Block Island Times

Planning Board supports zone change

The New Shoreham Planning Board voted May 12, to give a favorable advisory to the Town Council regarding the request of the Block Island Housing Board to rezone its newly acquired property on West Side Road from the RA Zone to the New Harbor Commercial Zone. The change is to accommodate the Housing Board’s plan to build affordable housing on this property, Plat 18, Lot 2-3, located between the Block Island Cemetery and E. Searles Ball Housing. The Housing Board is planning to build upwards of ten units with a mix of rentals and units for sale, in sizes ranging from studio to two bedrooms.In their decision, the Planning Board advised that the zoning change is contingent on affordable housing being built on the site, whether by the Housing Board or any other entity. The zone change is not to be used for private development of market-value homes.Member Gail Hall suggested the contingency idea, and it was wholeheartedly embraced by Housing Board Chair Cindy Pappas. Pappas does not anticipate any reason why the Housing Board would not be able to build the units, but if they were unable, she agreed the zoning should return to Residential A.Planning Board

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