A subcommittee of the Coastal Resources Management Council has rejected a petition from Quidnessett Country Club to reclassify waters near its golf course, a change that would allow a seawall where the club has already put one up illegally. Here’s what you need to know.
State coastal regulators had some bad news this week for the North Kingstown country club that’s trying to get permission to construct a seawall where it’s already built one illegally. A subcommittee of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council voted Tuesday to deny the waterfront classification change sought by Quidnessett Country Club. The final decision now goes to the full CRMC.
The Public’s Radio’s Luis Hernandez spoke with Rhode Island Current reporter Nancy Lavin about the latest developments in this ongoing story.
Interview Highlights:
On why environmental advocates are upset with Quidnessett Country Club and CRMC
Nancy Lavin: With Quinessett, they knew about this rule. They did whatever they wanted to do anyway, illegally, and are now coming in to sort of ask retroactive permission. The bigger beef is with the CRMC for seemingly, prior to this week, kowtowing to another private developer. They’ve been seen to sort of protect the interests of certain residents or business owners over others, and so by prolonging this case – by not requiring that Quinesset take down the illegal seawall already – there is a lot of frustration that this is just another example of the council being manipulated by or allowing itself to sort of be manipulated by a wealthy members only country club with a stack of lawyers and experts.
On whether the CRMC subcommittee vote provides any indication as to how the full CRMC council will vote
Lavin: Not necessarily. There have been times where the full council goes against the recommendation of its own subcommittee. Perry Raso, who owns Matunuck Oyster Bar, tried to expand his oyster farm in Potter Pond. That was a case that went on for years and years. The council ended up voting in a way that was different than what its own subcommittee recommended in that case…