In accordance with notice of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council’s Planning & Procedures subcommittee, a meeting was held on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 5:30 pm at the Administration Building, Conference Room A, located at One Capitol Hill, Providence RI.

MEMBERS PRESENT
Raymond Coia, Chair
Don Gomez
Ron Gagnon, RIDEM
Patricia Reynolds

STAFF PRESENT
Jeff Willis, Executive Director
Laura Miguel, Deputy Director
Benjamin Goetsch, Aquaculture Coordinator
Bruce Lofgren, Coastal Policy Analyst

Mark Hartmann, Legal Counsel

Call to Order. Chair Coia called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Item 2 Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes: This item was continued to the next meeting.

Items 4.A. (Management Procedures) 650-RICR-10-00-1.1.4.6(A)(10) Beach Vehicle Permits– J. Willis and B. Lofgren explained the proposed changes being brought to the Subcommittee was initiated from conversations between Staff and municipal police departments at the conclusion of a CRMC Shoreline Access Bill Forum in August 2023. Staff further explained that local police departments had inquired about CRMC’s 3-day beach vehicle pass program as there have been a disproportionate number of instances for 3-day beach vehicle pass holders as opposed to annual beach vehicle pass holders.

Staff stated that a beach vehicle permit analysis was conducted to determine the recent history and usage of the 3-day beach vehicle pass program. Staff explained that the recent history indicated that CRMC issues approximately 2,000 annual beach passes per year and less than fifty (50) 3-day beach passes per year. Staff further reported that due to the limited participation in the 3-day beach vehicle pass program, feedback received from municipal police departments, and the ability for 3-day users to still apply for an annual beach vehicle pass, a decision was made to draft the programmatic revision for Subcommittee consideration. Chair Coia asked Staff to further elaborate on the concerns from the municipal police departments regarding the 3-day beach vehicle pass holders. J. Wills explained that the concerns were mainly due to 3-day beach vehicle pass holders continuing to utilize the pass for the entire year and long after the pass had expired. Chair Coia also stated that eliminating the 3-day pass would lessen the burden of Administrative Staff who spend considerable time administering the 3-day beach vehicle permit program for a limited number of participants. J. Willis agreed and stated that alleviating the Administrative Staff’s burden would be a secondary benefit of the proposed programmatic revision.

After the staff presentation, the Chair asked for a motion to consider the proposed changes as presented.

Mr. Gomez seconded by Ms. Reynolds moved to approve the proposed changes as presented. All voted Yes in favor of the motion.

ADJOURNMENT. Mr. Gagnon, seconded by Mr. Gomez, moved to adjourn. All voted in favor of the motion and the meeting adjourned at 5:37 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by
Bruce Lofgren, Coastal Policy Analyst

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