rest of the state must share the sacrifice of Providence, where high taxes are “paying for the past.” City Councilman Kevin Jackson cited his efforts working with the SNA on the fountain, moving a utility pole blocking two-way access to North Main Street and the redevelopment of that thoroughfare with federal funds. Peter Kammerer, head of the merchants group, said it had hired a designer to help “turn North Main back into a neighborhood street.” Other reports to the meeting included the police talking about how to avoid becoming victims of crime, a representative from Resource Recovery describing the coming expansion of recycling and a community gardening expert from California calling for “passion and persistence” in developing such plots here.
The law also would require RIDOT to publish a report showing how the agency complied with the requirements.
Events this Month FPNA Monthly Board Meeting, 7 to 8pm, April 9 at the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Library. Friends of India Point Park have a planned clean up on Saturday morning, April 21. Rain date is Sunday, April 22.
No Development Incentives Needed The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) has asked the City Council’s Ordinance Committee to remove the proposed zoning amendments in the I-195 East Side Overlay District, (ESOD), because they contain unnecessary provisions for development incentives. FPNA opposes incentivizing added height for Parcels 2, 3 and 5 between South Main and South Water Streets, FPNA VP Daisy Schnepel pointed out. “Higher buildings here would create a wall-like obstruction out of character for this neighborhood and would be deleterious for the views from the smaller scaled buildings on the hillside to the east and north.” The new Design Regulations proposed for the Overlay District allow for Development Incentives (Sec. 509.13, ESOD) of two added stories in exchange for providing “amenities” that are already available in the design guidelines, she continued. Those amenities are offstreet parking, on-site open space, active ground-floor uses and mixed-use development 50% residential. Yurdin, points out that the I-195 Commission ultimately holds most of the power as it relates to the zoning issues in the I-195 area. “While the city can pass certain zoning changes over the next few months, the commission is not ultimately bound by them, as they also have the authority to grant variances,”
Complete Streets Goes to Legislature Two versions of a Providence City Council resolution calling for “accessible, convenient and connected corridors for all transportation modes and users,” should have made their way through the Rhode Island General Assembly by now. Introduced by Councilman Seth Yurdin, the “Complete Streets Ordinance” directs the Department of Planning and the Department of Public Works to incorporate principles that encourage “non-motorized transportation (that) provides residents with mobility options, reduces transportation costs, enhances community connections, improves public health, advances environmental stewardship, reduces fuel consumption, and maximizes the use roadway infrastructure.” Both HB 7312 and Senate Bill 2131, if passed would extend that requirement to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to use complete street design principles to accommodate the mobility needs of all users.
Fox Point’s Ward I To Include Downtown The Providence City Council is redrawing the boundaries of its wards, including Fox Point that will now include parts of the Jewelry and Down City neighborhoods. The redistricting is reflecting fewer residents on the East Side in 2010 than in 2000 and an increased population on South Side, according to council documents. Seth Yurdin’s Ward I that includes south of Angell Street has moved into downtown, while losing most of the Brown campus to Sam Zurier’s Ward II. The City’s population hasn’t changed much since the 2000 Census, but its distribution has. Overall, Providence is 40 percent Latino population and less than 49 percent nonHispanic white. The African American population is dispersing more evenly over the city, although the East Side seems to be losing population in that demographic, chiefly in the Mount Hope area.
Fox Point By John Rousseau Fox Point Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 401-270-7121 Website: www.fpna.net Email: fpna@cox.net Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603177, Providence, RI 02906
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April 2012 East Side Monthly
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