By John Schwing

WESTPORT — Why Weston?

That question arose Wednesday in respect to what one official called Weston residents’ “privileged” status in comparison with other non-resident fees charged for beach parking emblems.

Dick Lowenstein, a Representative Town Meeting member from District 5, posed the question during a largely procedural review by the Board of Selectwomen of new fees for Westport parks and recreation programs.

Revised fees for Westport’s seasonal beach emblems, as well as for Longshore Golf Course and other summer activities were endorsed last week by the Parks and Recreation Commission, and forwarded to the selectwomen for final approval.

The new fees were approved unanimously, with few comments, by First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker and Selectwoman Andrea Moore. Selectwoman Candice Savin was absent.

But not before Lowenstein came to the Town Hall auditorium podium to ask why Weston residents — both historically and under the new fee structure — have been charged far less for beach emblems than other out-of towners.

He also asked if, in return, Weston has shown any reciprocity by granting Westport residents reduced fees for any of its programs or services.

And, he pointed out, residents of other land-locked neighboring towns, such as Wilton, are not offered a similar discounted non-resident rate.

The only insight in answer to Lowenstein’s inquiries was offered by Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Fava, who noted Weston residents’ special status long predated her tenure, but that Weston traditionally has been regarded “a sister town” of Westport. Years ago, Weston students had attended Staples High School before the town opened its own high school; Westport and Weston are both members of the regional Aspetuck Health District, and community institutions, such as the Westport-Weston Family YMCA, recognize the relationship.

Under the current fee structure, Weston residents have been charged $375 for a seasonal beach emblem, rising to $415 under the newly approved rates. Weston seniors, who paid $200 last year, will now be charged $220.

Fava, in response to another question from Lowenstein, reported that, most recently, 1,200 Westport beach emblems had been purchased by Weston residents.

Instead of “access” to Westport’s beaches, Lowenstein said the critical issue is “parking” availability, and suggested the town consider restructuring fees on the basis of weekday vs. weekend passes to reflect the differential in demand.

Although the new fee schedule — as reported last week by the Westport Journal and posted below — was adopted as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission, Tooker said that, in future, fees will be reviewed more often than every six years, the last time changes were adopted.

The seasonal beach fee charged to other non-residents, which prompted a lengthy discussion at last week’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, elicited no comments Wednesday.

Fava briefly explained the revised fee — which will drop from $775 to $545 — is designed to rectify the rate adopted for 2018 that was “way out of alignment” with other shoreline communities. It also aims to address the town’s broader “accessibility goals,” she said.

Nonetheless, as Fava noted at last week’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the new, lower $545 emblem fee for non-residents remains “significantly higher” than those charged by other communities.

The town also will increase the number of beach emblems sold to non-residents, other than Westonites, from 350 to 450 this year.

The number of daily, non-emblem parking permits will increase from 100 to 120, while the fee remains the same — $45 weekdays, $70 weekends and holidays.

Complete lists of newly approved fees for Westport beach emblems and parks and recreations programs appear below. Last year’s fees appear in the left-hand column, the new fees on the right.

New beach fees

Golf, summer activities fees

John Schwing, the Westport Journal consulting editor, has held senior editorial and writing posts at southwestern Connecticut media outlets for four decades. Learn more about us here.