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Residents and planning board spar over Breakwater Village setback and dimensional changes; council advances first readings
Summary
A July 6 public hearing in Narragansett drew residents’ objections to recent zoning amendments that allow larger homes and reduced setbacks; the planning board recommended reinstating Breakwater Village dimensional regulations and the council advanced first readings with unanimous votes.
Residents packed the public hearing on proposed Breakwater Village dimensional amendments on July 6, saying reduced setbacks and larger allowed house sizes will worsen infrastructure strain and displace families, while the planning board and town staff said the changes correct prior inconsistencies and protect public safety.
“People always abided by these setbacks… now you want to allow somebody to go even closer than five feet,” Catherine Celebrato told the council, saying smaller setbacks and unmerged lots are driving lot flips, bigger houses and rising prices.
Jill Sabo, the town’s planning director, summarized that the Breakwater Village Condominium Association requested reinstatement of dimensional rules that had been adopted in January 2024 and proposed aligning the village’s shed setback language with the rest of town. The planning board voted 5–0 to recommend the changes.
Thomas Callahan, planning board chair, emphasized public safety as a rationale for a parallel amendment requiring minimum side-yard setbacks of five feet for one- and two-story buildings and eight feet for three-story buildings unless a variance is granted. “We received testimony from public safety professionals about the need to have some type of a setback…to allow for fire protection and emergency personnel to access the houses,” Callahan said.
Opponents framed the changes as favoring investors and increasing housing costs rather than improving affordability. Dr. Albert Alba said state-mandated housing changes have not delivered affordable homes in Narragansett and warned that allowing larger structures on small lots will further burden water and wastewater systems.
The council opened and closed the hearings, then introduced the zoning text as first readings and passed motions for both the Breakwater Village dimensional amendment and the modified side-yard regulation amendment (both moves carried 5–0 at first reading).
Why it matters: The debate ties statewide housing mandates, local zoning flexibility and infrastructure capacity to neighborhood character and safety. Councilors said they relied on the planning board’s unanimous recommendation and input from public safety officials in forwarding the measures as first readings; opponents asked for greater emphasis on affordability and enforcement.
Next steps: The items were advanced as first readings; the council may schedule subsequent readings and public comment prior to final adoption.
