Council approves one-year road-access permit and $150,000 bond for Material Sand & Stone

The North Smithfield Town Council on June 16 approved a one-year road-access permit for Material Sand & Stone and accepted a $150,000 bond to cover potential roadway deterioration identified in an engineering assessment.

Town administration said Parr Engineering reviewed Pine Hill Road and Pound Hill Road and estimated road deterioration repair costs at roughly $130,000. The administrator prepared terms and conditions for a one-year permit and increased the previously proposed bond amount from $100,000 to $150,000; the bond was already in place per administrative records.

The one-year permit was described by the administrator as an interim measure to allow the town time to complete pending land-use hearings related to the quarry while protecting the town’s roads. The administrator said the one-year limit was chosen instead of a multi-year renewal so the town could reassess after ongoing land-use proceedings.

Council action and vote: The motion approved the $150,000 bond amount and authorized the town council president to sign the road-access permit; the motion carried in a roll-call vote with one recusal recorded (Councilor Cristoforo). The administration indicated the bond had been obtained in March and the permit’s terms and enforcement conditions were written under the municipal ordinance.

Why it matters: The bond is intended to secure funds for resurfacing or repair if heavy traffic from quarry operations degrades town roads. The one-year permitting term keeps oversight tied to the town’s separate and ongoing land-use reviews of the quarry.

Ending: The council approved the bond and authorized signatures; the administration and engineering consultant will monitor road conditions and report back to the council as needed.