Planning and Procedures Subcommittee

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, March 15, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. at the Warwick Sewer Authority, Service Road, Warwick, RI.

MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT
Michael Tikoian, Chairman
Dave Abedon
Paul E. Lemont
Russ Chateauneuf, DEM representative

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

OTHERS PRESENT
Virginia Lee, Sea Grant/CRC

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 January 18, 2005.

Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Abedon, moved to approved the January 18, 2005 meeting minutes.   All voted in favor of the motion.

Mr. Tikoian introduced the members of the subcommittee and staff, and explained the purpose and function of the subcommittee relative to the subcommittee’s deliberations on the Greenwich Bay SAMP.  He thanked the subcommittee for their commitment to this process and their attendance at the numerous planning meetings.  This particular meeting has been scheduled to discuss and hopefully approve for full council consideration the adoption of the Greenwich Bay SAMP.  Mr. Tikoian also explained how he may open discussion of the SAMP to the public due to the extraordinary involvement of the many CAC members who contributed time and effort to the SAMP processes.

Mr. Tikoian praised the efforts and commitment of CAC member Leah Robinson who recently passed away, and asked for a moment of silence in her name.

Item 5.A.  Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan.  G. Fugate introduced the Greenwich Bay SAMP and explained the planning process and management objectives set for implementation.  He also explained that the SAMP has been put out for public comment.  Mr. Tikoian explained the timeline of reviews of the various chapter drafts, comments received, the public notice period, and the anticipated full council approval.  V. Lee presented a general overview of the entire planning process, and how it involved technical experts’ input, public input, the CAC and the municipalities, and well as the legislature and the Governor’s bay planning initiatives. 

V. Lee then presented a package of revisions to the SAMP sections that addressed eutrophication and nitrogen loading issues and explained how her staff and that of DEM’s water quality program staff had been working together to best represent how these issues could be addressed in the SAMP as well as serving as the basis for DEM’s TMDL program for the Greenwich Bay watershed.  V. Lee also highlighted various programmatic revisions in this package that revised various sections of the final draft, including but not limited to sewer tie-ins; marina expansion; and land acquisition priorities.  G. Fugate explained the SAMP buffer policies and how they were the result of numerous discussions with the municipalities and the CAC.  G. Fugate discussed creating an annual forum on the SAMP’s accomplishments.

Mr. Tikoian open the floor to public comments, which centered on Ms. Thompson’s dedication to the SAMP process.  Mr. Tikoian thanked all the members of the CAC and the local groups that each member represented for their express commitment to the process; to Warwick municipal planner Dan Geegan; to DEM staff and in particular Ms. Heidi Travers; to CRMC staff Megan Higgins and Grover Fugate; and to Virginia Lee and her staff, particularly Michael Campana and Sue Kennedy.  Mr. Lemont echoed those comments and also wished to thank fellow Council member Dave Abedon for his commitment to this effort, and to Chairman Tikoian for his unwavering commitment to ensuring that the Greenwich Bay SAMP is and will be a success.

Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Abedon, moved to approve the Greenwich Bay SAMP with the revisions proposed in the package presented by V. Lee as well as those made at the meeting.  All voted in favor of the motion.

ADJOURN.  Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Abedon, moved to adjourn.  All voted in favor of the motion, and the subcommittee adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

Respectfully submitted April 13, 2005 by

Jeffrey M. Willis

Deputy Director

 

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