New Shoreham council approves zoning changes, accepts preservation grant and makes several appointments

The New Shoreham Town Council met Wednesday evening and approved a slate of routine and project-focused actions, including zoning-code housekeeping, a small historic-preservation grant and several personnel and committee appointments.

Council members voted to authorize the appointment of Laurel Payne as deputy town clerk and administered her oath of office. The council then approved the consent calendar (items a and b) after staff noted one amended lease item was not ready for action.

During a public hearing the council adopted a package of zoning ordinance amendments described by Karen, a planning adviser, as largely language cleanups to bring the town code into line with recent state law changes. The amendments keep special-use permits with the local zoning board and move some provisions into the subdivision regulations. Council members approved the changes by voice vote.

The council voted to accept a $14,000 award from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission; the grant requires no local match and is designated to fund ground-penetrating radar work to investigate Black and Indigenous gravesites at the island cemetery.

The council accepted the interim town manager’s recommendation to create a building committee for the proposed Public Safety Complex and approved appointments to the Block Island Housing Board, naming Josh Redd and Ben Martin to open seats.

What’s next: several items noted for future action, including a draft resolution to form a vehicles-and-micromobility safety committee and a forthcoming council presentation on how occupancy and management will be determined for the Thomas housing project.