CRMC issues 2014-2015 ROW report

October 30, 2015, WAKEFIELD –The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) has released its 2014-2015 annual report on rights-of-way in the state, “Designation of Public Rights-of-Way to The Tidal Areas of The State.” The report is available online.
           
From July 2014 through June 2015, the CRMC continued its ongoing efforts to discover and designate public rights-of-way to the tidal areas of Rhode Island, under its legislative mandate (RIGL 46-23-17). Beginning in 1978, this mandate tasked the Council with identifying and designating all public rights-of-way to the shore. To meet this charge, the CRMC created a Rights-of-Way Subcommittee. The report details actions of the subcommittee, as well as legal proceedings stemming from these activities and subsequent actions of the Council.

While no new rights-of-way were designated during this time period, the title work has been completed on a potential ROW in the Town of Bristol, Ferry Road, and began the ROW Subcommittee review process in the spring of 2014. The Town of Portsmouth has also requested a CRMC investigation of East Corey Lane and Power Street as potential rights-of-way. Documentation has been submitted, and the two streets will be examined through a title search. The Town of Warren Harbor Commission has also identified 13 potential rights-of-way and plans to submit documentation for CRMC review after it finished its own investigation of each.

The CRMC-designated ROW at High Street is Jamestown, is now properly advertised to the public through installation of “Shoreline Public Access” signage provided by the CRMC. This took place after there was no appeal of the affirmation by the Supreme Court of the CRMC’s designation of the street, and puts an end to a long-standing conflict with an adjacent property owner regarding the CRMC’s designation process.

During the reporting period, the CRMC served as an advisor to City Walk, a public-private consortium led by the Providence Plan and the Jewelry District Association. City Walk’s goal is to establish a network of pedestrian-bicycle pathways that link core neighborhoods in Providence to India Point Park, the city’s premiere coastal waterfront park. The CRMC will continue to attend meetings, conduct research on shoreline public access, and provide technical assistance to City Walk regarding the relationship between its proposed activities and the RI Coastal Resources Management Program.

The CRMC also served in an advisory capacity to the Blackstone Park Conservancy and the Narragansett Boat Club regarding the groups’ proposed changes to the waterfront along a section of River Road in the City of Providence. The current two-way traffic pattern may be modified to one way traffic at certain portions of River Road, with a pedestrian-bicycle pathway established adjacent to the coastal feature. Increased recreational fishing and kayaking opportunities are proposed, as are additional rights-of-way with attendant parking. Significant upgrades to the storm water management infrastructure are also proposed, with the CRMC serving as an advisor.

The goal of the CRMC is to designate at least one public right-of-way for each mile of shoreline. With 221 sites designated along 420 miles of Rhode Island shoreline, the Council is more than halfway to its goal. For more information on the CRMC ROW designation process, go to the web site at http://www.crmc.ri.gov/publicaccess.html.