Tiverton schedules Feb. 10 public hearing on waterfront zoning after resident raises contamination, density concerns

The Tiverton Town Council voted to schedule a public hearing on Feb. 10 to consider amendments to the comprehensive plan future land use map and related waterfront zoning sections, providing a planning-board informational session for the council Jan. 27.

The decision came after public comment from Jamie French of Craig Avenue, who told the council she was “talking about the rezoning” and urged officials to reconsider waterfront and high-density zoning in North Tiverton. French said parts of Mount Hope Bay are designated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management as low-impact development areas and argued that “we can't have high density zoning at the same time that it's a low impact area.”

Councilors and staff discussed logistics and legal notice requirements for the hearing. Town staff advised that advertising and written notices require three consecutive weeks of public notice and that the package of related amendments (items E, F and G) must be completed by a late-February submission deadline. Planning-board members offered to present an informational workshop to the council on Jan. 27 so councilors can vet technical issues before the public hearing.

Councilors emphasized the need to give affected property owners adequate notice. One councilor told the woman in the audience whose business plans were stalled by the pending amendments that the town expects the zoning hearing timeline will reach February 10. The council unanimously approved setting the hearing date and authorizing advertising for the zoning amendments.

Next steps: planning-board informational presentation to the council on Jan. 27; formal public hearing Feb. 10 with three weeks of advertising beforehand and potential continuations if the public hearing runs long.