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Council approves five‑year lease extension for Fire Station 8 site with RI Airport Corporation
Summary
The council approved a five‑year lease extension for the land under Fire Station 8 with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation; administration said the city owns the building but not the land and that RIAC declined to sell the parcel, so a shorter lease with CPI increases was negotiated.
The Warwick City Council approved a five‑year lease extension with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) for the land under Fire Station 8 on Post Road.
Bill Forsonti, chief of staff to the mayor, told the council that the city owns the physical fire station building but not the land, which RIAC holds because the parcel was acquired under federal aviation requirements and is in a designated clear zone. The current lease, entered in 1999, was expiring on Dec. 31, 2025. The administration requested a renewal; Forsonti said RIAC told the city the land was not available for sale and that the lease cannot be longer than 30 years without FAA approval.
The administration presented a five‑year extension with annual rent adjusted by consumer price index changes; Forsonti quoted the new annual rent as $10,748.1 in committee. Council members questioned whether the city's ability to pursue purchase was foreclosed; staff said they had attempted to buy the parcel but RIAC declined. The council voted to approve the lease extension and directed staff to continue exploring options while preserving the city’s operating interests in the station.
