By Meghan Muldoon

WESTPORT — A group of residents is rallying to restore public pedestrian access to the beach at Compo Mill Cove.  

Approximately 20 members of the newly formed community group, organized by Jennifer Johnson, a District 9 Representative Town Meeting member, met for the first time Wednesday via Zoom to discuss the issue and outline steps to bring back public access to the area, slated to benefit from a $5.58 million project to rebuild two tidal gates and a pedestrian walkway that connects Old Mill Beach to Compo Cove.  

At issue is a locked gate at the end of the walkway, presumably installed by Cove residents’ homeowner association, which blocks pedestrian access to the town beach.

Funding for the project was approved in November by the RTM and Board of Finance, ensuring the allocation of funds before the deadline to take advantage of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money allocated to the town. And Tuesday, the RTM backed a request by the town’s public works and conservation directors to maintain and restore the deteriorating infrastructure between Old Mill Road and the cove.

“The public historically had access to this beach until the gate appeared about 20 years ago,” said Johnson. “We are all taxpayers, and I think we want to understand what’s going on out there as we work to see if we can get the simple request of taking the gate down.”

According to Johnson, the Fire Department has a key to the gate, but there is no record of permits or clear documentation explaining why or exactly when it was locked. 

The use of public funds to reconstruct the walkway is central to the group’s argument for reopening the gate. 

“This is a public asset,” Johnson said. “We are putting a tremendous amount of effort into rebuilding that walkway and the tide gates and repairing stone walls, and we want the gate down, or at least, open from sunrise to sunset.”

During the online gathering, the group discussed confirming the existence and terms of an easement to the area and the possibility of using Cove property owners’ Old Mill Beach parking spots, provided by the town, as a “bargaining chip” to allow public access.

“If they want to use that parking lot, then the gate should be opened to allow public access to the beach, which we all have the right to use up to the high tide line,” said 28-year Westport resident Diana Coyne.

Alan Phillips, another resident, expressed frustration over the situation. “After seeing all the money the town spent, it’s ridiculous that somehow they were able to lock us out,” he said.

Many of the residents shared memories of enjoying the beach before the gate’s installation and emphasized the importance of restoring access for the broader community.

District 7 RTM member Ellen Lautenberg told the group that she plans to hold a follow-up meeting to bring together members of the town administration, Planning and Zoning Commission and other relevant parties to clarify the legal and planning issues related to the gate and public access to the beach. 

The Sherwood Mill Pond Committee, at its Thursday meeting, plans to discuss the tidal gate project.

Johnson stressed that the citizen group’s intent is to seek a collaborative solution.  

“None of this is meant to be saying anything adverse about the current property owners of Mill Cove,” Johnson noted. “We are building a community of awareness and a community around an issue of something that’s shared.  And I really believe that we will hopefully be able to, at a minimum, get access to the mean high water line.” 

Kristin Schneeman, a District 9 RTM member, echoed Johnson’s sentiment. 

“It’s a beautiful beach,” she said. “We all belong to this community, and we should be able to share the beaches.”

Meghan Muldoon is a freelance writer.