[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6486395,"mediaKeyId","5590746-fd5888f9a0487df5694238666d2d5954","parentId",5590746,"title","Church Community Housing presents 40-unit mixed-income plan at pre‑application review; board requests traffic, parking and school‑impact studies","audioSeconds",3882,"startMs",4403000,"endMs",8285000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590746-fd5888f9a0487df5694238666d2d5954&start=4403&end=8285","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590746-fd5888f9a0487df5694238666d2d5954/thumbnail_4403000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6486395/Rhode-Island/Church-Community-Housing-presents-40-unit-mixed-income-plan-at-preapplication-review-board-requests-traffic-parking-and-schoolimpact-studies","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486395-7778f6f0688aaf38f7cfc9db5b523b85/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009323&Signature=Coe8nWDrMxJuwe~KGjxvmCA~GmC0mwr6g9Qc25CaW9ih55DTaN2oaUJ-ruJOzy6rNta5AyFGEYG~gpVAm8Iv0pPjX4-xsu~uVUNRpB55jjpAhN3f7ldhvDBs6KrMZHijA8-GHQpkhc6ge7dltnr6k5sWGWLnM-4JkcEO1yjy2-0wtgcM0D-O8j43DHh899BtUjNS9lQ6Pg55f8lUt1Ha-XoDWmh0YX6WIiuyyQR7yMJ2clCkVkTvV3pK79w3~obYQDf7iv-mxF2hbzU~LRPKYtj6yJ89E5rWeNp9C8hcZ50aHl2OpEcY4tuGk7nDIXjxA2k4rSqkuZ6aBY8k7lPYPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Portsmouth","date","2025-08-15T16:31:51Z","article","Church Community Housing Corporation presented a pre-application concept on Aug. 14 for two residential developments at Sprague Street and Bristol Ferry Road proposing 40 units total — 15 on the north parcel and 25 on the south parcel — with at least 25% of units designated as low- to moderate-income.

Christian Belden, representing Church Community Housing, said the project would include a mix of condominiums and apartments and a mix of unit sizes intended to serve families and other households. “These condominiums are really designed to serve as many different family types as possible,” Belden said, describing 1‑ to 4‑bedroom units and a homeownership model that retains the land in a land trust to preserve affordability on resale.

The applicant presented design work by Union Studio (architect Joel VanderWeele) and engineering by LDEC (Mike Russell). The north parcel concept shows a 12‑unit, three‑story walk‑up plus three townhouses (total 15 units) with 17 parking spaces proposed; the south parcel concept shows a 25‑unit building with 46 parking spaces proposed and two curb cuts to create a looped driveway.

Belden and the project team gave an affordability breakdown in the presentation: 11 homeownership units targeted at households earning 50% of area median income (AMI) or less, 11 units for households at 80% AMI or less, nine units at 100% AMI and nine at 120% AMI. Belden noted that Portsmouth’s existing affordable housing stock is low (the presentation cited 2.66% of housing qualifying as long‑term affordable) and that the two projects plus the nearby Ade Bethune House senior project would raise that share substantially.

Board members and several members of the public raised transportation and service delivery concerns. Mary Ellen Martin of Massachusetts Boulevard said the presentation image understates existing congestion at the Sprague/Bristol Ferry intersection and urged an independent traffic study and an assessment of impacts to schools and emergency services. “That intersection every day…is complete gridlock heading into Newport,” Martin said.

The applicant confirmed an independent traffic engineer has been engaged and told the board the team would provide a traffic impact study. Board members requested the traffic analysis consider nearby approvals and pipeline development (a separate 24‑unit project on Turnpike was noted during the meeting). Several board members also asked for more detail on the parking justification for the north parcel: the applicant cited International Traffic Engineers (ITE) guidance to justify 17 spaces for the north parcel but said they had provided excess parking on the south parcel.

Public questions included how the homeownership affordability would be enforced; Belden said the project would use a ground‑lease/land‑trust model that keeps the land in a trust and requires resale at income‑restricted levels consistent with the unit’s original affordability band. Nancy Grieve asked how resale gain would be limited; Belden said resale pricing would be tied to AMI at resale and that the land‑trust mechanism preserves long‑term affordability.

Board members asked that the applicant provide: a traffic study, a detailed parking demand justification and the anticipated number of school‑age children and likely impacts to schools, police and fire services. No vote was taken; the presentation was a pre‑application concept and the board closed the public comment portion with directions for the applicant’s next submittal.

The applicant and team said they will return with the requested technical studies at a subsequent meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Portsmouth Planning Board Meeting - 8/14/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Church Community Housing presented two related pre‑application plans on Aug. 14 for 40 residential units at Sprague Street and Bristol Ferry Road, and the Portsmouth Planning Board requested a traffic impact study, detailed parking justification and a preliminary assessment of likely school and public‑safety impacts before further review.","taxTitle","Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island","taxId",79583,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6486400,"Planning board continues Cutler Court corrective plat; asks applicant for revised drainage and grading plan",4356,69000,4425000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590746-fd5888f9a0487df5694238666d2d5954&start=69&end=4425","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590746-fd5888f9a0487df5694238666d2d5954/thumbnail_69000.jpg","/articles/6486400/Rhode-Island/Planning-board-continues-Cutler-Court-corrective-plat-asks-applicant-for-revised-drainage-and-grading-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486400-4634793c3a2c155fdfefc687adf1aa8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775009323&Signature=OevO0wAYBXXuy-LDr3HTFp0JGqwvDcNSrAVzwa9P3SX-Op12ms6xEO-prnWsxCfjC6fv86dqbXSiXoB8pm2ffDIDc98BDdkwm32XaFSaCczltJmjIu0rSg0M7tvXI8LTXOK5W5tg6nM3k61320gYJj9KqzAlrZclHEmqzThM9Pziws448LCvXQRudypKdssZ1wGdTppw0JZ2gPib1UMPfu6j~VF2R8Q9Znf3lKjAqHlsLa~6HAkz0s~scrCZZMG5K70JYo7sxYvH7VJUfhJVrt-o0T8UiuqHDuZiUwnr79l7-o4OsAjOLZ6GxZU0IE8ujNQYCMwdg5MpdopsvGzdlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Portsmouth Planning Board on Aug. 14 continued consideration of a corrective plat and a drainage amendment for the Cutler Court Subdivision after residents raised concerns about surface runoff and lot elevations.

The matter, continued to the board's Sept. 11 meeting, centers on a corrected recorded plat and a request to reduce the length of roadside drainage swales on Cutler Court by roughly 20 to 30 feet. The applicant said the original recorded plat contained drafting omissions and that the change to swale length would not, in their view, increase flood risk.

The board's vote to continue came after several residents described repeated surface water on their lots. Jonathan Jeffries, who identified himself as Lot 49C, said standing water has reached his basement subgrade window on multiple occasions and that the missing swale extension at the circle’s lower side directs additional runoff onto his property. “I have video in my pocket,” Jeffries said, describing episodes of standing water that reached near his foundation.

Resident Susan Ware (Lot 49D) objected to any reduction from the original approved plans and said several required features — rain gardens and intended swale alignments — were not constructed as shown on the subdivision drawings. “For it to be more than 30 feet off and not being the closure…what else is not correct?” Ware asked the board.

Applicant John Brager Jr., a registered land surveyor and professional engineer, told the board the recorded plat contained a layer that had been turned off when printed; the corrected plat restores exterior angles and closes the lots. Brager said the roadside swales were originally overdesigned and that losing 20 to 30 feet on one side would not compromise the stormwater design. “I don't feel there's any risk,” he said, adding that the road and improvements otherwise appear adequate and consistent with DEM approvals.

Former public works director Brian Woodhead said the homeowners association is recorded in the plat record and described how the constructed drainage system routes runoff: some flows into a sequence of drainage wells and catch basins that ultimately discharge to a downstream pond. He noted the developer still has an outstanding road bond and that final paving and as-built elevations remain to be confirmed.

Developer Connor Melville, who said he is bonded for the road work, told the board he is willing to meet with affected homeowners and work to resolve problems before final acceptance. “I'm responsible for the road, and I would love to get that road built,” Melville said.

Board members asked the applicant to return with a specific plan that includes an exaggerated crown through the cul-de-sac, a small Cape Cod berm in front of the two lots reporting problems, refined grading details, and verification of as-built elevations. The planner was also asked to verify the recorded status and maintenance responsibilities of the homeowners association.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve the June 12, 2025 Planning Board meeting minutes: motion made and seconded; chair called the vote and the motion carried (vote details not recorded in the transcript).

- Motion to continue the Cutler Court corrective plat and drainage amendment to the Sept. 11, 2025 meeting so the applicant can work with the planning officer to provide a revised plan addressing crown, berms, detailed grading, HOA verification and advance notice to homeowners: motion made and seconded; voice vote in favor; motion carried.","At its Aug. 14 meeting, the Portsmouth Planning Board continued review of a corrective plat and a requested drainage amendment for the Cutler Court Subdivision and asked the applicant to return with a detailed plan showing an exaggerated crown, a berm option and grading verification before the board considers final paving acceptance.","actionData","errors"]

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Church Community Housing presents 40-unit mixed-income plan at pre‑application review; board requests traffic, parking and school‑impact studies

Planning board continues Cutler Court corrective plat; asks applicant for revised drainage and grading plan