Planning Board – Meeting Minutes

Thursday June 16, 2022 - 6:00 p.m.

Westerly Library & Wilcox Park | Third Floor Terrace Room

44 Broad Street, Westerly, RI 02891

1.      Route One Corridor Study Public Workshop

Ms. Wells explained the itinerary of the meeting and provided directions for using the Slido interactive polling process which is a smart phone app. Consultants asked for one-word responses from participants to the questions, “What do you love about Westerly? What do you think of when you think of Route 1?” Many people wrote “ocean” and “community” for the former and most answers were negative for the latter question, with the most popular response being “unattractive.”

Ms. Wells said they observed that housing is inconsistent on Route 1 so single-family homes are undermined by other uses around the corridor. There is minimal landscaping on Route 1 and the development along the corridor is not held to any specific standards. She said the stark landscape may impede people from walking and reads “you must have a car.” Signage seems to be clustered but unmanaged and may cause confusion and danger. She encouraged the public that they can ask developers to build in a way that supports the Town’s vision. Meeting attendees discussed the aesthetics of the corridor and what is needed. Ms. Wells explained the trend toward mixed use and people-centric design so the community is not car-dependent.

Ms. Sweet opened a PowerPoint presentation and displayed the five-mile stretch of Route 1 beginning at Voss Street by Westerly High School. She described the concept of transect planning. She said they worked with the Architectural Review Board (ARB) to develop these 5 sub-corridors along the way. She described each one. Participants were polled about the opportunities and challenges of each sub-corridor. Ms. Letendre explained the Planning Office is trying to improve the identification of area uses and what they should look like. There may be rezoning involved. She said every Zone exists across the corridor. One resident said the 3 schools located along the corridor should be considered in the plans as the time of arrival and departure affects traffic. He said the seasonality of Westerly traffic should also be considered. 

There was discussion on traffic congestion and how locals know how to use back roads during the busy months. Some expressed frustration with a perception of Zoning regulations that may or may not be enforced. Ms. Letendre said having specific but flexible regulations may be a better solution to the present problems. Some said people using the corridor from nearby neighborhoods would benefit greatly from improved pedestrian access and that would lessen the number of cars on the road.

Ms. Sweet continued to describe Route 1, including details of the existing parking lots, lack of connectivity between parcels, and intimidating areas for walking. She said that in sub-corridor 2 from Wells Street to Chamber Way the area expands. Speed is a challenge in this area. Many meeting attendees suggested more greenery and better pedestrian access. Sub-corridor 3 was described with no sidewalks. Sub-corridor 4, which includes the former Benny’s building, is an area where people wanted to see more thoughtful development. Some suggested an analysis of why businesses leave and how Westerly can attract and retain businesses. Sub-corridor 5 was described as more residential. Many asked for bike lanes, avoid business development and protect homes in this area

Ms. Sweet said regulations and standards can help Westerly build a vision. Ms. Wells said Zoning creates structure for development, adding that the Comprehensive Plan may need to be amended for them to realize some of what they are discussing tonight. Mr. Torres said clearer guidelines will help developers know what they can and cannot do and provide clarity for developers seeking to invest in the Town. Participants were asked to reflect on if the Town wants to create the possibility of more uses in the corridor and thinking carefully about design standards for them.

Ms. Letendre reviewed a series of Highway Commercial properties. The Cozi LLC property, on the corner of Tower and Granite Streets was mentioned. She said it has been empty and nothing much has happened because the current Zoning Ordinance would not allow much on the site because it limits the building envelope. She explained that if the existing buildings are demolished, they are not allowed to rebuild in that footprint. She said most of that property is in the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) because of adjacent wetlands. A recent conceptual design project there received approval from the Planning Board. The quarry itself could be a focal point for this property, she said. Mr. Montesano commented that developers working with the Town is a benefit as they are not required to do so. It is nice that some are making accommodating on their applications. The Town’s goal is to work on incorporating some items into the regulations so the Town is not in the position of having to negotiate these items with developers. Meeting attendees discussed the Walmart site on Post Road, including their parking requirements. One meeting attendee mentioned that the front area has a space often used for medical emergencies. The site has also accommodated covid testing in the past. The lot is also full in the summer with beach commuters.

Weston & Sampson summarized the key takeaways from the meeting, including the challenges, proposed vision, and proposed changes. The next steps are a public comment period for the study. The EDC and Planning Board will decide about endorsing the Route One Corridor Plan at their July meetings. The Planning Board will then create a recommendation to the Town Council to make amendments to the Comprehensive Plan that may allow the Town to potentially create Zoning revisions.

There was some brief discussion about housing along the corridor. During a question-and-answer period the meeting attendees discussed the potential connection of properties via rear access roads and the responsibility of landscaping maintenance. The State is responsible for Route 1 maintenance and some suggested Adopt A Spot for greenery work. One resident commented on the importance of traffic calming. That is the concept of designing things in a way that is people-centered and not focused on cars. People also recognized he Babcock-Smith House Museum as an important asset to protect and promote.

Stress on utility infrastructure was also discussed. The availability of power and broadband is needed. Many wanted to see traffic light synchronization and the addition of more left-hand turn lanes and left turn lights, improved crosswalks, and a focus on redevelopment of existing buildings instead of new development.