Charlestown Town Council Meeting: 01/12/15 07:00 PM SCHEDULED

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1 Charlestown Town Council Meeting: 01/12/15 07:00 PM Charlestown Town Hall Charlestown, RI SCHEDULED Department: Town Clerk Category: Land Donation Prepared By: Amy Rose Weinreich Initiator: Amy Rose Weinreich Sponsors: AGENDA ITEM (ID # 1513) DOC ID: 1513 Discussion and Potential Action Regarding the Receipt of an Offer from Attorney Joseph A. Priestly, Jr. to Donate Land Owned by Mary L. Lucey (AP 16, Lots 6-1, 13 and 13-1) to the Town of Charlestown, with Advisory Opinions from the Conservation Commission, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Building Official, Town Solicitor and Town Planner COMMENTS - Current Meeting: Kenneth J. Swain, Tax Assessor, stated that Mr. Priestly s offer letter referenced the Building Official s Zoning Certificate, describing the lots as combined with lots in Westerly. He explained that if Charlestown were to acquire these properties, the Town line would not create a boundary; Charlestown would be owning property in Westerly. Mr. Swain suggested that the Town may want to pursue an Administrative Subdivision so that the lots end at the Town line, thus the Town would avoid owning land in Westerly. Mr. Priestly explained that in the 1980 s Mrs. Lucey acquired about 800 acres of land in the Town of Westerly, adjacent to these 30 acres of land in Charlestown, and has gradually sold the property, using the Town line as the dividing line. He clarified that the offer did not include any land in the Town of Westerly. Mr. Swain suggested that the Administrative Subdivision would need to be completed before the transfer of property; Mr. Petrarca agreed and suggested that the Town Solicitor and the Town Planner be added to list of individuals to provide an advisory opinion. Atty. Priestly stated that the donation was intended without restriction for use. Mrs. Smith suggested that the Affordable Housing Commission should look at the property for potential Affordable Housing development. ATTACHMENTS: Atty Joseph Priestley - Mary Lucey Land Donation.pdf (PDF) Westerly Granite Co sheet 1 of 2.pdf (PDF) Westerly Granite Co sheet 2 of 2.pdf (PDF) Lucey draft minutes pdf (PDF) Planning Commission Adv Op (PDF) Conservation Commission Communication 2/1/15 (PDF) Updated: 2/2/2015 9:33 AM by Amy Rose Weinreich Page 1

2 Agenda Item (ID # 1513) Meeting of January 12, 2015 RESULT: CONTINUED TO A DATE CERTAIN [UNANIMOUS] Next: 2/9/2015 7:00 PM MOVER: George C. Tremblay, Vice President SECONDER: Denise L. Rhodes, Councilor AYES: Thomas B. Gentz, Denise L. Rhodes, George C. Tremblay, Bonnie VanSlyke ABSENT: Virginia Lee Updated: 2/2/2015 9:33 AM by Amy Rose Weinreich Page 2

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9 Town Hall January 12, COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS a. Discussion and potential action regarding the receipt of an offer from Attorney Joseph A. Priestly, Jr. to donate land owned by Mary L. Lucey (AP 16, Lots 6-1, 13 and 13-1) to the Town of Charlestown and referral of this offer to the Conservation Commission, Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission for an advisory opinion to be presented to the Town Council at their February 9, 2015 meeting Kenneth J. Swain, Tax Assessor, stated that Zoning Certificate, describing the lots as combined with lots in Westerly. He explained that if Charlestown were to acquire these properties, the Town line would not create a boundary; Charlestown would be owning property in Westerly. Mr. Swain suggested that the Town may want to pursue an Administrative Subdivision so that the lots end at the Town line, thus the Town would avoid owning land in Westerly. Mr. Priestly Westerly, adjacent to these 30 acres of land in Charlestown, and has gradually sold the property, using the Town line as the dividing line. He clarified that the offer did not include any land in the Town of Westerly. Mr. Swain suggested that the Administrative Subdivision would need to be completed before the transfer of property; Mr. Petrarca agreed and suggested that the Town Solicitor and the Town Planner be added to list of individuals to provide an advisory opinion. Atty. Priestly stated that the donation was intended without restriction for use. Mrs. Smith suggested that the Affordable Housing Commission should look at the property for potential Affordable Housing development. Motion made by Mr. Tremblay, seconded by Ms. Rhodes and approved unanimously to receive an offer from Attorney Joseph A. Priestly, Jr. to donate land owned by Mary L. Lucey (AP 16, Lots 6-1, 13 and 13-1) to the Town of Charlestown and referral of this offer to the Conservation Commission, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Building Official, Town Solicitor and Town Planner for an advisory opinion to be presented to the Town Council at their February 9, 2015 meeting

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12 Amy Weinreich From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Amy Weinreich Monday, February 02, :33 AM Tom Gentz; George Tremblay; Virginia Lee; Denise Rhodes; Bonnie Van Slyke Mark Stankiewicz FW: Lucey Property Preliminary Advisory Opinion from Conservation Commission -----Original Message----- From: Sent: Sunday, February 01, :38 PM To: Amy Weinreich; Mark Stankiewicz Subject: Lucey Property Preliminary Advisory Opinion from Conservation Commission Members of the Town Council Town of Charlestown, RI At your January meeting, the Council requested an advisory opinion from the Conservation Commission, among others, with regards to the Lucey property being offered to the Town (AP 16, Lots 6-1, 13 and 13-1). Due to weather conditions, Commission members have not been able to do a site walk of the property and based on the current snow cover and forecasts for the coming week, we do not anticipate a time to schedule a walk before your February 9th meeting. However, it is our preliminary opinion, without the benefit of a site walk, that since the property is being offered to the Town of Charlestown as a gift without any restrictions it should be accepted. Once members of our Commission, as well as the Planning Commission and Parks & Rec Commission, have a chance to look more closely at the property a more definitive opinion can be rendered as to its suitability for simply open space or for walking trails, biking trails, ATV trails, affordable housing, etc. Our considerations will have to include the topography of the property, the fact that two parcels are contiguous and of a significant size and the third parcel is separate and of modest size, proximity to abutters, proximity to the quarry and so forth. Hopefully, weather permitting, we will have the opportunity to do a site walk before the March meeting of the Council. Lillian Arnold, Chair Richard Thieke, Secretary 1