Washington, DC is not the only Swamp that needs to be drained!

NORTH KINGSTOWN MUST DRAIN ITS POLITICAL SWAMP

Ongoing events and actions once again demonstrate that a local political swamp is thriving within NorthKingstown (NK). Yet another NK board specifically the Zoning Board has ignored the fact(s) by rubber stamping an application while ignoring the facts and its own ordinances to the detriment to NK’s drinking water.

Both Mr. Tarbox’s and Mr. Bestwick’s Quaker Lane properties are located within NK’s Groundwater Overlay (drinking water) District and are in violation of NK’s zoning ordinance. The NK ordinance mandates that in order to protect NK drinking water a Special Use Permit is required for earth removal, grading and filling operations of more than 20 cubic yards within the Groundwater Overlay GW1 and GW2 Districts. The fact is that the unauthorized earth removal and filling operations have been on-going at Mr. Tarbox’s and Mr. Bestwick’s properties without inspections or oversight since February 2, 2016 subject to a penalty of $500 per day totaling $182,500 per violation. A Notice of Violation (NOV) with penalties assessed should have been imposed as soon as the violations occurred, not almost a year later. Compounding the late issuance of the NOV the NK Zoning Board then approved the application for a Special Use Permit after-the-fact which should have been denied until the NOV was resolved. Unfortunately the dubious if not suspicious actions include “no” violations against Mr. Tarbox’s complicit earth removal operations that provided the fill to Mr. Bestwick’s properties. While the NK Zoning Board of Review rubber stamped Mr. Bestwick’s after-the-fact application they also closed an apparent blind-eye to Mr. Tarbox’s unlawful actions.

It is unconscionable that the NK Zoning Inspector and Zoning Board of Review have stood by and allowed these unlawful damages to a NK vital water resource even after being alerted. These officials’ apparent lack of action sets an ominous precedent for future violations and continued stresses to NK’s drinking water. It is disconcerting because this issue has been brought to the attention of the “previous” NK Town Council, appropriate boards, commissions, and public officials to no avail. Past and current actions clearly demonstrate that the past Town Council majority has stocked the swamp with their appointed alligators that display no respect for their ordinances and regulations.

Many concerned residents are hopeful that unlike the previous NK Town Council majority, the newly elected NK Town Council and new Town Manager will hold its officials accountable for their inexplicable lack of enforcement and compliance with the applicable ordinances. It is also vitally important that the damage to a NK finite groundwater resource that has apparently been unlawfully compromised be rectified. Sadly, the infestation in the NK political swamp may be far more extensive than just what this behavior has exposed. This political shenanigan has wider implications that ultimately may require a more thorough draining of the swamp that only an independent investigation by the RI State Police can accomplish.