CCA Blog and Mail Box

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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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.

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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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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.

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Since the new Town Council forced out Charlestown’s outstanding town administrator, Mark Stankiewicz, in January, there have been other high-level town staff changes. Charlestown’s Treasurer resigned to take a job in a different town on May 26. On June 26 the town hired a new Treasurer, but this month she also handed in her resignation.

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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,”

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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!

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When: Saturday, September 23 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: URI’s Onsite Wastewater Demonstration Center Grounds at Peckham Farm (Kingston, RI)
If you are planning to purchase a new nitrogen reducing septic system or already have one, then you shouldn’t miss this opportunity to join staff from URI’s Onsite Wastewater Resource Center and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for an in-person workshop to learn all about Nitrogen Reducing Septic Systems.

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When: Tuesday, September 19 and Thursday, September 21
What: Learn about septic systems, how they work and how to care for them
Who: URI’s Onsite Wastewater Resource Center
Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to protect your family’s health, your wallet and the environment around you. The same workshop will be presented twice, once online, and once in-person.

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Charlestown needs a second volunteer member for the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council. Up to two Stewardship Council members are appointed by each Town Council in the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed, the Narragansett Indian Tribe, Rhode Island and Connecticut environmental agencies, Save the Bay and of course, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association.

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When: Thursday, September 14 from 5 p.m to 6:30 p.m.
Where: East Beach, Charlestown
Who: This walk will be led by Janet Freedman of the URI Coastal Institute, formerly the Coastal Resources Management Council’s (CRMC) coastal geologist, along with staff from CRMC, Clean Ocean Access, and Rhode Island Sea Grant.
What: Join a walking tour of East Beach in Charlestown where the discussion will be Rhode Island’s new lateral shoreline access law and what it means for beach-goers and property owners.
This event is free, but registration is required.

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Using $610,000 in federal funding, the former volunteer fire station at the corner of Matunuck School House Road and Old Post Road in Cross Mills will be transformed into a memorial park honoring past and present Cross Mills volunteer firefighters.

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The Rufous hummingbird lost two-thirds of its population since 1970. These tiny creatures will lose another 50% of their populations in the same time frame if conservation doesn’t improve. Birds rely on nature just as we do. As they lose habitat- from large stands of native forest, to open meadows, wetlands and marshes –we too are losing those resources. Read the post to learn how you can work to save these and our own Ruby-throated Hummingbirds from extinction.

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Testimony was given by experts Jim Riordan of Weston and Sampson, a planner and water expert; Lorraine Joubert, a water expert at URI; Matt Dowling, the Town’s Wastewater Manager and Environmental Scientist; and Jane Weidman our professional and experienced Town Planner. They focused mainly on the important benefits of undisturbed land, and the reduction of impervious surfaces to benefit quantity and quality of groundwater.

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“Undeveloped lands are more than open spaces begging for development; they are working landscapes that with proper measures can mitigate human impacts by providing the ecosystem services we depend upon: maintaining water quality, soaking up carbon, preserving a sense of place, and sustaining habitats and communities.”

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When: Tuesday, August 29 at 6 p.m.
Where: Charlestown Town Hall
What: Town Council meeting to discuss changes to the existing subdivision ordinance that will allow developers to encroach on wetland systems and other sensitive areas. Impacted adversely by these changes would be what are called perimeter wetlands, areas that protect wetlands, and forested areas that together cleanse groundwater (the source of our drinking water), control flooding, reduce surface runoff into water bodies, and provide habitat for wildlife. These changes would place the burden of fixing the adverse impacts of irresponsible development on the taxpayers of Charlestown.

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When: Wednesday, August 23, Brief annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. immediately followed by the Guest Speaker
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
What: Hear about the recent major efforts to restore and maintain the vital salt marshes in Quonnie and Ninigret Ponds.
Who: Guest Speaker: Wenley Ferguson – Save the Bay.

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Charlestown Land Trust Board members, Bill McCusker, Sheila Martin, and Patrice Fenton will cycle the entire 50-mile length of Rhode Island to raise funds for the Charlestown Land Trust! They are cycling from Douglas Massachusetts to the Mill Pond Preserve in Charlestown. You can make a donation to sponsor their effort by filling out their sponsorship form.

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Having failed to thwart the will of the voters and remove current elected Commissioners from office doesn’t mean that those who want to appoint Planning Commission members who are more to developers’ liking have given up. Now they are challenging the qualifications of all those who have been elected to the Commission.

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When: Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m.
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
What: The evolution of the Quonnie Neck, from the early rural farms of the 1800s to the present day beach associations, water systems, and paved roads.
Who: Presentation by Ken Andrew – Quonochontaug Historical Society Board Member

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When: Thursday, August 10, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: In person at Charlestown Town Hall or watch the virtual meeting

The meeting will focus on water. Guests will be URI professor Dr. Thomas Boving, who will talk about the aquifer and ground water issues and Alyson McCann, also from URI, who will answer questions about well water.

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Rather than have an authentic conversation over the issue of the balance of experience on the Zoning Board of Review, Mr. Cahir chose to deflect using a groundless personal attack on a town volunteer and his family. He is certainly free to express those opinions. However, misrepresentation and making stuff up are not OK and are not only dishonest but toxic. Mr. Cahir needs to disagree better.

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“It is clear and unambiguous that the General Assembly’s passage of the ratification act and its signature by the Governor made this law a specific statute exempting Charlestown from the general scheme for the composition of a local planning board or commission.” For over 40 years an elected Planning Commission has given a greater, more effective voice to the citizenry.

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… tonight’s agenda item strikes us as a divisive and unnecessary undercutting of the Town Charter’s explicit and more democratically oriented decision to allow voters, not a public body, to determine the makeup of the town’s Planning Commission … there does not appear to be any reason for the Town Council to gratuitously interject itself into this matter and seek to undermine voters’ rights

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The goal is to change the outcome of 21 elections and remove current elected officials from office, thwarting the will of the voters, so that they can appoint Planning Commission members more to their liking. There is no basis for their removal other than this false claim that they were illegally elected. Who sits on the Planning Commission makes a difference, and that decision ought to belong to the voters.

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The Supreme Court determined that the General Assembly expressly ratified the entire Charter. The Supreme Court concluded that the Charter was more specific than the Chariho Act. Accordingly, Johnson’s petition was denied and Purcell’s petition was granted. The Court held that Purcell is legally entitled to the office of Chariho Regional School Committee member. Link to full Supreme Court decision in the post.

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As conservation-minded Zoning Board members’ terms expire they are being replaced with new members with ties to the building and development industries. Town Councils have the power to make appointments and move regulations in whatever direction they choose, but residents should be aware of the direction this Town Council is taking which is one that reduces environmental protections and encourages faster growth.

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When: Wednesday, July 26 at 7 p.m.
Where: The Quonnie Grange, 5662 Post Rd, (Rt. 1) between East and West Beach Rd., next to Dunn’s Corners Fire Station (location map of the Quonnie Grange at bottom of post)
What: Explore the rich 150 year history of the West Beach ocean front property commonly known as the Nun’s House.  We’ll also peek inside Quonnie’s few remaining tiny summer cottages.
Who: Presentation by Steve Young and Leah Bradshaw – Quonochontaug Historical Society Board Members

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Owners of beachfront property in Rhode Island went to court Friday to fight a new state law that moved the border between their private land and the public beach to 10 feet inland from the “seaweed line.” Story includes a link to the lawsuit.

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