PUBLIC HEARING of the Town Council held Wednesday, November 13, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Town Building, Harrisville for and within the Town of Burrillville.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Council President Wallace F. Lees, Councilors Jacqueline Zahn, William A. Andrews, Louis Bleiweis, Edward F. Bonczek, William E. Gonyea and Norman C. Mainville.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
Relative to the Proposed Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
NOTE: The public hearing was duly advertised in the Woonsocket Call on October 31, November 5 and November 12, 2002.
1. Comments/Input/Recommendation by Administration (Town Solicitor, Town Manager).
Michael C. Wood, Town Manager, explained that the proposed amendments relate to the Redevelopment Agency and the various districts the agency wants to establish. This would be the first step required by law to begin the process.
Councilor William A. Andrews asked whether there would be anything to preclude the Town’s adding other areas in the future.
Walter J. Kane, Town Solicitor, stated that only the Redevelopment Agency could address a particular area; those areas would have to be determined in the Comprehensive Plan as substandard areas in need of rehabilitation. The Redevelopment Agency spent considerable time defining areas that they believed fit the description, then brought them to the Town Council. The Council sent the information to the Planning Board to review the Comprehensive Plan and associated maps. The Planning Board’s function was to determine whether these areas ought to be included in the Comprehensive Plan. The board made the review and has recommended an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan that would include these areas as substandard areas in need of rehabilitation.
If the Town Council passes the amendments, the Redevelopment Agency will come back with specific areas that are precisely defined, a public hearing would be held, and the Council would then determine whether those areas should be included in a redevelopment district. The designation could be for a redevelopment district or a combination of redevelopment districts with plans for those districts. Before this can be done, the Council would have to define the redevelopment district after a public hearing and there must be a plan for the rehabilitation of that district. Then the Redevelopment Agency can proceed.
Walter J. Kane, Town Solicitor, stated that if the Planning Board were to determine that there were other areas determined to be substandard and in need of rehabilitation, they could make a further amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. The procedure set out in the law would be followed.
Councilor Norman C. Mainville stated that the designated areas are primarily industrial/commercial areas. The other area that he had in mind was Mohegan, but this is not presently an industrial/commercial area. Michael C. Wood, Town Manager, who worked on the Redevelopment Agency to develop the recommended areas, reviewed the process used to select these particular areas. Mohegan was considered during the review, but residential areas do not appear to qualify.
Walter J. Kane, Town Solicitor, said that additional areas could be included in the future. He pointed out, however, that redevelopment of even one area is major undertaking, and in this case there are several areas. It will be, he said, a learning process, and as the Town successfully moves forward, more areas may be added.
2. Proponents: None
3. Opponents: None
4. Town Council Members Comments/Input:
Councilor Louis Bleiweis asked that the resolution be amended, as follows: on page one, the description of Pascoag Village District A, “Bridge Way” be corrected to read “Frank H. Potter Bridgeway”.
5. VOTED to close the public hearing.
Motion by Councilor William A. Andrews. Seconded by Councilor Norman C. Mainville. The vote was unanimous. Voting in favor of the motion were Council President Wallace F. Lees, Councilors Jacqueline Zahn, William A. Andrews, Louis Bleiweis, Edward F. Bonczek, William E. Gonyea and Norman C. Mainville.
6. VOTED to adopt the following resolution, amending the Land Use Chapter of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan, incorporating the maps, as follows:
The Town Council of the Town of Burrillville hereby ordains:
WHEREAS, the Town Council adopted a Comprehensive Plan in July 1998 which, in turn, received approval from The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on September 23, 1998 pursuant to Section 45-22.2 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, and
WHEREAS, an amendment to the 1998 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Chapter is proposed regarding the establishment of Substandard Areas within the Town of Burrillville.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF BURRILLVILLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The Land Use Chapter of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Issues section, (page IX-22) shall be amended by adding the following section thereto:
Substandard Areas
It is found that there exists blighted and substandard areas at and near the following sites: Harrisville Village: the Stillwater Mill Complex, bound by East Avenue, Clear River and Harrisville Main Street; the former Granite Mill Site, bound by River Street, Chapel Street and Callahan School Street; Chapel Street, from Foster Street to Harrisville Main Street; Oakland Village: the former Remington Lumber Mill Site, bound by Victory Highway, East River Street and Oak Street; the former Cove Manufacturing Mill site located at the end of Mill Street; Pascoag Village District A: beginning at intersection of South Main Street and Reservoir Road to High Street, including the block of Pascoag Main Street including the Frank H. Potter
Bridgeway, Sayles Avenue and Pascoag Main Street; Pascoag Village District B: western side of North Main Street, both sides of Grove Street and a portion of Centennial Street (See Redevelopment District Maps, Addendum A, and Documented Photographs Addendum B).
These areas exhibit one or more of the following deficiencies: inappropriate platting and street configuration, functional obsolescence and deterioration of site improvements, all of which are impairing each of the villages’ revitalization and growth. Said deficiencies are perpetuating deterioration to the point where natural market forces alone, fail to function as a redevelopment mechanism. In addition, low morale and complex ownership issues are prevalent and contributing to village decline yielding community liabilities in some cases, specifically within abandoned mill sites, requiring redevelopment in the interest of the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the Town of Burrillville and its residents. It is recommended
that the areas above be designated for redevelopment.
Comprehensive Plan Consistency
Recognizing these substandard areas as areas that warrant redevelopment support the comprehensive plan, which contains goals and policies that promote village revitalization efforts, pedestrian-scale developments and tourism. The idea is to employ sensible growth, “smart-growth” techniques, to preserve the residents’ natural and cultural resources. It is recommended that a Redevelopment Agency be established to work closely with the Town’s Planning Board, Town Council and various State Agencies such as the Historic Preservation Commission to allow future development to utilize existing utilities and infrastructure.
Section 2: Section IX.3 entitled “Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions” of the Land Use Chapter of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan (page IX-23) is hereby amended by adding the following Implementation Actions:
IX.2.b.3 Establish a Redevelopment Agency for the purpose of establishing Redevelopment Districts within specifically distressed village areas. Coordinate this action with action IX.1.b.2 to encourage multi-use/mix-use land use patterns within the villages, creating compact traditional village land use patterns.
IX.2.e.3 Utilize the powers of the Redevelopment Agency to expedite the relocation of the Jesse M. Smith Library to the former Stillwater Mill Complex.
Section 3: Element IX – Land Use Implementation Program, Chapter X is hereby amended by adding and or deleting the following thereto:
Reference/Action IX.1.a.2 Reserve sites and buildings suitable for commercial and industrial development and or redevelopment, such as those found in the substandard areas, which are served by, or planned to be served by, public sewer and water, have adequate access to major arterial roadways, and will not intrude upon less intensive land uses.
Responsibility Planning Board/Planning Department/Town Council/Redevelopment Agency
Timing Ongoing
Cost No direct cost
Reference/Action IX.2.d.3 Encourage investment by the public and private sectors that will stabilize and improve economic opportunities in downtown Pascoag, the Town’s village centers including preservation and reuse of historic buildings.
Responsibility Planning Board/Planning Department/Economic Development Commission/Town Council/Redevelopment Agency
Timing Ongoing
Cost No direct cost
Reference/Action IX.2.e.2 Tie historic preservation and revitalization efforts in with economic development and redevelopment and promotion of tourism in the Town.
Responsibility Planning Board/Planning Department/Economic Development Commission/Town Council/Redevelopment Agency
Timing Ongoing
Cost No direct cost
Reference/Action IX.3.a.3 Conserve and enhance desirable existing industrial areas, shopping areas and concentrations of service activities – particularly within the village’s substandard areas - to maximize the investment and utilization of existing infrastructure.
Responsibility Planning Board/Planning Department/Town Council/Redevelopment Agency
Timing Ongoing
Cost No direct cost
Adopted this 13th day of November 2002
7. VOTED to adjourn at 7:10 p.m.
Motion by Councilor Norman C. Mainville. Seconded by Councilor William A. Andrews. The vote was unanimous. Voting in favor of the motion were Council President Wallace F. Lees, Councilors Jacqueline Zahn, William A. Andrews, Louis Bleiweis, Edward F. Bonczek, William E. Gonyea and Norman C. Mainville.
Information relating to the public hearing is on file with the record of the minutes. The hearing was taped and the tape is on file with the record of the minutes.
Recorded by
Louise R. Phaneuf, Town Clerk
| 
