In accordance with notice to members of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, a meeting was held on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM at the Narragansett Bay Commission Boardroom – One Service Road, Providence, RI.

MEMBERS

Mike Tikoian, Chair
Paul Lemont, Vice Chair
Ray Coia
Don Gomez
Jerry Zarrella
Neill Gray
Bruce Dawson

MEMBERS ABSENT

Joe Shekarchi
Tom Ricci
Dir. Michael Sullivan

STAFF PRESENT

Jeff Willis, CRMC Deputy Executive Director
Ken Anderson, CRMC Senior Engineer
John Longo, CRMC Deputy Legal Counsel

1. Chair Tikoian called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.

Chair Tikoian made a brief statement on the council’s permitting process.

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING:

Mr. Coia, seconded by Mr. Zarrella moved approval of the minutes of the April 22, 2008 meeting as presented.  The motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.

3. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

Vice Chair Lemont reported that the Policy & Planning Subcommittee met on February 19, 2008 and approved the following revisions:  Management Procedures – Section 5.1.3 Notification to clarify the procedure for interested parties seeking to be notified on an application; Section 5.14 – Withdrawal of an Application to clarify that withdrawn applications can only be reinstituted by submitting a new application; CRMP Section 300.4.A and 300.4B Recreational Boating Facilities and Section 300.16.E.1 Boat and Float Lift Systems; Section 210.6.B.6 – Barrier Island and Spits; Section 300.7.D.2 – Structural Shoreline Protection; and Greenwich Bay SAMP – Section 390.7.B and 910 to develop standards for coastal buffer zone management within suburban areas of the SAMP.  Chair Tikoian noted that the date of the meeting was May 20, 2008 not February 19, 2008 and that P&P had tabled Section 300.7.D.2 for further study.  Mr. Willis noted that the date on the report was a staff error.  Chair Tikoian requested that the proposed revisions go out to public notice and come back before the full council for further action.

4. STAFF REPORTS

Mr. Willis noted that he was sitting in for Mr. Fugate.  Mr. Willis announced that on May 29th at 10:00 the CRMC in association with Clean Ocean Access will be celebrating the designation as part of the CRMC Adopt an Access Program the Tuckerman Avenue right-of-way in Middletown and invited council members to attend. 

Mr. Willis noted that tonight at 6:00 p.m. on Public Access Cable (Channel 15 on Cox and Channel 34 & 35 on Verizon) would be airing the CRMC hearing on renewable energy they taped last month.  

Mr. Willis also noted there was an article in the Providence Journal today on the four beaches being opened at Quonset Point.  Mr. Willis stated that this was a direct result of the Council Section 335 public access requirement where they required Quonset Point, Davisville and EDC to develop a public access management plan and these beaches are a direct result of Council regulation.

5. CONTINUANCES:

2008-02-006 COVE HAVEN CORPORATION – Modify an existing Marina Perimeter Limit (MPL) south. There is no increase in the boat count proposed; the modification of the MPL is to accommodate larger vessels. Project is located at 101 Narragansett Avenue, Barrington, RI.

The applicant was not present.  Chair Tikoian stated that the application had been continued at the request of the town. Chair Tikoian said the application had been placed on the agenda because the applicant thought they would have gone before the Barrington Town Council before this hearing. The application was continued at the request of the Town.   

1995-07-232 ARCHES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION – Modification of existing Assent by removal of existing 3’ x 10’ fixed pier, 3’ x 10’ ramp and three 4’ x 10’ floats as assented (A1995-07-232). Construct a fixed timber pier 4’ x 65’. The new facility will extend 15’ beyond the existing facility (65’ beyond mean low water). A variance to RICRMP 300.4.E.3(j) is required (the facility is 6’ from the west property line extension and 4’ from the east property line extension, standard distance is 25’). A variance to RICRMP 300.4.E.3(k) is required (proposed length is 65’ beyond mean low water, standard is 50’ beyond mean low water). Located at plat 10, lot 4; 3 Arches Road, Charlestown, RI

Mr. DeAngelis, attorney for the applicant was present. Chair Tikoian stated that because of there are only seven council members and not eight there would be no quorum to hear the application. Chair Tikoian said Mr. DeAngelis had asked for a continuance on the matter. Chair Tikoian noted that some council members were out of town. The application was continued.  

6. Chair Tikoian read though the agenda to see which applicants/attorneys were present.

7. COASTAL EDUCATIONAL SERIES – Mark Bullinger, Executive Director and Art Ganz, President - RI Salt Ponds Coalition

Mark Bullinger, Executive Director of the RI Salt Ponds Coalition gave council members a presentation on the RI Salt Ponds Coalition.   Mr. Bullinger said they are a nonprofit group active in the south shore, primarily with the salt ponds, which are defined by the barrier beaches along the south coast.  Mr. Bullinger said their activities are grouped in three basic groups – Science, Advocacy and Education.  Mr. Bullinger said they have been involved with advocacy on behalf of the salt ponds and keeping track of what is going on, using their data and the expertise they developed through science.  Mr. Bullinger stated they weigh in on policy that affects the salt pond.  Mr. Bullinger explained the education part which they feel is an important part of awareness of the ponds and the important resource that they are.  Mr. Bullinger said salt ponds are a designated watershed council for the salt pond regions.  Mr. Bullinger said the Salt Pond Coalition is designated an interested party in terms of notice and they have a level of authenticity to receive notice about issues effecting the salt ponds and to weigh in on those.  Mr. Bullinger said they are an original participant in the URI watershed watch program.  He said they were originally funded by the Rhode Island Sea Grant and now the salts are a funded organization through memberships, donations, grants and some event fundraiser activities.  Mr. Bullinger showed the council a graph of the south shore Rhode Island where there 2008 testing stations will be.  Mr. Bullinger said there would be 40 testing sites in 2008 with 15 new water quality-testing stations in 2008.  Mr. Bullinger explained they test for nitrates, ammonia compounds, chlorophyll filtrations and do observations such as rain within the pat 48 hours, the water temperature and wind levels and compile all the data into a database.  Mr. Bullinger explained testing is a collaborative effort between volunteers and the URI Watershed Watch and that the samples are taking to URI for testing.  He said testing results are shared with DEM, CRMC and URI and the data is available on the SPC website and complied into public outreach documents.  Mr. Bullinger said they also use testing data to advocate on behalf of the salt ponds.  Mr. Bullinger said they use the data they develop to work with municipalities, associations, state agencies, NGOs and the Federal government.  Mr. Bullinger stated SPC gets involved in precedent setting cases for advocacy and get involved in restoration projects with partners such as plantings in Ninigret Pond and the Green Hill Pond restoration project.  Mr. Bullinger said the SPC educates area residents and policy makers in critical steps in preserving the ponds.  Mr. Bullinger said they bring awareness to the SPC by their website, newsletters, kayak trips, safaris and other activities.  Mr. Bullinger stated they received awards for their work from the Attorney General’s office “2007 Merit Award” and  EPA “Environmental Award”.

Chair Tikoian thanked Mr. Bullinger for his presentation.  Chair Tikoian asked if someone wanted to be a member of the coalition asked how they would go about becoming a member.  Mr. Bullinger said the easiest way was to go to their website and there is a link to become a member.  Chair Tikoian asked if it would be possible for him to send the coalition newsletters to members of the CRMC.  Mr. Bullinger agreed.   Chair Tikoian stated that he would have Mr. Willis give him a list of council members addresses.  Chair Tikoian also noted that he may want to reach out to Ames Colt, Chairman of the Coordination Team in respect to the fact that the coalition shares this type of data with two agencies.  Chair Tikoian stated that the one of the goals the coalition team is trying to accomplish is sharing and monitoring data.  Mr. Bullinger said this sounded good.  Chair Tikoian thanked Mr. Bullinger again for his presentation.

8. APPLICATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN OUT TO NOTICE FOR 30 DAYS AND  ARE BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DECISION:

2007-08-042 JUDITH LYTE – Construct and maintain: approximately 50 linear feet of structural shoreline protection. Project is located at plat Y-1, lot 251; 11 Narrows Road, Narragansett, RI.

Judith Lyte, the applicant was present.   Mr. Anderson gave council members a brief summary on the application.  Mr. Anderson stated that the application was for 40 l.f. of riprap revetment on property at the north end of Harbour Island in Narragansett on upper Point Judith Pond.  Mr. Anderson noted that the length of the revetment was originally 50 feet and was reduced through the permit process down to 40 feet.  Mr. Anderson said there was no staff objection to the application and it meets the standard.   Mr. Zarrella, seconded by Mr. Gray moved approval of the application with all staff stipulations.  The motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.

9. Enforcement Report – April 2008

There were none held.

10. Category “A” List

There were none held.

Chair Tikoian noted that there would only be one council meeting in July and August.  There being no further business to discuss. The meeting was adjourned at 6:42 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Grover Fugate, Executive Director

Reported by Lori A. Field

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