CRMC wants public input on Aquidneck Island SAMP

CRMC to give overview of coastal resources plan on July 31, Middletown

July 25, 2007, WAKEFIELD – Concerned about the pace, location, or look of development on Aquidneck Island? Interested in preserving public access to the coast? Come learn about a planning effort for the island’s coastal resources and their environmental, economic, and social values. The R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) will present an overview of the Aquidneck Island Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, at Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Rd., Middletown.

“The SAMP is an opportunity for the public to take part in a collaborative process with government and the private sector to develop a management plan that addresses coastal problems specific to the SAMP area, and will offer practical ways to solve those problems,”  said CRMC Executive Director Grover Fugate. “A SAMP is unique in its flexibility to provide tailored recommendations for the unique issues of an area, while still serving as a powerful regulatory tool for protecting coastal resources.”

A SAMP, once approved by the CRMC, requires federal, state, and local governments to abide by SAMP policies. For example, in the event that the U.S. Navy opts to give up some of its island property, it would do so in accordance with an approved SAMP that reflects local needs and input. The CRMC expects that the Aquidneck Island SAMP will initially adopt the boundary of the island’s West Side Master Plan, developed by the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, which provides recommendations for the majority of the island’s west coast, as its target area. Eventually, the boundary could be expanded to include other areas, or the remainder of the island.

“As chairman of the CRMC I am exited about this next step in the development of the Aquidneck Island SAMP,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “This new SAMP will greatly benefit the island, and its creation is in line with the goals set forth in the Marine Resources Development Plan.”

To see the state’s other SAMPs, visit http://www.crmc.ri.gov/samps.html. For information about the public meeting or the SAMP contact Laura Ricketson-Dwyer.