New parking rules around Cape Elizabeth’s ‘secret beach’ spark outcry, protest

Lexi Shorey picked at her salad while sitting on the rocky shore of Cliff House Beach with her husband, Adam.  It was noon on a sunny June Wednesday, and there were about 30 people in the cove. A mother dangled her giggling baby over the water, splashing. Friends and couples dotted the rocks, basking on towels.  The pair, who live in South Portland, usually bike to this Cape Elizabeth beach, but that day, they decided to drive. And that’s when they found out you couldn’t park on Shore Road anymore, or the neighboring side streets, if you’re not a resident.  The town’s restrictions on parking near the beach, which went into effect in March, have prompted nonresidents who visit Cliff House Beach to stage an “Occupy Cliff House” protest next month. [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/IMG_6636.jpg) Cliff House Beach in Cape Elizabeth, Wednesday at noon. (Dana Richie/Staff Writer) “We walked five minutes more,” Adam Shorey said. On a weekend, they’d probably opt to go to Willard Beach instead. “We would have to park really far.”  The Shoreys were disappointed by this change.  Advertisement “It’s a public beach,” Lexi Shorey said. “It should feel public.”  Nonresidents now have to walk up to a half mile to access the beach in Cape Elizabeth. Related [Cape Elizabeth’s Shore Road parking ban will go into effect in March](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/02/23/cape-elizabeths-shore-road-parking-ban-will-go-into-effect-in-may/) It’s been nearly two months since Cape Elizabeth’s ban on parking on the road between Woodland Road and 880 Shore Road went into effect.  Only Cape Elizabeth residents – determined by a municipal recycling sticker – are permitted to park on about 20 side streets on either side of this section of Shore Road between May 1 and Oct. 1, significantly reducing the parking options for out-of-towners who want to access the beach. Police Clerk Ed Hunt said they’ve processed 50 to 60 parking tickets in that area since May, which he said isn’t surprising, given the increase in places where parking is prohibited.  **A WIN FOR SOME RESIDENTS**  Many Cape Elizabeth residents have been concerned about parking in this area for several years, especially in the summer, and they view this change as a win.  Advertisement Known to locals as a “secret spot,” Cliff House Beach has become an increasingly popular destination in the last five years. On beautiful summer days, the beach sometimes sees more than a hundred sunbathers. Some residents have noticed a marked difference since the parking changes went into effect. [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/38891750_20240702_cape_0005.jpg) Cape Elizabeth restricts parking along Shore Road and in some local neighborhoods near Cliff House Beach after some neighbors have complained about traffic and safety. (Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer) Ann Bryan lives in the house at the end of Sea View Avenue that overlooks the beach in question. She’s always been surprised by how many people flock to it, which she describes as an “ankle-breaker” from the stairs to the sand. It’s small, she said, even at low tide. She said there’s been a lot less traffic near her house since the parking changes, and it feels much safer to turn onto and cross Shore Road without parked cars in her sightline.  The town is still working through the growing pains, such as what to do with landscape and construction vehicles that service this section of Shore Road.  Town staff and councilors have received complaints from people who live on Preble Street and Woodland Road, side roads just outside the parking district. Residents have noticed an uptick in cars searching for spots.  Advertisement Town Manager Pat Fox said the town retains the right to put up temporary no parking signs on roads outside the parking district where safety is a concern. If cars are parked on both sides of Preble Street, for example, it only leaves about 15 feet between for cars to pass, Fox said.  Town Council members said it’s too early to determine the full ripple effects of the changes on surrounding areas. They’ve opted to wait and see what will happen during this first summer before considering any policy changes.  **A PUBLIC BEACH?** Many community members in the greater Portland area view the beach as a spot for locals, not just Cape Elizabeth residents. And they think the parking changes were designed to push them out.  [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/IMG_6643.jpg) Stickers for sale at Strange Maine on Congress Street in Portland. (Dana Richie/ Staff Writer) Ian McClelland, who lives on the Portland peninsula, is organizing a group bike ride from Monument Square to the beach on July 25 that he’s dubbed “Occupy Cliff House.” More than a month out, more than 100 people RSVPed to hang out at the beach that day. “This is a movement, a takeover of a public space, a message to Cape Elizabeth and anyone trying to privatize public land,” reads the public invitation. “I just think someone had to say something,” McClelland said. “You know what’s easy: printing a lot of stickers and encouraging people to go to a beach on a hot summer day and hang out.”  Advertisement Stickers bearing the slogan “Occupy Cliff House” are for sale at Strange Maine on Congress Street, accompanied by the charge that it’s “gatekeeping disguised as public safety.”  McClelland, like many, finds solace at this beach, where he’s been visiting consistently for the past seven years.  “I feel cradled by the water,” he said. “It reminds me why I live in Maine.”  Tehani Hanna, who lives in South Portland, feels the same way.  “It’s an emotional, mental and physical health supplement for a lot of us,” they said. They go to Cliff House Beach once or twice a day. “I’m a dedicant,” they said. Outdoor swimming is their preferred form of exercise because of health issues.  Advertisement [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/IMG_6629.jpg) The bike rack by Cliff House Beach in Cape Elizabeth on June 24 at noon. (Dana Richie/ Staff Writer) Hanna likes to go swimming there in the mornings with friends, but not all of them can bike or make a long trek. Since the parking changes have gone into effect, they said, it’s been harder to coordinate these outings. “It’s getting to be a longer and longer walk,” Hanna said.  But people are still finding their way to get to the beach.  There were eight bikes parked at the rack during lunchtime on a Wednesday. On the weekends, the rack overflows. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [maine beaches](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/maine-beaches/), [parking](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/parking/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie) [Dana RichieStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie) Dana Richie is a community reporter covering South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Originally from Atlanta, she fell in love with the landscape and quirks of coastal New England while completing her undergraduate. [More by Dana Richie](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie)