Welch: Time to Stop Kicking Post Road Corridor Plan Down the Road

To the editor:

From time to time town ordinances, zoning and planning regulations need to be reviewed and up-dated to reflect changes in the business climate of our town and state. This is the case with the current Post Road Corridor plan that guides the planning and zoning boards in North Kingstown. These regulations govern any development along Post Road from the Post Office north to the town line.

During the last year while serving on the town council I along with Councilman Kevin Maloney asked that this plan be reviewed and changed to be more responsive to the needs of our community and future business development. Hardy any development has taken place since this plan was put in place. We have all watched as time has gone by year after year to see only more vacant space on Post Road.

The economy has not been good and certainly this has had an effect on this problem, however it has taken the Shell Station next to Burger King over two years to get the approvals they needed to re-build and invest over $2 million dollars in their property, why? The lack of sewers and the Post Road Corridor plan is why. Numerous variances were implemented to circumvent the Post Road Corridor Plan regulations like requiring a false two story appearance and a change in the setback from Post Road.

This plan was a dream to try and create a Wickford–like Village along the entire length of Post Road with two story buildings located up close to the roadway and the parking located in the rear. With these regulations in place banks, restaurants like McDonalds and convenience stores went elsewhere. What a surprise. This dream plan has not achieved the desired results, but it has driven new investment elsewhere.

Councilman Maloney and I asked the council president to have the council review this plan and make changes to help entice development. She asked that this wait until after the voters approved the sewers for Post Road and the marketing report by 4Ward Planning was completed. Well this was completed some time ago and yet the review has not been done. At a recent council meeting I asked again for the review and that it should be completed in the next 90 days. The only answer I received was from the town manager who said that the Comprehensive Plan was about to start and would be completed in 10-12 months and the plan would be reviewed then.

Time keeps going by and we keep kicking this can down the road. Now is the time to get this done. We spent $65,000 for the marketing report to help guide the town in this area. Sewers will be designed and installed which will make Post Road more attractive to new businesses that are not now able to locate there because of the lack of sewers. We need to get off the button on this and get it done. We need to be prepared to do business now. Contact you council members and let them know how you feel. New business investment in town means more employment opportunities and new taxes that will help stabilize our real estate taxes. Email the council at towncouncil@northkingstown.org.

Richard Welch

Editor’s note: The author is a former member of the North Kingstown Town Council.