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Votes at a glance: Foster Council approves multiple items, schedules follow-ups
Summary
At its April 24 meeting the Foster Town Council approved a consent agenda, a business license for Joe’s Towing, omnibus zoning ordinance edits, acceptance of police station design prints, authorization for DOT rumble strips on Route 101, an adjustment to the homestead exemption, and a motion to enter executive session.
The Foster Town Council on April 24 approved several agenda items in a series of votes ranging from routine approvals to policy changes.
The council accepted the consent agenda at the start of the meeting. It then held a public hearing and approved a business license application for Joe’s Towing (Marvin J. Nadager Jr. and Marvin J. Nadager III, DBA Joe’s Towing) for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025. The council voted to approve a multi-section update to the town zoning ordinance (multiple Chapter 38 sections as presented by the Planning Board). The council also approved a package of nuisance ordinance sections related to a dark-sky policy (Chapter 18 sections presented by the Planning Board), accepting the solicitor’s edits that narrow the ordinance to new commercial development only.
The council agreed to accept a Rhode Island Department of Transportation proposal to install rumble strips on Route 101 limited to the center (yellow) line — excluding white lines, intersections and dedicated turn lanes — with installation contingent on repaving. It voted to accept the design-development permit-set drawings for the proposed police station as submitted by New England Construction (final construction price will be presented at the May meeting). The council voted to adjust the homestead exemption from 25% to 23% (effective for the tax roll based on assessed values as of Dec. 31, 2024). Finally, the council voted to go into executive (closed) session under Rhode Island law for collective bargaining/contract negotiations/litigation.
Votes were taken by voice; specific roll-call vote tallies were not recorded in the public transcript for most items. Where recorded, the minutes indicate motions had a mover and a second and passed by voice vote.
Items expected for follow-up include the police station construction budget (to be provided May 8), the town financial meeting on May 6 (noted by speakers as a separate legally required meeting), and any recording/filing necessary to document prior zoning changes for the police station site.
A list of formal actions recorded in the meeting appears below.
Votes at a glance (selected actions) - Consent agenda — motion passed by voice vote. - Business license: Joe’s Towing (93 Danielson Pike) — motion to approve application passed by voice vote. - Zoning ordinance updates (multiple Chapter 38 sections presented by Planning Board) — omnibus motion to approve the listed sections passed by voice vote. - Nuisance / dark-sky ordinance (Chapter 18, sections 18-33 through 18-39 as presented) — motion to approve passed by voice vote after discussion and solicitor edits narrowing application to new commercial development. - Rumble strips on Route 101 (proposal from RIDOT limited to center line, not at intersections or turn lanes; installation when road is repaved) — motion to accept RIDOT proposal passed by voice vote. - Police station: accept design-development permit-set drawings (New England Construction) — motion passed by voice vote; final budget to be presented May 8. - Homestead exemption adjusted from 25% to 23% (effective July 1 for the tax roll based on assessed values as of Dec. 31, 2024) — motion passed by voice vote. - Motion to enter executive session pursuant to Rhode Island law (collective bargaining/contract negotiations/litigation) — motion and second passed by voice vote.
Council minutes and any documentary evidence (e.g., signed license, zoning ordinance text, police station permit set, DOT proposal) will be the formal record for each action.
