CRMC approves Quonset Development Corporation’s public access plan

September 19, 2005, WAKEFIELD— The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council recently approved a complete Public Access Plan for the Quonset Business Park at its last meeting on September 13. The plan will serve as a comprehensive public access plan for the entire park, and was put into place to satisfy the CRMC’s Section 335 of the RI Coastal Resources Management Program, which requires public access plans for all commercial and industrial development projects.

The Public Access Plan examines the entire park, regardless of the owner. The park is a 3,000-plus acre site, partially owned by the RI Economic Development Corporation, the RI Department of Transportation, the town of North Kingstown and the U.S. Navy. Many areas of the park already developed are privately owned. The Quonset Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the RIEDC, is the redevelopment authority and manager of the site.

Since Quonset Point is being redeveloped for commercial and industrial uses, this requirement will apply to all development projects within the QDC’s business park, which are located within CRMC jurisdiction. With an all-encompassing public access plan, the QDC hopes to eliminate requirements for individual development projects.

The public access plan was developed on the recommendation of CRMC Executive Director Grover J. Fugate, in order to alleviate the need for many separate public access plan submissions for projects within the park. This plan, by setting out public access in appropriate locations prior to development, will also allow for quality locations to be set aside early in the planning process for the business park.

The access plan has been developed over a span of several years with input from CRMC staff and the town of North Kingstown, and all concerns and questions from the town have been addressed by the QDC. With the action of the Council’s vote, the plan is now approved for a period of five years, and the corporation will prepare updates to the plan every five years after, which will be presented to the CRMC for subsequent five-year extensions.

RI Department of Environmental Management Director W. Michael Sullivan commended the CRMC and EDC on the plan.

“I think this is a good template for other major projects that we have coming down the pike, and I’d like to commend the EDC and CRMC on this work.”

Quonset Business Park is located on the western shore of Narragansett Bay. Two former naval installations, the Quonset Point Naval Air Station and the Naval Construction Battalion Center Davisville comprise the site. The air station and portions of the battalion center closed in 1974 and the remaining portions of the Davisville base closed in 1994.

The site is mostly flat and there are several vegetated areas and water bodies. Some of the Navy remnants include an airport, three piers, miles of railroad tracks, hundreds of buildings, a marina and an 18-hole golf course. There are few areas that have not been disturbed, given the nature of construction training activities.

Redevelopment plans for the park include a mixed use facility with a range of industrial and office uses. Open space and recreational areas are also incorporated. The multimodal capabilities – airport, seaport, rail and highway – are valuable assets. Two off-site infrastructure projects, Route 403 relocation and the freight rail improvement project, will greatly enhance the park’s overland connections.

“We are pleased that CRMC has approved our Public Access Plan for Quonset,” said Geoff Grout, CEO of the QDC. “This plan will make it easy for citizens to take advantage of one of the state’s most attractive resources. With a network of paths, facilities to launch small boats and beaches, there is abundant access to the waterfront. Other facilities are designed to preserve Quonset’s rich history and cultural contributions.”

The QDC also conducted an inventory of parcels suitable for public access, categorized as beaches, open space, recreation, historic/cultural or public buildings. Four beaches totaling 7,500 feet are proposed for access. Open space conservation uses are public and private undeveloped open areas, including parks without facilities, beaches, conservation areas, preserves and buffers around natural features between adjacent land uses. Five recreational areas are proposed, including three existing town facilities: two marinas and a golf course. A bike path is also proposed from Post road to Calf Pasture Point along the northern edge of the park. Two facilities, the Quonset Air Museum and Seabee Memorial Park, have been suggested for historic significance. The Allen Madison House and airport apron area are included, the latter because of the popular annual Air Show. As public buildings, the airport terminal and the QDC offices are included.

“I’d like to commend the EDC and our staff on a comprehensive and complete Public Access Plan for the park. We’ve been working on this for a long time,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “I think this will facilitate economic development and prosperous growth in the area and it’s another positive piece of work done by the CRMC with the EDC and QDC.”