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The RI Long-Range Transportation Plan incorporates a Bicycle Mobility Plan. It is the first statewide initiative to expand the bicycle network strategically. The Bicycle Mobility Plan includes a candidate corridor for a coastal bikeway linking state beaches in Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown and beyond.
A study of the impact of utility scale solar power installations on nearby housing prices by University of Rhode Island economists found that house prices within a mile of a Rhode Island or Massachusetts solar array declined by an average of 1.7%. Homes within a tenth of a mile of the installations declined by 7%.
Bonnie Van Slyke is a hard-working, knowledgeable Charlestown Town Councilor running for reelection. We need the knowledge and access to the Town’s history that only Bonnie can bring to the Town Council.
Our Town Council went into immediate action alerting residents and lobbying state and federal officials. Through thousands of hours of combined effort they gained the support of over 100 international, national, state, and municipal organizations and thousands of residents statewide. Together we succeeded in removing the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” from the plan and the coalition the Council formed with those other organizations has put us in a much stronger position going forward.
The 2020 election in Charlestown boils down to two different visions for the town. The first vision would maintain the delicate balance between protecting our natural and scenic resources and providing reasonable, responsible growth. The opposing vision for the town is to accelerate residential growth, encourage large businesses to come to Charlestown, and open up Ninigret Park for commercial gain.
There are great health benefits, for body and soul, when connecting with nature, and autumn is one of the most beautiful times to hike in Charlestown. We are so lucky to live in Charlestown, where we have access to the Pawcatuck River, ponds, parks and public open space located throughout our town.
Perhaps the most obvious and consequential of CCA’s platforms is its focus on protecting the environment, our wildlife, the forests and our water. The Planning Commission’s main purview is the human-built environment. We do not have unlimited powers over the rights and designs of land owners and property developers. We are limited to ensuring that developers follow Charlestown’s subdivision and commercial development regulations while conforming to the town’s Comprehensive Plan.
As chairman of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, I agree that stealing or moving political signs is wrong and should not be condoned. The sign ordinance is clear. CCA has not touched any of the CRU signs, has attempted to place our signs on private property, and has received permission from each property owner, and has complied with the sign size restrictions. Mr. Quillen’s implications in his letter to the editor last week are unwarranted.
All of the candidates endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) share Bonnie Van Slyke’s passion for protecting the natural resources and beauty of Charlestown. For Bonnie, that passion is in her DNA.
If you have the time to review the list of people who signed petitions or wrote letters to the Federal Railroad Administration, you will find that there are CCA members and supporters’ names sprinkled liberally through the records, but not one (NOT ONE) member of CRU took the time to watch their neighbor’s back. NOT ONE! Check the list of CRU candidates against the record, NOT ONE! It’s comforting to know that CCA-supported officials will go to bat for their neighbors.
Planning in Charlestown is not, and should not be, a haphazard affair. The Commission is charged under state law with ensuring the orderly and environmentally sound growth of Charlestown.
Charlestown photographer Vic Dvorak recently flew his camera equipped drone over Mill Pond Preserve and captured this stunning photograph. The photo shows Mill Pond with surrounding woodland, and Ninigret Pond and the ocean in the distance.
Sheila’s career at the University of Connecticut has focused on keeping farmers economically viable and sustainable. Her experience with the many ways that farming strengthens rural character and economy while contributing to a sense of community would be a big asset on our Town Council.
Since March of 2015, when CCA published a guide to Charlestown open space for the community, we have promoted all the town-owned lots along the barrier beach east of the Charlestown Breachway, as well as the right to public access along the shore of the entire beach. It’s impossible to read everything, so we certainly aren’t faulting anyone who doesn’t know, but it’s just not been a secret.
There are things I love about social media. It has reunited me with childhood friends and allows limitless sharing of photographs, but it is really harming political discourse, especially in Charlestown.
The Town of Charlestown’s Coastal Watershed Protection and Restoration Program was highlighted in a recent EPA Southeast New England Program (SNEP) newsletter.
In this financially devastating time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that Charlestown residents are aware that in addition to resources available from the state of Rhode Island and the federal government, there are also a number of Charlestown-supported assistance programs. During this state of emergency, several have received additional funding.
It seems like a good time to take a step back and look at the town of Charlestown; assess what we have, what we want to keep, and where we […]
When birds arrived and began to set up territories this spring, there may have been less foot traffic and human use on some beaches, which could have resulted in birds nesting in some previously unused places.
Funding needed for services provided by the town (such as, plowing our roads or educating our children) and continuing to keep our ship sailing on the best course to a bright future are important to discuss.
If the budget fails, the money we have available now to pay the police pension fund will stay, mingled together with other funds, in the surplus account where it eventually could be put to a different purpose. That would cause the amount taxpayers owe to the police pension fund to continue to increase and lead to increased taxes in the future.
This unassigned fund balance was 15% in 2014. If the surplus money under discussion remained in the unassigned fund balance, the balance would be over 30%, well above the auditor’s recommendation that a maximum of 25% is appropriate for a coastal town.
If the Legal Defense Fund is unneeded, the money stays there unspent, costing the taxpayers nothing. Even if it did lower taxes, what would be the goal of making Charlestown weak in defending against big developers? The big developers of course will want to see this money removed from the budget, but why would we?
The budget discussion should be about how best to fund the services provided by the town (such as, how our roads get plowed or our children’s education) and about how to continue to keep our ship sailing on the best course to a bright future.
With its record of solid fiscal management, one of the lowest property-tax rates in the state, and a solid financial reserve, Charlestown is well positioned to weather an unexpected storm.
It is with heavy hearts that we must report the passing of Connie Baker. Connie was elected to the Charlestown Planning Commission in 2012 and 2014 where she brought her deep love of our special and unique part of Rhode Island to all of her decision making.
In the discussion of the budget, there are many terms used that may need explanation. In the post are some definitions and explanations of many of the terms being used in these discussions.
Charlestown’s town government has been fiscally conservative for many years and that has resulted in one of the lowest tax rates in the state and made Charlestown one of RI’s most solvent towns. If this year’s budget passes, Charlestown’s tax rate will be reduced from $9.23 to $8.20 per thousand of assessed value, while Hopkinton’s tax rate is $20.68 and Richmond’s is $21.88.
There is much misinformation now circulating about the proposed budget, characterizing payments of debt obligation to the police pension as frivolous spending. Money put into the pension system will earn more long term than holding it in the surplus account.
A REDUCTION in Charlestown’s tax rate is integral to the budget adopted unanimously by the Charlestown Town Council on April 13 for presentation to the Budget Public Hearing on May 4.