Did you miss the November 30 meeting on a new Ninigret Park Master Plan with the consultants working on the plan, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, and with an estimated cost of $20 to $30 Million? A video of the meeting is in this post along with highlights of the plan and meeting.
Be Safe! Be sure to wear at least 500 square inches of florescent orange when hiking on state, federal, or other public and private open space.
Frosty Drew is the most accessible dark-sky area east of the Mississippi. Light pollution poses a serious threat to nocturnal wildlife, as it has negative impacts on plant and animal physiology. It can confuse the migratory patterns of animals, alter competitive interactions of animals, and change predator-prey relations. Full story at ecoRI News …
When: Thursday, November 30, at 7 pm
Where: Charlestown Elementary School, 363 Carolina Back Rd, Charlestown
Anyone interested in the future of Ninigret Park will want to attend this meeting in person because the draft of the new 2023 Master Plan will be presented and because VHB will gather additional input from the public before it finalizes the 2023 Master Plan for delivery to the town in December.
When: Friday, December 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall, 4540 South County Trail
Santa Meet and Greet, Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, Singing by Chariho Middle School 5th Grade Choir, and Drive in Movies
The night sky has inspired humanity for thousands of years. Science has progressed because of it. Studying it has shown our place in the Universe and led to more stories, spiritual, philosophical, religious, social and emotional revolutions than any other part of our world. Young students have been inspired by it and have gone on in life to outstanding careers in science, engineering, and technology, which have greatly benefited our society.
Did you miss the October 30 meeting on a new Ninigret Park Master Plan with the consultants working on the plan, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin? A video of the meeting is in this post. The next meeting at which VHB is scheduled to be present is November 30 at 7 p.m. at the Charlestown Elementary School.
The maximum number of cars that can be parked in Ninigret Park governs capacity. No matter where a large event area is placed, parking will dominate the remaining areas of the Park, and the quiet enjoyment of Ninigret Park by residents and wildlife will be eliminated.
Even if you missed the November 8 open house about Commercial and Village Design Standards, you can still give your input via a survey. The Committee seeks input for a set of design guidelines and standards for new commercial development in Charlestown. The goal is to achieve a more coherent and aesthetically pleasing view of development occurring in the commercial and village districts. Link to the survey in post.
There has been a recent assertion that the allowed number of dwelling units on any lot north of Rt.1 in Charlestown could be doubled if conventional septic systems were replaced with nitrogen-reducing systems. However, the limiting nutrient in freshwater systems is phosphorus, not nitrogen, and no existing wastewater treatment system, whether nitrogen-reducing or not, removes phosphorus.
Federal Railroad Administration announced $16.4 billion of funding for passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor, and additional funding to reevaluate and finalize high-speed rail options across southeast Connecticut and southern Rhode Island. The study follows up on the “Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass” proposal for an inland high speed rail route slated between Kingston, R.I. and Old Saybrook that faced multi-state opposition and was set aside in 2017.
“With the park’s master plan undergoing an update, a potential option is increased lighting. Lighting would ruin the park’s unique view of the night sky, which every year attracts thousands of visitors. Town Council President Carney says, “We hear it about the dark sky, people who value the dark sky,” but she notes the park is for the recreational use of all Charlestown residents.” Read the full story in Nov. 4 Providence Journal.
When: Sunday, November 19 – 8:30 am check-in and bib pick-up opens – 10:00 am all races start
Where: Meet at DEM picnic area parking lot (GPS: 23 Sanctuary Road, Charlestown, RI)
What: 4 and 8 mile road race around Burlingame and Watchaug Pond
Register: Online pre-registration required for all participants. See post for details.
Have you made a resolution to de-clutter your home? Do you have something that you want to get rid of, but can’t bear to send to the landfill, or maybe it isn’t quite valuable enough to deal with the hassle of trying to sell it? Well there’s a Facebook group to answer all these questions and it turns out it does more than just remove clutter, it also helps to build community by creating a “gift economy.”
When: Wednesday, November 8 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. (come anytime between those hours)
Where: Charlestown Town Hall in the Council Chambers
What: An interactive event with refreshments served
The Commercial and Village Design Standards Advisory Committee seeks input from residents and business owners for a set of design guidelines and standards for new commercial development in Charlestown. The goal is to achieve a more coherent and aesthetically pleasing view of development occurring in the commercial and village districts.
When: Monday, October 30 at 6 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall, 4540 South County Trail (Rt. 2)
What: Consultant will present three options for the Ninigret Park Master Plan
Planning for the future of Ninigret Park is well underway, and as part of the process, it is essential to understand how the Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (CNALF) came to be Ninigret Park and the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge.
When: Sunday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Kettle Pond Visitors Center, 50 Bend Road, Charlestown
What: Trick or Treating will be setup on the ocean trail that goes to the viewing tower.
Costumes are encouraged. There will be buckets with candy, and decorations along the trail.
As a vacation destination, areas near Watchaug and our saltwater ponds could be especially impacted. Also, developers of new subdivisions would be able to add a second dwelling unit to each lot, doubling the number of houses in their subdivisions. In short, Charlestown’s zoning would be thrown to the wind in favor of state control, and the number of dwelling units possible in town could conceivably double.
When: Friday, October 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center in Ninigret Park
Cost: Tickets are required for visitors to attend this event. Tickets are free, though a suggested donation of $5 per person, either at the event or online, is very much appreciated. Link to get tickets in this post.
Dig out that old costume, put on your mask, and come out to the creepy woodlands of Ninigret Park to celebrate the Eve of All Hallows… If you dare…
Global insect populations have declined by as much as 75 percent during the past 50 years, according to scientists, potentially leading to catastrophic impacts on wildlife, the environment and human health. Most studies point to habitat loss, climate change, industrial farming and pesticide use as the main factors driving the loss of insects, but a recent study in the United Kingdom points to another cause: light pollution.
Bike shops are busier than ever with inventories down and business thriving. It is exciting to see all ages getting healthy exercise, and enjoying nature in an environmentally healthy way. The Block Island Sound Bikeway Committee (BISB) is tasked with making this healthy activity safer here in Charlestown and ultimately connecting the shoreline communities from Westerly to North Kingstown.
Between August and November, an estimated 14 million birds pass through South County on their long fall migration. Many of these migrants are young birds who hatched this year and who have never migrated before. Increasing light pollution is decreasing the number of birds that will survive migration, especially first-time migrants.
On October 14 the Americas will experience a fabulous annular eclipse of the Sun. Stretching from Oregon, across the United States, Central America, to Brazil, the Moon will eclipse the Sun, leaving a small ring of Sun around the Moon. Charlestown is not along the path of the annular eclipse, but our area will experience a partial solar eclipse.
What was proposed in the 2014 draft? A Performance Venue, Camping, and Lighting—A 19-acre performance area is to be located in an undeveloped area; an 8-acre camping area is to be located north of Little Nini Pond; and lighting will be placed throughout the Park. Parking—Cars, and buses, are to be parked in parking lots and in among the existing recreational facilities in Ninigret Park. Attendees–The baseline is 8,000 people, a number that can be waived for larger, one-time events.
Charlestown’s own Carla Ricci made this award nominated film about the 1938 hurricane. As we move through the hurricane season, take a look at the story of this other storm that changed the face of our region. The film is 18 minutes long with an emphasis on impacts in our area.
Surface water and groundwater in Charlestown already experience significant adverse effects from development … increased density of development invariably results in increased nitrate-nitrogen and pathogens from wastewater and stormwater, even with the most diligent application of best management practices.
Since 1975, Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured and stranded marine animals along 1,000 miles of the Northeastern coastline throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, New York.
More than 80 percent of the world’s population, and 99 percent of Americans and Europeans, now live under light-polluted skies. Many people live and die without ever seeing the Milky Way, but in Charlestown, we are so lucky to still have a clear view of the Milky Way.
A U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the Rhode Island Association of Coastal Taxpayers “lacked the proper standing to sue.” The lawsuit was filed against the R.I. Attorney General, The Director of Department of Environmental Management and the Coastal Resources Management Council Executive Director. The judge wrote that RIACT “seeks the wrong relief from the wrong defendants before the wrong court,”
When: Tuesday, September 26 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Ninigret Park
What: Join the Charlestown Police Department for free food, prizes, public safety exhibits, and more!