Residents press council for details on Coletti Farm project; special meeting set for Aug. 14

Residents from the neighborhood told the Town Council of North Providence on Aug. 6 that they have not been given a dedicated briefing on the Coletti Farm proposal and objected to moving forward without a public meeting.

Michael Porter, a Hamlin Street resident, said residents were promised a special meeting months earlier that did not occur and described concerns about flooding near nearby houses, large volumes of earth moved onto the site and a lack of clarity over proposed uses, including athletic fields and lighting. "We haven't even seen it," Porter said, asking the council to pause action until residents had a chance to review plans.

Kathy Lending said residents had requested a dedicated meeting to review a presentation and possible alternate uses and argued that the town should not vote on plans that the public had not seen. Lending said grant money was involved and that residents wanted a chance to consult with the administration and the mayor's office before votes were taken.

Council members acknowledged competing timelines. Councilman Martone and others said the administration had presented a proposal to the finance committee and that some grant deadlines required timely decisions. Councilman Famagetti moved to schedule a special meeting to allow fuller discussion; the motion passed. The council set a special meeting for Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 5:30 p.m. to review plans and hear residents.

The council left the matter open for more public input and said the special session would include plan copies for residents who requested them. No final vote or land-use decision was taken at the Aug. 6 meeting.