Economic Development Commission (EDC) & Planning Board

Special Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, January 11, 2022 – 5:00 P.M.

This meeting was conducted Via Zoom.

Westerly Town Hall

45 Broad Street, Westerly, RI 02891

 

 

A.    PLANNING BOARD CALL TO ORDER -

Mr. Hopkins called the Planning Board meeting to order at 5:04 p.m.

B.     PLANNING BOARD ROLL CALL AND ATTENDANCE

 

Members present:     Chair Justin M. Hopkins, IV, Vice Chair Richard W. Constantine, Secretary Christopher K. Lawlor, and Members Joseph M. Montesano, Andrew Delisio, Kevin Lowther, and Tabitha Harkin

 

Members absent:       None.

 

Staff present:             Assistant Solicitor for Planning & Zoning Atty. Scott Levesque, Town Planner Nancy Letendre, Principal Planner Alyse Oziolor, Information Technology Technician Lanny Fuller, Minute Taker Stephanie J. LaSota, and Zoning Official Martin Loiselle

 

Town Council Liaison to the Planning Board Phillip M. Overton was present. He left the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Also present at the meeting was Architectural Review Board (ARB) Chairman Paul Azzinaro and member Katherine Boll.

C.    PLANNING BOARD APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. December 7, 2021 – Mr. Constantine made a motion to approve the December 7, 2021 Planning Board meeting minutes as submitted. Mr. Lawlor seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

D.    EDC CALL TO ORDER - Mr. Torres called the EDC meeting to order at 5:06 p.m.

 

E.     EDC ROLL CALL AND ATTENDANCE

Members Present:     Chair James Torres, Vice Chair Doug Brockway, Secretary Timothy S. McLaughlin, Members Daniel Lathrop, Ralph M. Abruzzese, Mary Scialabba, and Lucy Wang, and Alternate Member Joseph Montesano

 

Members Absent:      None.

 

EDC volunteer Tom Franceski was also present. EDC Town Council Liaison Brian McCuin was absent.

 

Interim Town Manager and Westerly Chief of Police Shawn Lacey joined the meeting at about 5:30 p.m.

 

F.     EDC APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. December 15, 2021 – Mr. Brockway made a motion to approve the December 15, 2021 EDC meeting minutes as submitted. Ms. Scialabba seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

G.    CHANGES TO THE AGENDA

Review, discussion, and possible action by the Planning Board on changes to the agenda, including known continuances and the order in which items will be heard.

There were no changes to the agenda.

H.    OLD BUSINESS

There was no old business to discuss.

I.       NEW BUSINESS

1. Route 1 Commercial Corridor Discussion and Visioning Presentation and facilitated discussion with the Economic Development Commission, led by the consultant Weston & Sampson. W&S will provide an overview of the Route One Corridor project area and explain the assessment and review process underway. W&S will lead the Planning Board and EDC members and Town Officials in a visioning session to obtain their perspectives on Route 1 redevelopment.

Meeting Objective: Route One Corridor Discussion and Visioning Exercise with the Planning Board and EDC, facilitated by Weston & Sampson to include:

1. Overview of project area

2. Explanation of assessment and review process underway

3. Facilitated visioning activity

4. Feedback and questions

Weston & Sampson representatives present included Jim Riordan, project manager for the Route One corridor project, Ashley Sweet, assistant project manager, and Caroline Wells, engagement expert. Mr. Riordan screen shared a PowerPoint presentation describing the Route One corridor and the project details. Ms. Wells shared the plan for the public engagement aspect of the project. There was some further review of the plan by Ms. Sweet. Board members and staff present briefly discussed details of Route One traffic circulation and pedestrian safety.

Mr. Riordan introduced a brainstorming activity to meeting attendees, which sparked conversation on what is working for Route One, what isn’t working, opportunities along Route One, and infrastructure needs across three topics: traveling through the corridor, aesthetics, and living and working in the corridor.  For each topic, Weston & Sampson shared PowerPoint slides containing tables and filled them with answers from the Planning Board and EDC members.  From this “group analysis” for each topic, “group action plans” were created, identifying specific actions to be taken, leads and participants on each action, and potential schedule for implementation of such actions.

J.      ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

There was no report given.

K.    ASSISTANT SOLICITOR FOR PLANNING AND ZONING’S REPORT

There was no report given.

L.     CONFIRMATION OF QUORUM FOR NEXT REGULAR PLANNING BOARD MEETING:

1. January 18, 2022 Regular Meeting

M.   UPCOMING EVENTS –

The Administrative Officer will present to the EDC any status updates of upcoming events that may be of interest to the EDC.

            There was no discussion on this agenda item.

N.    OPEN DISCUSSION –

The EDC may review and discuss unnoticed items, including public comment, under open discussion; may refer these matters to the Planning Office or to the next agenda; may not take official action on these items.

            There was no further discussion.

O.    NEXT EDC MEETING SCHEDULED –

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 – confirm quorum

P.     ADJOURNMENT –

Mr. Abruzzese made a motion to adjourn the EDC meeting at 7:16 p.m. Mr. Brockway seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

Mr. Constantine made a motion to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 7:17 p.m. Mr. Lawlor seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Stephanie J. LaSota

Minute Taker