Planning Commission Returns To In-Person Meetings And Large Development Proposals
When: Wednesday, July 28 at 7 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
On the Charlestown Planning Commission’s July 28th meeting agenda are Master Plans for two major land developments – “Village Walk” and “Charlestown Commons”.
Because the Governor did not extend the pandemic rules that had allowed online participation by computer and the RI legislature has not passed legislation that would continue to allow online participation in public meetings, the July 28th meeting will be held in Town Hall. All members of the Planning Commission are also required to attend the meeting in person, per Rhode Island law.
In order to participate in the meeting, you must be present at the meeting in Town Hall; however, you will be able to watch the live meeting on July 28 at 7 p.m. where these applications will be reviewed, and the video will be posted on the Charlestown website after the meeting.
You can review materials submitted by the applicants and the agenda for the entire July 28th meeting at the Charlestown website. The meeting packet is 86 pages long, most of the materials for the Village Walk application can be found in packets from earlier meetings. We have links to materials submitted earlier at the bottom of this post.
“Village Walk”: 20 condominium units on 2 acres – corner of Old Post Road and Narrow Lane
This application is proposed under the provisions of the Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act. Proposed are 8 market-rate units, and 12 units, defined as affordable units by Rhode Island Housing, would be reserved for those making up to 120% of the area median income (AMI). As of June 2020, Rhode Island Housing would allow a maximum price of $325,000.00 for affordable units for two-person households, although the applicant could charge less. Since the last meeting (June), the applicant has proposed modified landscape plans.
Unless the applicant extends the time clock, the Planning Commission must make a decision on the Master Plan at this meeting. If the Master Plan is approved and the applicant gets any needed permits from DEM, CRMC or other state agencies, the applicant could then come back to the Planning Commission for the next required stage of review for a major land development, Preliminary Plan Review.
“Charlestown Commons”: corner of Rt. 1 and Falcone Lane – mixed-use project on 8 acres consisting of retail, restaurant and residential.
The first image below is a rendering of an aerial view of the proposed development. Falcone Lane is on the right and bottom in the image below. Rt 1 is at the top of the image. This is the first meeting of the Master Plan stage of review.
Below are two images of different building facades. There are 8 more renderings like this in the meeting packet. There is a sign for a “Gym” on the building below; however, this use is just a concept. There are no specified occupants in this application, with the exception of a Dunkin’ Donuts.
Almost half the site will be left undeveloped to support a 200 foot radius wellhead protection area for a public well and to preserve wetland areas and a wetland buffer.
In the image above, the lot is the area inside the thin yellow line. The wellhead protection area is the circular area (defined by a thin black line) that takes up the left half of the lot in the image above. The public well for the development is at the center of that circular area. No development can take place in the wellhead protection area. At the top of the wellhead protection area is a proposed driveway that gives access to the existing property used for boat storage. Other undeveloped areas in the picture above are a pond and wetland areas. The area proposed to be developed is that area drawn in colors and grey on top of the aerial photo.
The applicant proposes to relocate the Dunkin’ Donuts business to this new site from Narrow Lane. Rendering for the new Dunkin’ Donuts is above. Most of the rest of the development is retail space that does not have any specified tenants yet. The Dunkin’ Donuts building is proposed at one story and all the other buildings are two story. One building is proposed to have three residential apartments on the second floor. The “Traditional Village District,” where this development is proposed, allows a mix of commercial and residential on the same lot. But because this parcel is in the CRMC area designated “Lands of Critical Concern,” the amount of allowed residential is very limited.
A memo from the Town Planner, Jane Weidman, is in the meeting packet and explains the proposal in more detail.
Links to earlier meeting materials:
- June 23 meeting links “Village Walk”
- May 26 meeting links “Village Walk”
- April 28 meeting links “Village Walk”
After July 28, the Planning Commission next meets on August 18 at 7 p.m. to discuss the “Summer Winds” proposal.
Tom Gentz, the author of this post, is a member of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance Steering Committee, a former Town Council President of Charlestown, and a former Town Council liaison to the Charlestown Planning Commission.
July 28, 2021 @ 8:27 am
I sure hope that this meeting does NOT go onto midnight like some of the recent meetings have.
Is there no way of enforcing a reasonable closing time …. say 10:00 pm.
Could the commission insist that all argument for requests for variances etc be submitted to the commission say 2 weeks before the meeting so that they can be included in the pre-meeting packets, and be made available for public comment. These arguments to include how the applicant thinks that this requests is compatible with or better still enhances Charlestown’s vision/mission as stated in the new Comprehensive Plan and as should be provided to them when they first contact the town on each potential application.
July 26, 2021 @ 6:59 pm
This is helpful information. Thank you, Tom Gentz, for providing it!
I have concerns with this development in the SAMP. We have requirements in the town intended to protect our groundwater and the ponds. We are requiring denitrification systems for residences up Rte 2 to dilute existing groundwater and nitrogen issues related to high development near Charlestown Beach. It seems illogical to impose this burden on homeowners and continue to intensely develop this area south of Route 1.
Additionally, there is a lot of noise that crosses Rte 1 in this area and traffic is already a problem. If you look at this part of Route 1, there is no buffer in the median. It would have to be added to the proposed site to offsite noise from additional traffic.
July 27, 2021 @ 10:38 am
Hi Tom,
Thank you for your comments. They are all true from my knowledge. Unfortunately, the Planning Commission is behind the eight ball with all the developments that have been proposed. They should be commended for their diligent work along with the Town Planner.
The buffer in the middle of Rt. 1 would have to be a RIDOT approved and funded project too.
July 27, 2021 @ 1:58 pm
Correct! More “urban spread” impacting water quality, traffic, environmental concerns in general ( cutting more CO2 absorbing trees) , light pollution,( negatively affecting our dark skies) noise pollution as well as regular good ol fashioned run of the mill “pollution” pollution!!!
At what point to we put a moratorium on new buildable lots or imposing minimums of acreage for housing….
July 26, 2021 @ 3:28 pm
Stop doing this to Charlestown! We don’t need more traffic, MORE people, more crowds, more violence, more CRIME!! Charlestown used to be such a SAFE, QUIET neighborhood. Not anymore!
July 26, 2021 @ 2:30 pm
Where exactly is the Village Walk location? It seems like across Narrow Lane from Dunkin on the south side of rt 1, where there are other buildings? Is this the property that the insurance company is on, Phil and Annes motel is on, or behind the mini super abutting the General Stanton Inn property? Is it the General Stanton property? What, if any buildings would be coming down if this is approved?
July 26, 2021 @ 5:17 pm
Hi Robin,
You are correct, the Village Walk location is diagonally across from Randall Reality and just down the street from Dunkin Donuts on the south side of Rt. 1 and Rt. 1A. It is across the street from the insurance agency along with Phil and Anne’s Motel too. Pat’s Power is across the east part of Narrow Lane. This is property that the dollar store was to be built upon. It is not behind the Mini Super or the General Stanton Inn.
There are no buildings on the property.
Thank you for your question.
Tom
July 27, 2021 @ 1:54 pm
Ok thanks, but according to the map, it appears to be alongside rt 1 not rt 1A?
July 27, 2021 @ 6:50 pm
Hi Robin,
I revisited the map above for Village Walk and it says Narrow Lane and Old Post Rd. The Village Walk site plan is the very first image in the CCA post, so it is near Old Post Rd. Rt. 1 is nearby, but not adjoining the site. I hope this helps you locate the site.
Additionally, I agree with your evaluation above about rural sprawl.
Thanks for your posts and other posts too.
Tom
July 26, 2021 @ 7:21 am
Thanks Tom for this clear write-up and explanation. I feel that the “Charlestown Commons” proposal is one more step (camel’s nose?) in the gradual commercialization of the stretch of Route 1 designated as a Scenic Highway”, and of Charlestown becoming more developed and commercial like our coastal neighboring towns and less the rural town that we moved here to enjoy. I wish the planning commission (which my wife is on) good luck in minimizing the negative effects of this and the other proposed developments.