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Town orders DEM outreach and engineer-led meeting after rock-slope failures at Whipple Collin condominiums
Summary
After slope failures at the Whipple Collin condominium development sent sediment toward a nearby canal, Lincoln—— solicited an interagency review, required an on-site meeting with all engineers and the HOA, and will keep a $140,000 erosion-control bond in place until repairs are confirmed.
The Lincoln Town Council on Oct. 21 directed the town solicitor to contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and instructed the developer of the Whipple Collin condominiums to meet on-site with engineers and the homeowners association after two rock-slope failures following spring storms.
Town Solicitor Tony told the council the town has documentary evidence of sedimentation in the canal raised by resident James Seymour and proposed three steps: an official communication with DEM to coordinate on canal siltation, an on-site meeting that includes the developer——'s engineers and GZA (the town's geotechnical reviewer) together with the HOA, and scheduling a follow-up review with the DPW director before any bond release.
The action followed testimony from the DPW director and town engineers that temporary repairs were placed after a March rain event, and that Parr Engineering (hired by the developer) has submitted a repair plan that includes a vertical retaining wall and regrading to a 2:1 slope. The town's independent geotechnical reviewer (GZA) is still completing its review of Parr's submittal.
Resident James Seymour told the council that, based on decades living adjacent to the canal, he has repeatedly observed sediment flow into the waterway and disputed the developer's assertion that the development's material did not reach the canal. "According to Mr. Bach, none of the sediment that came from this complex has flowed into the canal, which is an absolute non-truth," Seymour said during public comment.
Developer counsel Kelly Morris Salvatore told the council the developer has been cooperative, has retained Parr Engineering and stands ready to meet with the town's and HOA's engineers. "My client has done everything that he's supposed to do, and he's relying on engineers," Salvatore said.
DPW staff and multiple residents urged broader geotechnical study beyond the two failed locations. Civil engineers from GZA said their review focused on the two tallest, steepest failed slopes and did not include borings across every slope section, and they said the town could request additional subsurface investigations to evaluate adjacent areas.
Councilman O'Neill moved to implement the solicitor's three recommendations but, at his request and after public comment, the council suspended immediate action, took public testimony, then revived and approved the motion by voice vote.
The council's procedural steps preserve an estimated $140,000 erosion-control bond held by the planning board and make the bond release contingent on resolution of the slope and sedimentation issues and completion of the town's and GZA's reviews. The solicitor said he and the DPW director will follow up with DEM's Office of Compliance and Inspections and coordinate any required site inspections.
Next steps: the council directed the solicitor and DPW director to open communications with DEM, required the developer to hold an on-site meeting with the HOA and engineers (including GZA and Parr), and set a follow-up item to review bond status and control measures.
