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WORK SESSION
JANUARY 30, 2017
At a JOINT WORK SESSION of the Town Council and Economic Development Committee of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island held at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 30th day of January 2017 at 7:00 PM.
PRESENT: TOWN COUNCIL
Margaret M. Healy, President
Abel G. Collins, Vice President
Bryant DaCruz
Liz Gledhill
Joseph Viele
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Larry Fish, Chairman
Roland J. Fiore, Vice Chairman
Frances Alexakos, PhD.
Joanne A. Esposito
Patricia E. Gardner
Jude M. Nuzum
Susan W. D. Marcus
Brian P. Smith
Edward J. Terwilliger
Henry H. Thayer, III
Also present: Stephen A. Alfred, Town Manager, Aimee Reiner, Director of Administrative Services, Chelsea Siefert, Principal Planner, and Douglas McLean, Senior Planner.
The Pledge of Allegiance is given.
Discussion ensues relative to the Saugatucket River Corridor. The URI Landscape Architecture Studio Class was hired by the Economic Development Committee to study the river as an economic engine for the Town. The students came back with a variety of scenarios. Some of the recommendations include the construction of an archway on Main Street near the Narragansett Times as a gateway to historic Main Street, installation of removable bollards to more easily close off the road during events, installation of a walkway around the river on the High Street side as well as the Main Street side. A final study by this group is due in May 2017. Perhaps at that time a feasibility study can be conducted to determine the costs of some of the recommendations, and the committee can pursue some grant funding for implementation of some of the recommendations. Local funding may be available for some of the smaller recommendations such as identifying signage.
Discussion ensues relative to economic strategies for Wakefield and Peace Dale. An Economic Development Committee sub-committee chaired by Roland Fiore has spent the last year analyzing other town’s economic strategies, including East Greenwich and Westerly.
Henry Thayer, III presents the findings of the sub-committee as outlined in a document entitled: “South Kingstown Economic Development Committee – Wakefield and Peace Dale Revitalization Research and Findings”, V1.6. The sub-committee members are as follows: Roland Fiore, Chair, Frances Alexakos, Joanne Esposito, Patti Gardner, Jay Nuzum, Brian Smith and Henry Thayer.
Stakeholders indentified are the South Kingstown Economic Development Committee, the South Kingstown Town Council, General Assembly members, Southern RI Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director, Elizabeth Berman, Wakefield Merchants Group represented by Ken Tetzner and Ken Burke, South County Tourism Council, Executive Director, Louise Bishop, South County Health, Lou Giancola, URI, Dan Graney and Peace Dale Revitalization Group, Roland Fiore. All the stakeholders were asked what could be done to entice the community members and visitors to increase patronage to their businesses. Many of these stakeholders are doing their own thing and there is duplication of effort in some instances. The Committee would like to see coordination between the stakeholders as one common effort.
Some of the common observations are: clean up the Saugatucket River; enhanced parking, more police presence during large events, availability of taxi service, beautification efforts, sidewalks and gutters in good repair, clean and maintained. Some Town services that could enhance the downtown area are installation of rubbish receptacles that are emptied on a regular basis, snow removal, walking paths cleared, public restrooms cleaned and clearly marked.
Stakeholders can enhance existing events and create new and annual events such as a Welcome URI Day. Install signage to show where the restaurants, shopping, parking and parks are located. Establish a community calendar of events on Town website with links to the South County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Council. Investigate trolley to transport tourists between South County Commons, Wakefield and Peace Dale. Continue to enhance collaboration efforts and communication between the stakeholders.
It is recommended by the EDC that an Economic Development Coordinator position be established to initiate, coordinate and follow up on opportunities to continue revitalizing downtown and the remainder of the villages. Funding is proposed to be provided through grants and the hotel and meal tax revenue.
Discussion ensues relative to coordinating with the Small Business Development Center at URI. A meeting has taken place with Dan Graney from Student Affairs.
Roland Fiore discusses what the Towns of Westerly and East Greenwich have done to create successful downtown areas. The Town of Westerly subcontracts out to their Chamber of Commerce and provides 100% funding. The Chamber of Commerce has adequate staff and they coordinate with the Economic Development Committee on a monthly basis and with the Westerly merchants, the Westerly Land Trust and RIDOT and all the other stakeholders. In East Greenwich, the municipality deals directly with the Chamber of Commerce. The Town does not fund with money, they do it in kind. They provide clean-up, provide police, traffic controls, and organize the calendar. One thing missing in South Kingstown is there is no calendar of public events. In South Kingstown there are a number of groups. The Committee feels strongly that the Town needs to come forward and coordinate either with a new position or someone already on staff. The position could be phased in. The groups include the property owners, business owners, the RIDOT (Main Street, RIDEM (the River), Town of South Kingstown, the utility companies and more. The Committee has drafted a job description and it is available for the Council to look at.
Councilman DaCruz likes the idea of one person coordinating the efforts; the funding is a question to be answered. Councilman Viele indicates that many of the businesses would like to see the installation of rubbish receptacles and removal; funding might come from the reallocation of some of the funds from the hotel and meals taxes.
Discussion ensues relative to a trolley service, enticing a taxi service to come to town and the RIPTA flex bus.
Discussion ensues relative to attracting other businesses to town as well.
The Town Manager indicates that for him to be able to provide pricing and an objective program for the Town Council to consider, based upon the study conducted what items would be the most important for you to see accomplished. The items need to be prioritized from most important to least for a three - to five - year phase - in. Then a cost can be attached to those items and the Town Council can make a determination through the budget development what if any, will be funded. There are a number of groups that need to be brought together; one of the problems that we often run into is that some of the groups have very different opinions on what needs to be done.
The Town Council requests the EDC to put together a list of priorities.
Individually, the members of the Town Council indicate what is most important to them. Councilwoman Gledhill indicates that the sidewalk maintenance and rubbish removal; Councilman Viele indicates the same; Council President Healy indicates rubbish removal and sidewalk maintenance, beautification of Main Street; Council Vice President Collins indicates the EDC Coordinator, he would like to see a vision; and Councilman DaCruz indicates the EDC Coordinator is the most important thing to start with, someone with good organizational skills and an aptitude for marketing.
Discussion ensues relative to the Commercial Highway Zoning District. Zoning needs to allow for more mixed use and density. The country-wide trend is more mixed uses with the first floor being used as commercial and the second and third floors being used as residential. The Economic Development Committee would like to be tasked with investigating how other towns are doing it. There is a need to increase the density in town. An increase in density would allow for more affordable housing which would allow for housing for individuals with modest paying jobs. These people don’t live here because they can’t afford the housing here, so they commute. Also, many people want to live where they can walk to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and the doctor’s office.
The Town Council would like the Economic Development Committee to investigate some of the mixed uses and how other communities have incorporated these into their zoning and present recommendation for rezoning of Commercial Neighborhood and Commercial Highway to allow for higher density and mixed uses.
There are environmental complaints against the Town currently; if densities are changed on Old Tower Hill Road, the Town would have to prove that there will be no additional surface water runoff as a result of those changes. In addition, we will have to accommodate the increase in demand for the utilities, including sewer and water. You have to look at density in terms of what the overall implications are to the community and to the property owners.
Discussion ensues relative to solar power generating installations in Commercial and Industrial Zones. Many businesses are looking into solar power generating installation but it is not allowed in a commercial zone. The Planning Board is looking at the industrial zones and the Town has taken action on some municipal owned properties. The federal tax credits and state incentives make it more attractive for commercial property owners. The Town should foster clean energy and be proactive in allowing solar power generating installation in Commercial Zones.
At this point the Planning Board is looking at a comprehensive amendment that would allow solar in various zones which will include commercial zones. By the end of February they should have a formal recommendation for the Town Council to consider. One area of concern is solar power generating installation on agricultural lands. It is a policy decision that will have to be reached in every community. There is also a question about agricultural land where the development rights have been purchased and allowing solar on those land areas as well.
Discussion ensues relative to the contracts in place for solar power generating installations on both of the municipal landfills and the estimated return to the town and school over the next 25 years is $5.9 million.
Discussion ensues relative to creating conditions that make it easy to do business. Could the Economic Development Committee bring ideas to the table that showed that it had very little financial impact and a small impact to staffing but makes South Kingstown dramatically different than other communities in Rhode Island?
Discussion ensues relative to more internet access.
Discussion ensues relative to the 2017 update of the Comprehensive Community Plan and the Economic Development Committee advising the consultant, Horsley Witten of any changes they think should be considered.
Adjourn at 8:40 PM.
ADJOURNED,
Dale S. Holberton, CMC
Town Clerk