Planning & Development
Environmental Ideas For Cranston's Future
Art by Mars
A Short List of Environmental Comp Plan Goals That Should Already Be Chiseled In Granite Somewhere
These are some of the goals and actions from the natural resources element of the proposed comprehensive plan. When you look over this list, it makes you wonder why some of them aren’t already laws, or ordinances, or habit:
- 1. Prepare plans in accordance to RIDEM standards to address potential pollution in compliance with EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System requirements.
- 2. Develop a comprehensive septic system management program.
- 3. Continue to implement the open space preservation strategy for Western Cranston.
- 4. Amend the cluster development regulations to reflect conservation design standards in order to facilitate the preservation of significant areas of open space and environmentally sensitive areas.
- 5. Implement Best Management Practices for pesticides and fertilizers.
- 6. Implement Best Management Practices for stormwater and erosion controls, including requirements for all new subdivision and development projects and implement the recommendations of the Fuss & O’Neill stormwater management study.*
- 7. Ensure that municipal salt storage piles are adequately covered.
- 8. Adopt standards, such as Low Impact Development techniques, to better manage stormwater from roadways in new construction – including reducing impervious surfaces in new developments to reduce runoff.
- 9. Create restoration plans for the banks of the Pocasset and Pawtuxet rivers where roadways and development have degraded the rivers.
- 10. Adopt a nutrient loading ordinance to reduce pollutant loading to the rivers, streams and water bodies.
Comprehensive Plan Workshops continue on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Cranston Senior Center. The planning department will unroll the big maps again.
Visit Cranston’s web site to download a copy of the plan. Those unable to make these meetings can submit feedback to the following addresses:
Peter Lapolla, Director
Jason Pezzullo, Principal Planner
The Cranston Senior Center is located at 1070 Cranston Street.
[where: 02910]Comment
Monday November 23, 2009
Fixing Rolfe Square: Pimp Your Storefront Edition
Ruth’s Lingerie storefront during a sale last year Things are starting to look up for Rolfe Square. Soon they will be looking fabulous. The Artists’ Exchange has teamed up with students from Rhode Island School of Design to redesign six storefronts. Artists’ Exchange Director Elaine McKenna-Yeaw says “the idea is to... more
Saturday October 24, 2009
The Park Cinema Reopens for a Sequel
At 5 PM last night, the Park Cinema officially re-opened as the Rhode Island Center for Performing Arts. Rolfe Square took on a completely different feeling when the theater was illuminated and pods of people spilled out onto the neighboring streets. It was especially striking to see the Park sign... more
Monday October 19, 2009
Fung On Board With Transit Oriented Development
Cranston Mayor Allan Fung was recently selected to attend the Northeast Session of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. The two and a half day seminar was an opportunity for mayors to present urban development challenges to teams of city planning and design professionals. After each presentation, mayors and designers... more
Tuesday September 29, 2009
Drive In?
The first sign of a pulse at the Park Cinema came in August with the opening of the Park Café and the 848 Club along the facade of the renovated structure. The Park Avenue landmark, built in 1924 by theater mogul Abraham A. Spitz, is emerging from a 5-year, and... more
Thursday August 13, 2009
Stop & Shop Plan Questionable
At a special planning review meeting last week, area residents voiced concerns about a proposed Stop & Shop on Warwick Avenue, including lighting, noise, traffic and trash.
Besides the fact that this is a shallow use for this potentially great location, a bigger issue with this proposal is its impact on the city's recurring flood problems.
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