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Council Update: Hundreds of Acres Set as Open Space

[CREDIT: City of Warwick] The Warwick City Council designated hundreds of acres in Warwick as Open Space during the Nov. 20, 2023 meeting.

[CREDIT: City of Warwick] The Warwick City Council designated hundreds of acres in Warwick as Open Space during the Nov. 20, 2023 meeting.
[CREDIT: City of Warwick] The Warwick City Council designated hundreds of acres in Warwick as Open Space during the Nov. 20, 2023 meeting.
Editor’s note: The Council Update is a twice-monthly update on Council meetings and developments from Warwick City Council President Steve McAllister. The column is written after each council meeting, twice a month. This review of Warwick City Council events has been lightly edited to update time references, for grammar, and to include referential links for further reading.  

WARWICK, RI — Monday night’s council meeting will be a memorable night for years to come because the council voted to designate more than 364 acres of property as open space.  

Warwick City Councilman Steve McAllister

These properties are found across the entire city and now will be designated as open space [List of parcels at link] (from residential zoning) going forward. This ensures that these properties will remain open and will not be developed in the future. 

Improving our climate and protecting our environment has been a priority for myself and this city council.  Please see my latest letter to the editor, submitted to Warwick Post, here.  As Council President, I am asking the city to make sea level rise, coastal hazards, and other resilience measures a priority for all city departments. As we evaluate and prioritize projects, the impact of climate change must be considered.  There are numerous ways to improve our climate and protect our environment, and designating properties as open space is one way.

The council also supported Councilman Gebhart’s resolution to place Chepiwanoxet Point into the municipal public trust.  This will place more than 10 acres of land in the public trust, ensuring it for open space preservation.  Outstanding work by Councilman Gebhart, it takes a lot of work to get a property this size into the trust, but now this area will remain open and available for future generations to enjoy.  I grew up close to Chepiwanoxet riding my bike down there by the water.  I recommend you take a ride there sometime and enjoy the views and the little park and trails.

Upcoming events:

Dec. 2 -Tree lighting at Thayer Arena 5pm.  Free public skating and food trucks.

Dec. 4 -Council meeting State of Our Schools address by the Superintendent.

Dec. 9 -Apponaug Winterfest and parade.  Parade kicks off at 10am with lots of events all day.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have an extra serving of pie for me!

Steve

Steve McAllister
Author: Steve McAllister

Stephen McAllister, representing Ward 7 since 2017, was named Warwick City Council President in 2021.

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