(Updated) Pawtuxet Village neighbors say ‘no’ to industrial development

Pawtuxet Village Neighbors Outraged at Proposed Industrial Development on Pawtuxet River

UPDATED: April 28th, 2023 – The developer has ended their plan to put an industrial development on this site.

(See update in red, below)

100+ impacted neighbors and concerned citizens will attend Warwick Planning Board Wednesday Night at 6:00pm at Veterans Middle School

Over 500 residents of Warwick and Cranston have signed an Open Letter to the Warwick Planning Board asking them to deny approval for a proposed 65,000 square foot industrial development directly on the Pawtuxet River, located on 15 acres at 175 Post Road.

Residents believe that the City of Warwick can and should stand up for the principles of protecting the Pawtuxet River enshrined in city laws and the comprehensive plan.  Article IV of the Code of Ordinances, “Pawtuxet River Protection,” states that “it is hereby declared to be the policy of the city to provide for the preservation of the Pawtuxet River… and to protect wildlife and preserve the natural beauty of the river and its banks for the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the city.”  It further states that, “[i]t is the purpose of this article to… [p]rotect the environment, especially the Pawtuxet River and its environs, from the effects of improper or illegal disposal of waste…”  The Warwick Comprehensive Plan, too, explicitly calls on city policy makers to reject developments that pose a hazard to the Pawtuxet River.  See Part II, Section 4. 

Contrary to this stated city law and plan, the 175 Post Road application seeks to store oil, gas and other harmful chemicals on the banks of the Pawtuxet River, likely leading to the improper disposal of waste.  Indeed, ever since the current owners bought this property, the lot has been littered with all the various kinds of “waste” as defined in city ordinances, in addition to their flagrant violations of the law that resulted in DEM and city enforcement actions (see this video as an example). 

The Pawtuxet River watershed in this exact location has seen extensive flooding and, as such, is designated as a federal flood plain and state wetlands.  Allowing the storage of harmful chemicals in a known flood zone can only lead to unmitigated environmental disaster involving one of Warwick’s natural gems. 

“We formed Pawtuxet Green Revival to oppose this reckless plan for more industrial development on the Pawtuxet River,” said Warwick resident Jeff Sutton.  “While it made sense during the industrial revolution to put industry on the river, those days are long gone. In this modern day and age, we hope the Planning Board determines that Warwick’s City Ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan clearly demand protection of the Pawtuxet River and vote down this project.”

“I’m incredibly pro development and pro jobs; however, I am not pro irresponsible development – specifically, a project with the potential to create far reaching and even generational ramifications,” said Warwick resident Jaime Sweeney. “We must protect the Pawtuxet River that has been so badly contaminated by the mistakes of our past. Let us not repeat them so soon.”

“As a neighbor, a major concern is whether both developers are planning on running both their business operations being an Oil Delivery Service and Asphalt Paving businesses from these Contractor Storage Units,” said Warwick resident Bill Marchetti.  “These operations are not environmentally friendly, especially being less than 200 feet from the Pawtuxet river that took many many years to clean up.” 

“As much as the area needs to be developed, this project is not for this location,” said Warwick resident Jill Moran.  “Pollution is a very big concern, as well as the noise and traffic of commercial vehicles, coming and going all hours of the day and night, impacting the quality of life of surrounding homes.”

“This is a rare opportunity for habitat restoration, especially in a wetland that should not have buildings in the first place,” said Warwick resident Richard Lobban Jr.

Local elected officials too are opposed to the outdated idea of putting industry against the now-cleaned up Pawtuxet River.  

“The city of Warwick has participated in the systemic obstruction of access to the Pawtuxet River watershed for the past thirty years.  Residents of the Sherwood Platt, Dryden Heights, Lakewood and the Pawtuxet Village neighborhood have witnessed the denial of access to this once valued resource,” said Warwick and Cranston State Representative Joseph McNamara.

“I have also contacted the Department of Environmental Management concerning the stockpile of PVC and High Density Polyurethane pipes and tanks that I believe are a threat to both the environment and the citizens in the surrounding communities,” continued McNamara.  “These sunbaked PVC and High Poly products could easily be launched into the Pawtuxet River during the next flooding event leading to the contamination of the Pawtuxet Cove and Bay.  It would be the equivalent of a half million nip bottles being dumped into our state’s most treasured resource.”

“On behalf of the 13 legal abutters to this project and the entirety of Ward 1, I am writing in opposition to Master Plan Approval for the proposed development at 175 Post Rd…” wrote Cranston Ward 1 Councilwoman Lammis Vargas in a letter to the Planning Board.  “The amazing collaboration between Warwick, Cranston, the state and the federal government in cleaning up the Pawtuxet River watershed cannot be overstated.  Fish are back and wildlife is everywhere.  You can literally see the difference in the water.  We urge you to not take us backwards into further industrial pollution.”

“I believe the Master Plan for 175 Post Road before [the Planning Board] would pose a substantial and unnecessary environmental risk to this area and the fragile ecosystem that exists within it,” said State Senator Joshua Miller.  “It is for this reason that I implore you board not to grant approval to this plan.”

Environmental groups are also outraged at the proposed development.  Leading environmental advocacy organization Clean Water Action submitted a letter from executive director Jed Thorp that stated, in part, “the development proposed for this site – storage of construction materials, oil, gas or chemicals – represents one of the most reckless potential land use options for a riparian buffer along such a valuable environmental and recreational resources as the Pawtuxet River.”

To get active on this issue:

– Sign the petition

– Ask to join our email list at [email protected]

-Email Councilman Bill Foley and Mayor Picozzi and ask them to oppose this industrial development

– Join the Pawtuxet Green Revival on Facebook

RECAP (see below from this week’s meeting)

Next meeting will be held February 8th 6:00 pm

65 Centerville Road (the Sawtooth Mill building in Apponaug), Warwick

We will be first on the agenda at 6:00 pm

• We read and delivered the petition to the board with over 500 signatures! That’s amazing, but let’s keep the momentum going and drive this number higher! Please share the petition with your friends and neighbors.
  
• The owners rejected the conservation easement for the land that contains the trailhead and insisted on moving it further west to a wetland area.
  
• We learned that their business does not qualify for Light Industrial use, as the site was zoned for in the 1950s. Housing construction vehicles, machinery, and building storage fall under the category of General Industrial.
  
• We demonstrated through testimony and documentation the sensitivity of 175 Post Road on many levels and showed that these owners are clearly unfit to steward it in the future.

If the plan is DENIED WITH PREJUDICE, they can’t come back before the board for one year and must completely redraw their plans.