North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - February 27, 2023
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North Kingstown Town Council Meeting - February 27, 2023
This meeting of the North Kingstown Town Council on February 27, 2023, began with an executive session and then moved to public comment. The council addressed a range of routine consent agenda items, heard reports from the town manager and finance director, reviewed hazard mitigation and parking studies, and approved an extension for the Annex/Old Library project with specific conditions. Several appointments to boards and commissions were made, and the council authorized a grant application for wastewater improvements.
Consent Calendar
- Items 7–18 and 20–22 were approved uniformly, including water bill abatements, donations, grants, license renewals, and resignations. Items 6 (minutes) and 19 (Wickford Art Festival exhibition license) were removed for separate discussion.
- Item 6: The January 9, 2023, minutes were approved with Councilor Page abstaining (she was absent that meeting). The January 23, 2023, minutes were approved unanimously.
- Item 19: Councilor Mandel expressed a preference to move the festival back to the village. Steve Denobley (Wickford Art Association director) explained that safety concerns and successful attendance (increased artist participation and sales) support keeping the festival at Wilson Park. Councilor Anderson noted past accidents in the village. The council approved the license unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mr. Welch: Opposed changing rules to allow multifamily housing in the Quonset Davisville Industrial Park. He argued the site is inconsistent with planning, noted the state could proceed regardless, and stated North Kingstown is near its 10% affordable housing threshold. He expressed concern that state workforce housing would not match income levels at Quonset.
- Michael Dunnee (141 West Main Street): Supported reinstating the Wickford Village parking study, citing increased restaurant seats and parking spillover into residential areas. He described a January Sunday when parking was nearly full despite off-season conditions, and urged study before further expansion. He noted that businesses succeed but not at expense of residents.
Discussion Items
- Town Manager's Report (Ralph): Announced 2023 summer camp programs (three camps for ages 6–13, registration opens March 13); Post Road Spotlight business feature; received GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Financial Reporting (tenth town in RI); whistleblower ordinance review to be presented March 13; FY2024 budget public hearing April 19; progress on public safety complex and recreation center tied to school building committee; recycling pickup delayed one day due to snow forecast; thanked town clerk for new clock in chambers.
- Finance Director's Report (Jim Lathrop): Projected a $1.1 million surplus (down from $1.2 million due to utility billing adjustments). Surplus driven by strong revenues ($750,000 interest income vs. $100,000 budgeted) and $200,000 positive wage variance from vacancies. Utility billing issues with Rhode Island Energy (former National Grid) caused a $300,000 swing; now resolved. The surplus projection remains conservative.
- Hazard Mitigation Plan and CRS Update (Nicole, Planning): Required annual report. North Kingstown is a Class 9 in the Community Rating System (5% flood insurance discount). The Hazard Mitigation Plan update is due in 2024. The town has sufficient points for higher classification but compliance issues with elevation certificates must be resolved. Flood insurance information provided.
- Annex/Old Library Project (Eve Clulow, 55 Brown Street): Provided history from 2017 RFP through 2020 closing. Cost estimates rose from $2 million to $5.2 million due to COVID and inflation. New contractors will provide a bid by end of March/early April. Requested a one-year extension with conditions: proof of financing by July 31, 2023; construction start by October 30, 2023; removal of Section 14 (bona fide offer clause) to prevent sale to third party; regular progress reports. Town Manager Ralph confirmed these terms. Council approved extension unanimously.
- Wickford Village Parking Study (Nicole): Contract with Pare Corporation originally from 2020 to be reinstated at 2020 prices (saving $4,000–$5,000). Study will take 9–11 months, include data gathering (drones, surveys), analysis of ordinances and future demand, and recommendations (no metered parking). Council approved reinstatement.
- Authorization to Apply for SNEP Grant (Nicole): Planning department seeks to apply for federal funds (up to $10,000/property, possibly $15,000) to help 35–40 property owners in coastal areas upgrade septic systems. No matching funds required. Council authorized the application; acceptance will come later for approval.
- Shayna's Place Alcoholic Beverage License Increase: Request to increase Class B-Limited (beer and wine) license limit from 10 to 11. Another application received that day. Council opted to increase by one (to 11) and advertise available license for future applicants. Approved unanimously.
- Appointments:
- Appraiser of Dog Damages: Captain John McCoy reappointed.
- Arts Council: Maria Carroccia, Kathleen McCarthy, Dan Swain, Deborah Sabo, James Halley appointed to March 1, 2025 (replacing Scott Monroe). Unanimous.
- Audit Committee: No applicants; motion to re-advertise.
- Harbor Management Commission: Richard Lemieux (waterfront property owner), Barbara Ray (public access) approved; Robert Brown (citizen at-large) approved over Diane Izzo despite her multiple board memberships. Unanimous.
- Information Technology Advisory Committee: Keith O'Brien (expert) and Scott Lessard (at-large) reappointed; alternate positions remain vacant, to be re-advertised.
- Library Board of Trustees: Will Valverde appointed to fill unexpired term of Danny Humbyrd (to October 1, 2025) after council received recommendation from library board. Other applicants encouraged to apply for other committees.
- Personnel Board: Christine Marinello reappointed.
- Tree Warden: J. Peter Morgan reappointed over Sheleen Clarke; council cited his 10 years of service and public works recommendation.
- Veterans Day & Memorial Day Parades Committee: William King and Randy Weitman appointed to March 1, 2024.
- Veterans Liaison: Thomas Riley appointed to July 1, 2024 (amended from July 1, 2023) to fill unexpired term of Matthew McCoy. Unanimous.
- Wickford Village Design Guidelines Committee: One alternate vacancy to be re-advertised.
- Correspondence: Emails from Diane Izzo (regarding previous comments about municipal office building) and Megan Riley (regarding DEI subcommittee of School Committee) were noted.
Key Outcomes
- Annex/Old Library Extension: Approved a one-year extension (to September 2024) with conditions: Eve Clulow must demonstrate sufficient financing by July 31, 2023; begin construction by October 30, 2023; remove Section 14 (right to sell to third party); provide regular updates. The town retains option to repurchase for $100,000 plus improvements if conditions not met.
- Wickford Parking Study: Contract with Pare Corporation reinstated (original 2020 scope/price). Study to begin immediately, duration 9–11 months.
- SNEP Grant Application: Authorized planning department to apply; no matching funds required.
- Shayna's Place License Limit: Increased Class B-Limited cap from 10 to 11; future applications to be handled via public hearing.
- Appointments: All listed appointments approved unanimously except for Harbor Management Commission citizen at-large (Robert Brown over Diane Izzo) and Tree Warden (Peter Morgan over Sheleen Clarke), both approved by majority.
- Re-advertised Vacancies: Audit Committee (1 accounting rep, 2 at-large), Charter Review Commission (2 members), Groundwater Committee (1 member), ITAC (alternate positions), Veterans Day/Memorial Day Parades Committee (but 2 positions filled), Wickford Village Design Guidelines Committee (1 alternate).
- Adjournment: Meeting adjourned; town hall likely closed next day due to snow (no school declared by district).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Let's call this meeting to order. Monday, February twenty seventh, twenty twenty three. Uh pursuant to around general laws forty two dash forty-six dash six C. Notice of this meeting has been uh posted on the Secretary of State's website. Uh with that, I'd entertain a motion to go to executive session. Well, those in favor say I. Thank you. Okay. Um next item on the agenda is public comment. Mr. Welch. I don't think your microphone's on. I want to make sure they can hear you at home for people watching, so thank you. Okay, good. We got it on now. Um last week, I think Tuesday, there was a uh a meeting of the Planning Commission, and there was a uh request put in front of the Planning Commission by QDC to allow uh multifamily housing in the industrial park. Um being a long-term resident and having a little bit of knowledge about the history of uh Quant Davisville Industrial Park and things that have transpired over the years, one of the things that was not allowed was residential. Uh it was limited to uh industrial and office space. Um, you know, in regards to that, I would say I am uh firmly against changing the rules at this point in time. There are developers who have spent a lot of money in town to uh invest in multifamily housing. Um there's some 250 plus units that are currently on the boards uh to add to the investment in town, and these folks move forward with their plans based on the fact that they were not going to be competing with the state at Quonsett. The site is not consistent with proper planning, putting residential housing in in that area, especially if their plan is to make it so that uh families with children could live there. Um we went through a similar situation with crossroads a number of years ago when they proposed something that never came to fruition. And over the course of the years, the town has had to suffer with uh crossroads, the development, the problems created by crossroads in the schools and the neighborhoods. And once you allow the state, or the state is allowed to uh develop uh multifamily at Quonset, we will be stuck with the same situation. It's there, we're gonna do as we damn well please. I am aware that the state can do what they want. And that's that's the unfortunate part about it. We are the host community, and we should be able to say we want it to uh anything that happens over there to come uh form with our planning uh recommendations, the buffers, et cetera, and the density. Um the state is looking to do something in North Kingstown to set an example for the rest of the state. We're almost at our our 10 percent affordable housing in North Kingstown. Um we have approved more projects that would take us well over the 10 percent. They just haven't been built yet. And looking at the the jobs that are over there, uh for them to state that it would be for affordable workforce housing. Um, I dare say that if we look very closely at the income levels of the jobs at at Quonsett, uh, we will find out that those folks over there will not meet the income requirements. Thank you very much. Thank you. Uh does anyone else wish to speak tonight? Please take the podium. Michael Dunnee, 141 West Main Street, North Kingstown. I am here to support the request of the planning department to reinstate the contract for the Wickford Village parking study. The decision to delay the study when COVID hit was the right one. No study completed at that time would have been able to accurately estimate what parking is available in the village, nor how recent changes in the businesses and restaurants in the village affect life for business and residents alike. Now I believe it is even more important to conduct a thorough assessment of parking needs before even more changes occur. As examples, several village restaurants are expanding their operations, and new restaurants will be opening in the next few months. None of these restaurants have their own parking. All will apparently rely on public parking areas to serve their patrons. The total additional demand will likely add almost 200 restaurant seats to the existing demand. The successes of the existing restaurants and coffee shops in the village is to be commended.
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