' the lawsuit said, adding that Havenside has since added signage to the entrance of Loberg's property stating that residents are allowed to use that as an access point to the beach. Loberg 'feels harassed and threatened by the conduct of Havenside's tenants and does not feel safe on her Property as a result of their conduct,' the filing concluded. She has demanded that 'Havenside, its guests, tenants and invitees' are not allowed to access her property and that it does not benefit from any easement over the Plaintiff's Property for the purpose of accessing Vineyard Haven Harbor.' An initial hearing was held on May 20 and the next is set for June 16, according to documents. Lucinda Kirk, the property manager of Havenside, told the Vineyard Gazette Loberg's claims in the lawsuit are 'bogus' and were made as a way for her to get rid of the non-profit by bringing on legal fees. 'The issue for Havenside is to provide equal access for our residents,' Kirk told the outlet. 'We have residents with limited mobility and chronic health conditions who need safe and easy access to the beach. Serenity and saltwater are important for our senior's health.' Kirk said Havenside is working on obtaining a pro bono lawyer to fight for residents to gain access to the waterfront.
