Field Notes
by Peter B Brace
REACHING THE BEACH

What does the right of fishing, fowling and navigation mean? What is the Public Trust Doctrine? What is the Chapter 91 Waterways program and how does it affect life on Nantucket? What is the 1993 Harbor Action Plan?

All these questions relate to the issue of public access to beaches, but there are no easy answers.

To help Nantucket learn more about the legalities of public use of the shoreline in Massachusetts, Save Our Waterfront is holding a public forum on beach waterfront access rights on Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. in Madaket Room at the Harbor House.

The forum features three speakers; Jamie Fay of Fort Point Associates. Rich McGuinness, Sr., a waterfront planner with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and John Pike, attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation.

The forum is also sponsored by Sustainable Nantucket and the Nantucket Community Association. Call 228-3399 for details.

NO MEETING?

During the month of August while the high school is undergoing renovation and repairs, all commit-tees, commissions and boards that normally meet in the high school will meet at other venues.

To find your meeting, check the meeting bulletin board on the first floor of the Town and County Building at 16 Broad St.

YOUR CIVIC DUTY

The Nantucket Civic League is holding its 102nd annual meeting on Aug. 15 at 4 p.m. at the Siasconset Casino.

The executive committee will deal with the usual business of electing new officers and giving its treasurer’s report. The afternoon’s featured guest speaker, Douglas Foy, will expound on the challenge of writing Nantucket’s 41-81D master plan, building the new airport terminal and updating the harbor plan in the midst of the island’s many ongoing growth and development issues.

Foy is the secretary of the Office for Commonwealth Development in Massachusetts. He supervises the departments of Housing and Community Development, Transportation and Construction, Environmental Affairs and Energy.

The meeting is open to all Civic League members and the public. Refreshments and informal discussion will follow Foy’s talk.

DOUG BENNETT’S ADOPT-A-BEACH

Selectman Doug Bennett is on a mission to clean up Nantucket’s beaches before the summer is over, and he is starting with Cisco Beach.

If your favorite beach at the end of Hummock Pond Road is looking too dirty for your liking, but you do not think you can do the whole job your-self, join Doug at Cisco Beach on Aug. 13 at 2 p.m. Call Doug, 774-2369159, for details.

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