AGENDA (amended 8/21/09)
Semi-Monthly Meeting – Full Council
Tuesday, September 8, 2009; 6:00 p.m.
Conference Room A, Administration Building
One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI

Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
Subcommittee Reports.
Staff Reports.

Applications requesting fourth Extension of Assent before the Full Council for Decision:

A2002-12-055 ANDREW and TINA BONAVITA – Extension of Assent to construct a single family dwelling to be serviced by private well and Individual Sewage Disposal System (ISDS). Located at plat 2, lot 580; East Beach Road, Charlestown, RI.

Applications which have been Out to Notice for 30 days and are before the Full Council for Decision:

2009-07-012 TOWN OF NEW SHOREHAM – Demolish and reconstruct western section of piers in Old Harbor (“Inner Basin”); construct small crane structure to aid fishing vessels (approx 320 lf new pier total). Located at plat 7 lot 000; Water Street, New Shoreham, RI.

2007-12-048 KAREN SUE, INC -- Expand an existing commercial pier and establish a Structural Perimeter Limit (SPL) in accordance with Section 300.3. Located on Point Judith Pond at plat 88-1, lot 29 and 30; 54 Perrywinkle Road, South Kingstown, RI.

Public Hearing on changes to Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program, Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan:

1. METRO BAY SPECIAL AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN

New Chapter: Natural Hazards: Hurricanes, Floods, and Sea Level Rise in the Metro Bay Region Special Area Management Plan

There are many natural hazards that may occur at any given time, such as earthquakes, blizzards, floods, etc., the Metro Bay Region Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) Hazards chapter is focused primarily on hurricanes, floods, and sea level rise in relation to coastal management issues. The objective of this chapter is to advise the communities, state and local government, and the public on the relevant coastal hazard issues in the Metro Bay Region and propose recommendations to effectively address and mitigate those hazards. Rhode Island’s coastal communities and the Metro Bay SAMP region in particular, are faced with the challenges of proactive planning for anticipated sea level rise and damage resulting from hurricanes and other storm events.

The CRMC amended its coastal program in January of 2008 with Section 145 – Climate Change and Sea-level Rise (http://www.crmc.ri.gov/regulations/programs/redbook.pdf), which anticipates 3 to 5 feet of sea level rise by 2100. This range of increased sea level rise was determined from the best available scientific sources. These new findings confirm and are consistent with the figures adopted by CRMC. Obviously, these increased elevations of mean sea level will have dramatic effects on Rhode Island’s shoreline, physically affecting coastal infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, and coastal habitats, especially salt marshes. Further, the economic consequences from flood and storm damage will negatively impact our local and state economies.

Our region has experienced numerous hurricane events in the past and will experience more in the future. The last two major hurricanes to strike Rhode Island were in 1938 and 1954. Since that time, significant development has occurred and new projects are currently planned within the flood hazard areas of the Metro Bay SAMP region. These projects are and will be susceptible to increased risks of flooding and storm damage as a result of sea level rise. Additionally, coastal flooding risks and storm-induced damage will be felt farther inland as sea levels rise and flood zones expand inland. This Metro Bay SAMP chapter details the hazard issues of concern and defines a series of recommendations to minimize the risk from hurricane damage and flooding, both now and in the future, as a result of climate change and sea level rise.

The full text of the Metro Bay SAMP Hazards Chapter can be found on the CRMC’s website – www.crmc.ri.gov.

Purpose: the Hazards Chapter of the Metro Bay SAMP seeks to advise the communities, state and local governments, and the public on the relevant coastal hazard issues in the Metro Bay region and propose recommendations to effectively address and mitigate those hazards.

Enforcement Report – July 2009 and August 2009

Category “A” List

Executive Session pursuant to R.I.G.L. 42-46-5(a)1 Personnel and R.I.G.L. 42-46-5(a)2 Litigation

CALENDAR INDEX