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, December 18, 2012 at the offices of the CRMC, Stedman Government Center, 4808 Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield, RI.

MEMBERS PRESENT
Anne Livingston, Chair
Paul Lemont, Vice Chair
Don Gomez

STAFF PRESENT
Grover Fugate, Executive Director
Jeff Willis, Deputy Director
Jim Boyd, Coastal Policy Analyst
Janet Freedman, Coastal Geologist
Brian Goldman, Legal Counsel

Call to Order. Ms. Livingston called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.

Ms. Livingston called for a motion to approve the minutes of the November 13, 2012 subcommittee meeting.

Item 3.A. – Section 145 Climate Change and Sea Level Rise. J. Boyd and J. Freedman presented the changes that the subcommittee sought from staff from the October meeting. Ms. Livingston asked about sea level rise measurements. Mr. Lemont noted that during his time at Providence Gas daily temperature data was taken and asked if such historic data is used for climate change discussions. J. Freedman stated that this data is also being used to help understand climate change.

Item 4.A. – Section 4.3.2 Schedule of Fees. J. Willis presented the issue of increasing fees due to a recent state Budget Office directive that the agency does so to address upcoming FY2014 savings requirements and offered proposed fee changes for subcommittee discussion. Mr. Lemont would prefer to see the agency fees as not being punitive; they should be neutral – equate to what it costs the agency to review the requests. He and Mr. Gomez noted that residential dock applicants appear to bear higher application fees. Mr. Gomez agreed that residential dock fees should not be punitive. Ms. Livingston suggested that residential dock fees could be increased. G. Fugate offered a base application fee for residential dock applicants with additional fees based on the length of the dock requested greater than 75’. Mr. Lemont asked if there were other mechanisms to address an increase in agency revenues. G. Fugate discussed he submerged lands leasing fees and the activities that could be associated with it. Ms. Livngston suggested that the agency resubmit its Enforcement/Fines legislation this year. Mr. Lemont and Mr. Gomez stated that agency should be ensured that it gets all of its requested FTEs filled if it complies with the Budget Office directive to raise fees.

Item 5.A. – Category A List and the Semi-Monthly Agenda. G. Fugate explained that the Category A List was on each agenda to allow the Council to be able to review this category of application. Ms. Livingston suggested that said list does not need to be on every agenda. B. Goldman offered that the list be included quarterly. Ms. Livingston directed staff to bring the Category A List to the Council on a quarterly basis.

Item 7.A. – Staff Reports – “Beach/Erosion” SAMP. G. Fugate stated that all avenues of funding are being pursued. He noted that Congress is poised to approve a post-SANDY bill that would fund NOAA projects such as the work being propsed by the agency for the Beach/Erosion SAMP. The next SAMP meeting is scheduled for January 7, 2013.

ADJOURNMENT.Mr. Lemont, seconded by Mr. Gomez, moved to adjourn the subcommittee meeting. All voted in favor of the motion and the meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by

Jeffrey M Willis, Deputy Director

CALENDAR INDEX