Planning and Procedures Subcommittee

Piccerelli Gilstein & Company
144 Westminster Street
Providence, RI
July 20, 2004
5:00 pm

MINUTES

In accordance with notice to members of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council's Planning and Procedures subcommittee, a meeting of the subcommittee was held on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 5:00 p.m. at Piccerelli Gilstein & Company, 144 Westminster Street, Providence, RI.

MEMBERS PRESENT
Michael M. Tikoian, CRMC Chairman
Dave Abedon
Laurence Ehrhardt
Paul Lemont

STAFF PRESENT
Grover Fugate, Executive Director
Jeff Willis, Deputy Director
Brian Goldman, Legal Counsel

Call to Order. Mr. Tikoian called the meeting to order at 5:11 p.m.

Mr. Tikoian opened the meeting with a brief statement of the subcommittee's function and purpose. The Planning and Procedures subcommittee meeting is an open public meeting; it is not a public hearing. Therefore, discussion is available to the Council members themselves, and to all else at the allowance of the Chairman. Mr. Tikoian further explained that the subcommittee is the program and policy development arm of the Council, and that any programmatic decisions made by this group must ultimately be approved by the full Council in accordance with all proper procedures.

Mr. Tikoian asked for a motion to approve the subcommittee's meeting minutes of April 20, 2004.

Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Ehrhardt, moved to approve the April 20, 2004 meeting minutes. All voted in favor of the motion.

Item 4.A. Section 210.7 Dunes. G. Fugate explained the programmatic definition of a dune and what constitutes the fore-dune (25 foot area measured inland from the dune crest zone) and that within this area proposed activities require a special exception, and within the 50 foot setback from the fore-dune, proposed activities require a variance. Ideally, all activities should be located inland of this 75 foot area. However, not all lots can support this, and therefore Section 210.7 policies allow for variances to be requested.

The reason staff is seeking a change to the section is to better clarify that the 25 foot zone is a special exception and the 50 foot setback area is a variance request. This is due, primarily, to south coast erosion rates that at times mandate a greater than 50 foot setback along various shorelines. The setback policy, and the requisite variance, could be therefore applied in areas that were beyond (inland) the 50 foot zone, and possibly reducing the lot's building envelope to zero. This was never the intent of the policy, and led to staff requesting these clarifications to the section.

Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Abedon, moved to approve the revisions as written. All voted in favor of the motion.

Item 5.A. Capitol Center Commission DRAFT MOA. G. Fugate asked the subcommittee to discuss the issue at a later date, after each has had some time to become familiar with the MOA.

Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Abedon, moved to have this item placed on a future agenda.

Item 5.B. Water Type Petition: Bonniecrest Condominiums. J. Willis presented staff findings relative to this petition. The subcommittee discussed and directed staff to prepare the petition for hearing at a future full Council meeting.

No action was needed.

Item 5.C. Water Type Petition: Watch Hill. Staff was directed to place this item on a future agenda.

Item 5.D. Bristol HMP. J. Willis briefed the subcommittee on the status of the Bristol HMP relative to their one (1) year interim approval from the Council.

No action was needed.

Items 8.A and 8.B. SAMP Updates. Staff provided the subcommittee with the latest information regarding both the Greenwich Bay and Providence Harbor special area management planning projects.

ADJOURN. Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Ehrhardt and Mr. Abedon, moved to adjourn. All voted in favor of the motion, and the subcommittee adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted July 22, 2004 by

Jeffrey M. Willis
Deputy Director

CALENDAR INDEX