OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting - May 21, 2024

Planning Commission — Tuesday, May 21, 2024
BodyNorth Kingstown, Rhode Island
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, May 21, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 11:59

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Thank you.

0:06

I have a question about uh just say your name too, please.

0:11

Oh Mary War back 25 North Road.

0:16

Um with the Quanset Development Corporation, how do they figure into some of the plans that the town is doing?

0:24

So they're a member of our um hazard mitigation committee, so they're represented on our committee, so they attend the meetings and they've given us their GIS layers and we're working with them on this update.

0:34

Okay.

0:35

I mean it seems like looking at the slides that Kwant is as pop them's sure.

0:44

And one thing just to clear or um wind facilities, that's a and the high industry there, that's a very important area.

0:53

And a lot of that is kind of new.

0:56

Yep.

0:57

Um and just want to make sure that yeah, definitely.

1:00

And one thing that is a little unique about the way we're grouping this and calling that Kwantsa, it isn't just the business park, it includes outside residential areas too.

1:09

So I think that does increase some of the numbers that we're seeing on the index.

1:14

That area is one of the lower income areas of North Kingston.

1:17

It always shows up as one of the those block grant the those census blocks, so that's why it also triggers um the high risk and the social justice.

1:29

Okay.

1:29

But they are on the committee, so we are working with them.

1:31

So I also noticed in the plan that you don't consider subsidence at all.

1:36

And did I see that Quant is also an area of relatively higher subsidence rates than other areas?

1:45

I'm honestly not sure of that.

1:47

That I'm not familiar.

1:48

We can look into that.

1:49

I really have never I'm not sure.

1:51

We'll have to ask station there and everything.

1:54

Uh yep.

1:55

Um that's important.

1:57

Yeah, sure.

1:58

Thank you.

1:59

Thank you.

2:00

That did bring up one question.

2:03

I saw on one of the slides you said we had one solid waste facility.

2:08

But there is the uh QDC has the construction waste facility.

2:13

Okay.

2:14

I don't know if it was just town owned or not.

2:16

It it may be that these are still a work in progress.

2:20

You know, we're we're doing the updates as I speak.

2:23

So um but I will look at that.

2:25

We were like those we were looking at those more of the town like the town assets versus commercial.

2:32

Yeah, it's a commercial transfer station.

2:34

Yeah, QDC.

2:35

Still good to know.

2:36

Thank you.

2:46

Nobody else has anything they want to say.

2:49

Uh we don't have any minutes.

2:53

Mike, is there any um specific type of input that you would like relative to this board knowing their role in you know formatting our our comp plan, reviewing applications, knowing a little bit more about how these things interplay um than the average citizen?

3:10

Is there anything that you would like them to think of?

3:13

Any specific topic area or I'm putting you on the spot.

3:16

We haven't talked about this at all, but um if there's anything on your mind that they could be a huge asset to the the process.

3:25

Yeah, I think um moving forward since we're we are you know we're losing we're using the 2019 plan, we're using these updated uh FEMA and Hazis um data to get our uh the assets and the hazard and the risk.

3:41

Um but any plans that you you maybe have heard from the public or yourself uh or goals that you might have for these mitigation uh tasks.

3:54

I guess uh we need to kind of set some goals, some plans.

3:58

Um I know there are many within the 2019 plan already, and there is an annual update, which is really great.

4:06

Uh but just if there's anything else out there that isn't a part of that list, we would love to have that information.

4:12

Um you the next step is the actions development.

4:16

So you could even be thinking now, are there new actions you want?

4:20

Are there actions that you think are no longer applicable?

4:22

So look at the ones that are in there now in and kind of through that lens, but also any new actions that you might want to propose.

4:30

And also keep in mind at some point we will bring this plan back to you and it's before it goes to the town council, whether it's with GZA or not, might be Nicole and I presenting that.

4:40

But as we did in the 2019 plan, once it's in its pretty final form, it comes back entirely to you for review before we send it to the council for endorsement.

4:49

So beyond tonight and the meeting with the town council, Nicole and I will present that back to you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Hazard Mitigation█████████████████████████████████████████████70%
Public Engagement███████████████████30%
Summary of Proceedings

North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting - May 21, 2024

The Planning Commission of North Kingstown met on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 7:00 PM at Town Hall. The meeting included several agenda items, but the provided transcript only captures the discussion under Item 3.e (Hazard Mitigation Plan Update). No minutes were available. Other agenda items (3.a through 3.d) were listed but not documented in the transcript.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Mary War (25 North Road) asked about the role of the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) in the hazard mitigation plan, noting that QDC is a member of the hazard mitigation committee and has provided GIS data. She also observed that the plan does not consider subsidence and that QDC's area has relatively higher subsidence rates. Staff replied that they would look into subsidence. Another speaker noted that the plan listed one solid waste facility but QDC operates a construction waste transfer station; staff clarified the list may focus on town-owned assets but acknowledged the commercial facility.

Discussion Items

  • Hazard Mitigation Plan Update: Staff (likely Nicole and Becky, with consultant Mike from GZA) presented an update to the 2019 plan using updated FEMA and Hazus data. Discussion focused on:
    • Setting goals and actions for mitigation tasks, reviewing existing actions from the 2019 plan, and identifying new or no-longer-applicable actions.
    • The process: after tonight, a public meeting will be hosted by the Town Council on May 24 (another input meeting, not final approval). The plan will return to the Planning Commission in a later, more final form before going to the council for endorsement.
    • Planning Commission member Meg Kerr requested an update on the status of comprehensive plan actions that are cited in the hazard mitigation plan. Staff noted they have a table of actions and statuses and can provide it.
    • Commissioner Steve Borowick suggested being realistic about actions, avoiding too many aspirational goals. He noted the current comprehensive plan has too many actions, making implementation difficult.
    • Communication channels: Staff encouraged input via email and noted plans to publicize the next meeting and survey through social media.
    • The tight turnaround for the update was noted (due to grant timing and FEMA deadlines), but the final plan will likely take longer.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes or decisions were taken during the hazard mitigation discussion. The meeting adjourned after this item, with no votes on other agenda items documented in the transcript.
  • The Planning Commission's role in the hazard mitigation plan update is to review and provide input; the plan will return for a full review before going to the Town Council.
  • The agenda also included: a public hearing on a variance application for Post Road Apartments (77 units), a unified development plan review for the same project, a pre-application for a 56-unit apartment at 165 Namcook, and a pre-application for a McDonald's restaurant at 6975 Post Road. No transcripts or minutes were provided for these items, so their outcomes are unknown.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. I have a question about uh just say your name too, please. Oh Mary War back 25 North Road. Um with the Quanset Development Corporation, how do they figure into some of the plans that the town is doing? So they're a member of our um hazard mitigation committee, so they're represented on our committee, so they attend the meetings and they've given us their GIS layers and we're working with them on this update. Okay. I mean it seems like looking at the slides that Kwant is as pop them's sure. And one thing just to clear or um wind facilities, that's a and the high industry there, that's a very important area. And a lot of that is kind of new. Yep. Um and just want to make sure that yeah, definitely. And one thing that is a little unique about the way we're grouping this and calling that Kwantsa, it isn't just the business park, it includes outside residential areas too. So I think that does increase some of the numbers that we're seeing on the index. That area is one of the lower income areas of North Kingston. It always shows up as one of the those block grant the those census blocks, so that's why it also triggers um the high risk and the social justice. Okay. But they are on the committee, so we are working with them. So I also noticed in the plan that you don't consider subsidence at all. And did I see that Quant is also an area of relatively higher subsidence rates than other areas? I'm honestly not sure of that. That I'm not familiar. We can look into that. I really have never I'm not sure. We'll have to ask station there and everything. Uh yep. Um that's important. Yeah, sure. Thank you. Thank you. That did bring up one question. I saw on one of the slides you said we had one solid waste facility. But there is the uh QDC has the construction waste facility. Okay. I don't know if it was just town owned or not. It it may be that these are still a work in progress. You know, we're we're doing the updates as I speak. So um but I will look at that. We were like those we were looking at those more of the town like the town assets versus commercial. Yeah, it's a commercial transfer station. Yeah, QDC. Still good to know. Thank you. Nobody else has anything they want to say. Uh we don't have any minutes. Mike, is there any um specific type of input that you would like relative to this board knowing their role in you know formatting our our comp plan, reviewing applications, knowing a little bit more about how these things interplay um than the average citizen? Is there anything that you would like them to think of? Any specific topic area or I'm putting you on the spot. We haven't talked about this at all, but um if there's anything on your mind that they could be a huge asset to the the process. Yeah, I think um moving forward since we're we are you know we're losing we're using the 2019 plan, we're using these updated uh FEMA and Hazis um data to get our uh the assets and the hazard and the risk. Um but any plans that you you maybe have heard from the public or yourself uh or goals that you might have for these mitigation uh tasks.

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