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Westerly council endorses CRMC review of Niantic Avenue after residents present historic evidence
Summary
After weeks of public research and testimony, the Westerly Town Council voted to forward Niantic Avenue to the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) for formal right-of-way designation, endorsing further review and allowing additional evidence to be submitted to CRMC.
The Westerly Town Council voted Oct. 20 to send a resolution to the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) asking it to complete its earlier review and formally consider designating Niantic Avenue as a public right-of-way. The motion passed after extensive public comments from residents and testimony from the Harbor Management Commission.
Residents and local advocates presented archival reports, photographs and title excerpts they said show the town posted and treated Niantic Avenue as a town right-of-way for decades. "The 1940 right-of-way report and subsequent harbor management plans identify Niantic Avenue as a town right of way," said Joy Cordio, who told the council she included those documents in the meeting record. Several other speakers recounted long-standing public use and referred to a 1978 rights-of-way study that they said supports designation.
Ben Weber, who identified himself as chair of the Harbor Management Commission, told the council that CRMC had considered Niantic Avenue in the 1970s and later left the item pending; he argued the council’s role now is whether to send the matter on to CRMC with the town’s endorsement. "If there's evidence that proves it is a right-of-way, then abandonment procedures would have to apply," Weber said, urging the council to forward the file so CRMC could resume fact-finding.
Town legal staff reported they had reviewed historical plats and related records and described the evidence as “persuasive” that Niantic Avenue had been dedicated at common law, but the solicitor’s office said a thorough title report remained in progress. Town Manager Shaun Lacy said additional testimonial evidence collected by residents — including declarations of long-term public use — could be forwarded to CRMC alongside the town’s materials.
Councilors who spoke said they were inclined to defer to CRMC’s fact-finding process but wanted to ensure the town’s file included any recently discovered documents. Several councilors also urged restoring or reinstalling town signage at the right-of-way to reflect the town’s position pending CRMC action.
The council approved the resolution to send the referral to CRMC; members said the referral does not preclude the town or members of the public from submitting additional evidence. The CRMC process can include record review and further public testimony.
The council’s vote followed months of public research and repeated requests from residents and the Harbor Management Commission. Next steps are administrative: the town clerk and solicitor will package the town’s materials and notify CRMC, and the public may continue to provide documentary evidence and witness statements to the state body.
The council did not adopt any immediate town-level improvements or changes to property access as part of the vote; it limited action to endorsing CRMC’s further consideration. The town solicitor will continue gathering records and the council said it would circulate any relevant new submissions to CRMC.
