City Council: Barton Farm Public Trust, Centerville – Dunmore Light

WARWICK, RI — The Warwick City Council will consider preserving Barton Farm’s 65.88 acres at at 1351 Centerville Road as a public trust and a traffic light at the Centerville Road and Dunmore Road intersection tonight, 7 p.m., at Warwick City Hall.

The Council’s committee meetings in Council Chambers, 3275 Post Rd, Warwick, RI, begin at 5 p.m., streamed live to the city’s YouTube page. The committee meetings end with a move into the regular meeting at 7 p.m. Documents and a copy of the Warwick City Council March 4 meeting’s full agenda are available on the City’s website.

Barton Farm Public Trust

According to the Barton Farm resolution up for discussion tonight, the legislation would dedicate Barton Farm (Assessor’s Plat 251, Lot 179) to be held in the public trust, pursuant to R.I.G.L. § 45-36.1-1 et 18 seq., for the preservation, regeneration and restoration of the natural environment of the City of 19 Warwick.

According to the 2013 Warwick Comprehensive Plan, Barton Farm, a former dairy farm is being utilized as open space and is home to Westbay Farm, a community farm providing fresh produce to low-income families. The property was acquired by the City in 2001 for $1.56 million, according to a Cranston Herald report.

Westbay Community Action operates the 3-acre farm on the parcel, growing 20,000 pounds of organic vegetables each year. Its largest crops are lettuce, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and squash, according to the organization’s website.

 

The farm provides the fresh produce to the Westbay Marketplace food pantry, expanding nutritious choices for people in Warwick, West Warwick, and East Greenwich. Farm produce is also available to the public at Westbay Community Action’s Summer Farm Stands.

The City of Warwick leases the land for the farm to Westbay Community Action. Financial support for the farm is provided by a Community Services Block Grant and through the City of Warwick’s Contributive Support program.

Centerville Road/Dunmore intersection light

According to the resolution proposing the traffic signal, “It has come to the attention of the City Council that dangerous situations exist 24 at the intersection of Centerville Road (Route 117), a State road, and Dunmore Road, which is the 25 primary roadway used to access a dense residential neighborhood, and is near other residential 26 dwellings, school access roads, intersections with other state roads, and highway ramps,” making a light to calm traffic moving through the area a good idea.