Sunday afternoon, as the temperature warmed, cars began to line up at the south end of Bay Road.

A young man wearing a red lifeguard shirt, flip-flops and sunglasses, checked drivers' licenses and collected money as Barrington residents and non-residents checked in to the town beach. 

"Yeah, the lot was full earlier today," said the beach attendant, as he handed a pink parking pass through the window of an SUV. "I think it was the third time this year that's happened."

The second day of the long Fourth of July holiday weekend offered up perfect beach weather, as temperatures rose into the mid-80s and bright sunshine filled the sky. And with the promise of a shorter drive and refreshing waves, Barrington Beach proved to be a popular destination.

By 2 p.m., just a few spaces on either end of the parking lot were available, and a half-dozen or so vehicles were parked in the grassy area near the bath house. Families and couples spread blankets and lawn chairs all over the town beach, and dozens of people splashed in the water, some atop boogie boards or inflatable rafts. Two girls floated on the waves with the help of blue and red pool noodles. 

A man who was visiting Barrington from Minnesota stood halfway between the bathhouse and the crashing waves and smiled as he looked out upon the water. 

"It's a great day," he said. "It's a nice beach."

The rave reviews so far this summer have been tempered by a handful of complaints about Barrington Beach. 

The most recent came from longtime Barrington resident Joe Sbardella. In a letter to the editor, Mr. Sbardella said opening the beach to non-residents has resulted in some problems. 

"I went down there and discovered that a group of ten or so young adults were smoking, grilling, playing loud music and dropping 'F Bombs' repeatedly," wrote Mr. Sbardella. "I surmised that they were out of town guests because none of them had beach stickers on the cars attached to the tailgates they were grilling on.

"We cannot expect that our lifeguards could handle such things. They are typically high school aged students working through the summer months."

Mr. Sbardella and some other residents said parking has also become more difficult since the town opened the beach to out-of-towners. 

"… if you get there after a certain time on a busy day you may be required to park on the grass infield instead of enjoying a spot along the fence," wrote Mr. Sbardella. "So that means the luxury of walking a few feet to your favorite spot is pretty much gone after noon or so."

Mr. Sbardella said there are a few things the town could do to improve the beach, especially for tax-paying residents. For starters, officials should post the rules to the beach and be ready to enforce them. He also said the town should reserve certain parking spots for residents; when a non-resident arrives at the beach they can be directed to the grassy field. Save the beach-side parking areas for the folks whose taxes pay to keep the recreation area open each year.

The parking was also an issue for Barrington resident Alan Sorrentino earlier this summer. Mr. Sorrentino questioned and criticized the town's decision to allow Barrington Yacht Club to use the beach for its staging area for a regatta. He said the club benefited greatly by using the facility for a nominal fee, and a fair number of the beach enthusiasts were disadvantaged, as parking spots were consumed by boat trailers.

"… the tax-paying residents who actually own the beach and pay to maintain it will be displaced and made to park illegally on neighbor side-streets then forced to walk a distance to their beach carrying their stuff like a pack mule," wrote Mr. Sorrentino.

More recently, a nude sunbather has been spotted on the stretch of private sand just west of Barrington Beach. (A police officer responded to the call for the naturalist, but only located a Warren man wearing a tank top and shorts.)

Another resident said she has come across harmful trash strewn on the sand near Barrington Beach. She has contacted the head of the recreation department who reportedly addressed the issue with the fire chief.

The complaints and concerns have been mostly overwhelmed, however, by the hundreds of people frequenting the town beach. They have commented positively on the new bath house, the new outdoor showers and the general condition of the shoreline. The proof was also hard to ignore on Sunday, as the sand was covered with colorful blankets, chairs and coolers. 

Make no mistake, it's not Newport or Narragansett. 

Barrington Beach is located in the upper bay and tends to see a good amount of seaweed. The sand is strewn with shells and bits of dried vegetation. The waves, even when they are rolling up hard and heavy, still pale in comparison to the monsters crashing at Second Beach or Scarborough.

But Barrington Beach has enjoyed a rebirth in recent years. 

Town money coupled with grants have helped local officials renovate the beach. An old cement block shack that housed two restrooms and a storage area was removed and replaced with a handsome bath house. The new facility offers clean restrooms and changing rooms and a first aid station. 

Erosion and storm-water run-off previously forced town officials to periodically dump truckloads of sand at the edge of the parking lot, but a dune-grass replacement project has helped rebuild the once-withering shoreline. 

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha has recognized the positive changes at the beach and finds himself stopping by a few times each week. Sometimes it is to enjoy the setting sun, while other times he heads out with his rake and digs clams.

"I think it's been great," said Mr. Cunha. "I'm down there at the beach all the time. Last year, there was never a day when a resident was turned away."

For more information about the town beach, including hours and rules, check the town's website at www.barrington.ri.gov