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SK OFFICIALS PREPARE TO MANAGE GROWTH |
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Thursday, 30 July 2009 |
Council, board, develop five point plan to manage growth.
By SARAH TRAVER
SOUTH KINGSTOWN- The Town Council met Monday night, holding a joint session with the Planning Board for a public informational hearing on growth management goals.
In a sperate matter, some neighbors spoke out on a property in Indian Lake Shores.
Director of Planning Vincent Murray present the council and board with a 70 slide PowerPoint presentation on the Growth Management Plan (GMP), a component of the comprehensive plan. The GMP addresses actions, programs and policies related to growth management for sustainable living.
It is a list of prioritized actions to be undertaken in the next two years. The purpose of the workshop was to educate the public, report on progress, solicit public input and discuss priority issues for 2009-2011 since this is evaluated every two years.
Murray presented growth statistics, issues, goals, implementation of the goals, progress and future endeavors. The first goal presented from the current plan is to update the comprehensive plan required to be completed by June 2010. Murray discussed affordable housing and assessed future development patterns.
The second goal is to preserve open space. This essentially takes land out of development, Murray said, kind of like addition by subtraction. Murray said this has been overwhelmingly supported by citizens of the town. Farm Forest and Open Space represent over 10 percent of the land area in the community.
The third goal is to avoid sprawl which includes preserving village identity, establishing the appropriate amount of non-residential land and a wind power assessment.
The fourth goal is economic revitalization which includes the Wakefield Revitalization programs, assessing Commercial Highway Zoning Districts, the Pease Dale Revitalization and the Palisades Mill Reuse Assessment.
The final goal is to strengthen town and institutional relationships which include the University of Rhode Island and South County Hospital.
“The Planning Board and the town have been very successful in managing the growth,” Murray said.
Murray said that currently, growth issues are very different than the early days of the program but it has been very successful. Some recommendations for the 2009-2011 plan by the board include combining goals three and four into one entitled “Achieve Sustainable Development”, and the addition of a goal relating to circulation and transportation. The next steps include a draft Growth Management Plan for 2009-2011, review of the draft at a work session and adoption of the program by the Town Council sometime in September.
Deborah and James Eastwood, of 33 Tomahawk Trail in Indian Lake Shores, wrote a letter to the council concerning a neighboring property that was in disarray. That property is located at 28 Tomahawk Trail and is owned by Erik Slader.
Mrs. Eastwood stated that Slader cut open an oil tank last fall spilling the contents on the ground, has “hodgepodge” all over his front lawn, has transient residents coming and going at all hours, saw rats on the property, said Slader has a caged pen housing wild ducks and accused Slader of running a tree business from his home. Mrs. Eastwood was concerned for the lake, children who play there and the welfare of the community. Eastwood referenced Warranty Covenants form Indian Lake in her testimony as well.
Town Manager Stephen Alfred said that Jeffrey O’Hara, the building official, recently visited the property and issued two violation notices for scrap materials on the property as well as a violation for the wire coop.
“Mr. Slader’s unsightly property is a detriment to the surrounding homeowners. To remark that his property is disgusting would be an understatement,” Eastwood said. Alfred said that the building official responded to a claim in 2006 but found nothing in violation.
Alfred said no rat tracks were found on the property at the time of the inspection and was under the impression the ducks had been released. He said if the violations are not addressed it will be turned over to legal staff. Alfred also said that the town is not responsible for the warranty covenants which must be enforced through Indian Lake Shores.
“I am hopeful we can work with the neighborhood rather than be at odds with them. We are trying to help,” Alfred said.
Pat Giarrusso, president of the Indian Lake Shores Fire District, said they have no authority and must only follow the town laws because they are not a homeowners association. Alfred said the town has no authority because it is private property matter and they can only deal with what the inspector finds in the field.
“We are running against brick walls here and just trying to get our neighborhood cleaned up,” Giarrusso said.
Paul Mello, an abutting neighbor, said he understood everyone’s frustration and thanked Alfred and the council for helping in anyway they could. Mello said he would be glad to testify against Slader with consideration to rats and running a business form his property.
“Let’s all work together on this. It is too beautiful a spot to be destroyed,” Kevin Donahue said, another neighbor.
Janet Gould has lived in Indian Lake for over 48 years and was very disturbed at Slader’s property and feared for the lake, its inhabitants and the wildlife of the community.
The council asked Alfred some questions concerning legal standings of the town and what could be done. Alfred said O’Hara would go to the property tomorrow since many neighbors stood up stating the ducks had only been moved and not set free. Town Council President Kathleen Fogarty said O’Hara would be making numerous stops in the next few weeks reviewing the claims and the property.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 04 September 2009 )
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