ECONOMY - Concern is being raised over private camper trailers that are parked on what some area residents believe is public beach property beside the mouth of Carr's Brook.
"Over the summer, I've had several complaints and, I think they are worthy complaints, of RVs or trailers or whatever parking on what most of us would consider to be public beaches between the high water mark and the adjacent land," Colchester County councillor Tom Taggart said, during a recent council session.
With little public beach land to use in the area, Taggart said, residents feel uncomfortable using the site with trailers parked there all summer long.
"The complaint I'm getting is people don't feel comfortable just going to enjoy themselves," he told the Truro Daily News.
"Because I really do quite honestly have a problem with a public beach with a trailer that is sitting there ... that probably doesn't pay any taxes and then the folks feel uncomfortable even though it is a public beach and feel like they are in someone's front yard."
He said some residents have complained to the Department of Natural Resources about their concerns, but have been told the department is only responsible for land up the high-water mark.
Provincial property records show there is some private land ownership in the vicinity, along with a small section of federally owned land, although the land that the two current trailers are occupying remains in question.
But some area residents say the land does not belong to the trailer owners, to whom they refer to as "squatters," despite the fact they return year after year.
"There's only a few real true public beach areas along the shore, you know where the road ends so to speak, and the public can go down to a sandbar or walk up along the shore or whatever," Taggart said.
He also questioned how the trailer owners dispose of their septic waste.
"It truly is a bit of an irritant to some people and I think rightly so," Taggart told council.
"So I guess what I'm asking council is if we can find out who really is responsible and if that is permitted."
