CCA Blog and Mail Box

The Charter presents the Town Council with three options: leave the position vacant, hold a special election to let voters decide, or appoint someone to fill the position. The Council has chosen to fill the position as soon as possible and decided against holding a special election. The members of the Town Council will, therefore, vote to appoint Councilor Klinger’s successor. Anyone who wants to submit an application for the empty seat must do so by March 1.

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When government officials make decisions that seem to serve a minority interest or that do not seem to serve the interest of the public, it is not unusual for members of the public to assume a corrupt influence. That is an unfortunate distraction because it moves the public’s focus away from what government officials are doing to their often-unknowable motivation for doing it.

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Charlestown’s Zoning Ordinance contained a simple and fair method of determining setbacks for substandard lots. Replacing that with the state mandated formula will result in nonsense calculations, an increase in neighbor conflicts and a decrease in public safety.

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Charlestown’s Wastewater Management Ordinance was first enacted in 1994. It was opposed by some as an invasion of privacy and a taking of property rights. Over time, most residents have recognized the importance of clean drinking water and a protected environment and now accept that they need to maintain and sometimes replace their septic systems.

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Charlestown Citizens Alliance is proud to be supported by the residents of Charlestown and those who love our town. When you support CCA, you support an organization that has been, for over 17 years, dedicated to civil and open government and to preserving and protecting those assets that make Charlestown such a unique and treasured place to live.

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There is now additional evidence that the current Town Council majority favors development and an increase in the density of that development. What will remain at risk is the degradation of our groundwater (the sole source of our drinking water), unhealthy freshwater and saltwater ponds, and ultimately an increase in our tax rate when these negative environmental effects need to be mitigated.

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The travel magazine Afar has named Charlestown the most charming small town in Rhode Island. They describe Charlestown as “a town best known for its golden-sand beaches, hiking and biking trails, and the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, a magnet for migratory birds.”

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UPDATE: Although the Town Council did not make the changes the Planning Commission had strongly advised to limit ADUs to year-round use and to limit lot size, the Zoning Office is interpreting the ordinance in a way that does limit ADUs to year-round use and does limit the lot size to 20,000 square feet for non-family ADUs. There is still no minimum lot size for family ADUs. We have updated this post to reflect the Zoning Office’s January 25 memo.

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Charlestown once rejected partisan divisions and, in turn, enjoyed a decade of smooth, open, good, and responsive government that provided low taxes and good schools while maintaining a high quality of life. Now, the current Town Council characterizes information as lies and is ignoring the preferences of residents expressed in the 2021 Community Survey.

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Charlestown was managed very well for a decade, but the current Town Council majority still continues to falsely accuse town staff of misdeeds. Implying, without any evidence, that town staff has violated an ordinance is unconscionable.

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As we enjoy the holiday season in our beautiful Charlestown community, please join Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) in supporting our neighbors in need. Food insecurity continues to rise nationally, and our town is no exception. The Rhode Island Center Assisting Those In Need (RI CAN) is a local lifeline to many.

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When: Saturday, December 9, from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Where: Cross Mills Library (4417 Old Post Rd, Charlestown)
What: A town hall meeting sponsored by Charlestown’s Senator Victoria Gu to discuss amendments to legislation regulating ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units).
Please attend to explain the importance of local groundwater issues to the sponsors of these bills and that these units need to be placed on lots and in areas that can handle increased septage and to urge that their use as vacation rentals be discouraged.

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Did you know that all the animals at the Charlestown Animal Shelter have an account with Chewy all year round? They would love Santa to bring them some awesome enrichment gifts to enjoy while they wait for their permanent homes.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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. 



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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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