In accordance with notice of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council’s Planning & Procedures subcommittee, a meeting was held on Tuesday, September 24 at 4:00 pm at the Administration Building, Conference Room A, located at One Capitol Hill, Providence RI.

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

STAFF PRESENT
Jeff Willis, Executive Director
Laura Miguel, Deputy Director
Bruce Lofgren, Coastal Policy Analyst
Kevin Sloan, Coastal Policy Analyst
Anthony DeSisto, Legal Counsel
Mark Hartmann, Legal Counsel

 

Call to Order. Chair Coia called the meeting to order at 4:17 p.m.

Item 2 Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes:

July 23, 2024 - Ms. Reynolds seconded by Mr. Gagnon moved to approve the minutes as presented. All voted Yes in favor of the motion (4-0).

Item 3. Old Business/Works in Progress

Staff had no old business or works in progress to discuss.

Item 4. Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Petition for Promulgation of Rules

A. 2024-04-071 Quidnessett Country Club Petition for Change to Map of Water type Classification for North Kingstown (north)– J. Willis explained the CRMC Staff has completed their staff report and turned the presentation over to Bruce Lofgren and Kevin Sloan to present the findings and provide a recommendation to Subcommittee.

Coastal Policy Analysts Bruce Lofgren and Kevin Sloan, presented to the Subcommittee on Staff’s findings and recommendation on the petition to change the water type classification for the waters adjacent to Quidnessett Country Club (QCC). Mr. Lofgren and Mr. Sloan stated that based on the evidence and facts presented in the Staff Report dated September 20, 2024, it is CRMC Staff’s opinion that the Petition be denied for the following reasons:

1. The appropriateness of the current Type 1 WTC;
2. Inconsistency with coastal planning mandated by the CRMC’s enabling legislation and state regulations contained in the Redbook; and
3. The potential negative impacts to public shoreline lateral access, coastal habitat, and marine resources

Bruce Lofgren and Kevin Sloan provided a summary of the findings of the Staff Report and concluded with the recommendation that the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee deny the Petition for the Promulgation of Rules, not initiate rule making, and adopt the Staff’s recommendations as grounds for the denial.

Chairman Coia asked Staff to expand on details regarding dates of the golf course establishment, the date of CRMC shoreline designation, and the date of the construction of the condos that abut QCC’s property. Staff stated that the golf course was constructed in the 1950’s, the CRMC water type designation was designed in the late 1970s to early 1980s, and that the condos abutting the QCC property were constructed in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

Donald Gomez, stated that the difference in is permissible activities from Type 1 waters to Type 2 waters is significant. Mr. Gomez also had additional questions about habitat and erosion and impacts of climate change. Staff elaborated on the erosion of the bluff and its impacts to coastline.

Patricia Reynolds, asked about testimony given during the public comment period that spoke about alternatives to a water type change such as realignment of the golf course and non structural shoreline protection measures. Ms. Reynolds asked if Staff opined that alternative measures could be investigated. Staff stated that there are non-structural options that are allowable in type 1 waters.

Chairman Coia, asked if Attorney Cervenka would like the Subcommittee to continue the matter to allow the petitioner to present at a later date.

Attorney Cervenka stated that her client would appreciate the ability to present the petition.

Ms. Reynolds made a motion to continue the matter to a later date in October. The motion was seconded by Mr. Gomez. All voted Yes in favor of the motion (4-0).

Item 5. Other Business

There was no other business.

Item 6. New Business

There was no new business.

Item 7 Staff Reports

There were no staff reports.

ADJOURNMENT.

Chairman Coia, seconded by Mr. Gagnon, moved to adjourn. All voted in favor of the motion and the meeting adjourned at 5:03 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by
Bruce Lofgren, Coastal Policy Analyst

 

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