[Summit] Summit Digest, Vol 189, Issue 8

Tue Dec 8 18:40:29 UTC 2020

Hi Martha,

The CHNA is already on this thread, and you can get on their newsletter by emailing them (chna at chnaprovidence.org <mailto:chna at chnaprovidence.org> ) with that request. You can sign up for Helen's newsletter at https://helenanthony.com/. You can find other City Council members at https://council.providenceri.gov/council/members/. Most of them have their own web pages and newsletters. The various neighborhood associations have different ways of communicating. On the east side there is Summit, Mt Hope, Wayland Square, Fox Point, and College Hill. And then there are many government agencies that have their own newsletters, including the governor (https://governor.ri.gov/).

Hope this helps.

Regards,

- Paul

Paul G Smith
54 Summit Ave, Providence, RI  02906
Cell: 802-343-0978 
E-mail: paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com <mailto:paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com> 
_____________________________________________________________________

"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens"
                        - Baha'u'llah             http://www.bahai.org <http://www.bahai.org/> 
"Nothing is too much trouble when one loves, and there is always time."
                        - Abdu'l-Baha

From: Martha Nielsen <malbn21 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 1:07 PM
To: Paul G Smith <paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com>
Cc: Summit Neighborhood <summit at sna.providence.ri.us>; davidjkolsky at yahoo.com; chna at chnaprovidence.org
Subject: Re: [Summit] Summit Digest, Vol 189, Issue 8

Paul,

I apologize for my over-directness, and at the same time thank you for your sympathy!

I appreciate your explaining to me how the Summit newsletter works, most specifically David’s participation in it.  Since you are on this thread, David, please accept my thanks.

I would be happy to receive Helen’s and CHNA’s newsletters directly.  Will you please give me the emails I will need to make these requests?  Is there a list of neighborhood publications for the East Side?  I hear from Nirva occasionally, so I assume I am on her distribution list.

Thank you,

Martha

On Dec 8, 2020, at 12:54 PM, Paul G Smith <paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com <mailto:paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com> > wrote:

Hi Martha,

I sympathize with your frustration. However, before criticizing and showing indignation, you might want to consider that David Kolsky is performing a volunteer public service, and that the two newsletters he forwarded in this case (Helen Anthony and College Hill Neighborhood Association) have their own mailing lists, which you could easily sign up for yourself directly. David's volunteer personal service of collating various newsletters he receives and resending them to various outlets (Like the Wayland Square and Summit Neighborhood Associations) takes a great deal of time on his part, and we should thank him for it. It is not always possible for him to do the work he has chosen to do on his own initiative in as timely fashion as he might like.

If you wish to receive timely notification of items of concern to you, I would strongly recommend that you sign up for any newsletter that might be of interest. That is what I have done over the past couple years, and I now receive at least a dozen or so different newsletters that I originally first saw on David's compilations, including many neighborhood associations and governmental newsletters, as well as those from the three Providence City Council members who serve parts of the east side.

If you need any assistance with that, I would be happy to help.

Warmest regards,

- Paul

Paul G Smith
54 Summit Ave, Providence, RI  02906
Cell: 802-343-0978 
E-mail: paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com <mailto:paul.slvrwngs at gmail.com> 
_____________________________________________________________________

"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens"
                        - Baha'u'llah             http://www.bahai.org <http://www.bahai.org/> 
"Nothing is too much trouble when one loves, and there is always time."
                        - Abdu'l-Baha

From: Summit <summit-bounces at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit-bounces at sna.providence.ri.us> > On Behalf Of Martha Nielsen
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 12:29 PM
To: Summit Neighborhood <summit at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit at sna.providence.ri.us> >
Cc: davidjkolsky at yahoo.com <mailto:davidjkolsky at yahoo.com> ; chna at chnaprovidence.org <mailto:chna at chnaprovidence.org> 
Subject: Re: [Summit] Summit Digest, Vol 189, Issue 8

This happens often.  It is unacceptable to send an important meeting notice the day after the meeting has happened!!!!

On Dec 8, 2020, at 12:00 PM, summit-request at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit-request at sna.providence.ri.us>  wrote:

Send Summit mailing list submissions to
               summit at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit at sna.providence.ri.us> 

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
      http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us

or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
               summit-request at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit-request at sna.providence.ri.us> 

You can reach the person managing the list at
               summit-owner at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit-owner at sna.providence.ri.us> 

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Summit digest..."
Today's Topics:

  1. Mon-Tues. virtual meetings for the East Side (housing &
     zoning plans) and West Broadway (Parade St. & Carpenter St.
     plans) (David Kolsky)

From: David Kolsky <davidjkolsky at yahoo.com <mailto:davidjkolsky at yahoo.com> >

Subject: [Summit] Mon-Tues. virtual meetings for the East Side (housing & zoning plans) and West Broadway (Parade St. & Carpenter St. plans)

Date: December 7, 2020 at 2:25:42 PM EST

To: Wayland Square <waylandsquare at yahoogroups.com <mailto:waylandsquare at yahoogroups.com> >, Summit List <summit at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:summit at sna.providence.ri.us> >

The Wayland Square Neighborhood Association has arranged to join the College Hill meeting tonight because of a common interest in the planning, zoning and housing plans involved.

Dave

View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/a9e7790f4ace/ward2pvd81420-4676070?e=6732c3b43a> 

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12/7: Important College Hill Meeting

Our apologies for sending a broken link for further information on the Comprehensive Housing Strategy being discussed at tonight's CHNA meeting.  Please refer to these documents: 

*	Comprehensive Housing Strategy <https://helenanthony.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0211a39d4f4847bd40714084e&id=ff03fc9063&e=6732c3b43a> 
*	Draft Zoning Strategies <https://helenanthony.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0211a39d4f4847bd40714084e&id=59dfad366c&e=6732c3b43a> 

And please attend this evening's meeting at the zoom link below!

The College Hill Neighborhood Association <https://helenanthony.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0211a39d4f4847bd40714084e&id=44e9c93a94&e=6732c3b43a>  is hosting an important meeting on Monday, December 7th at 7pm on Zoom <https://helenanthony.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0211a39d4f4847bd40714084e&id=5826cdf357&e=6732c3b43a>  to discuss the Providence Anti-displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy report and recommendations for zoning changes that could impact our neighborhood. A scheduling conflict will prevent me from attending, but I encourage neighbors to participate and learn more about these proposals. I have been meeting with city officials about these issues and will share more information in my next Ward Letter. My thanks to the CHNA for their advocacy.  

From: College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) <chna at chnaprovidence.org <mailto:chna at chnaprovidence.org> >

To:

Sent: Wednesday, December 2, 2020, 8:37:32 PM EST

Subject: CHNA December Meeting - Critical information impacting our neighborhood

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December 7, 2020  - Agenda

1. November CHNA meeting minutes review/approval 

2. Martin Haggerty, Director of Special Project for the City of Providence, will speak to a recently completed housing study that recommends zoning changes that could result in the increased density for off-campus student housing in R1 areas. This could result in much of College Hill being rezoned to R4 - the highest density residential usage. (see background information below).

3. Maureen McManus, Environmental Supervisor from the City of Providence, will update residents on how the city is addressing overflowing trash containers and dumpsters on College Hill.

Preview to Critical Information impacting College Hill

At CHNA's next meeting Dec 7, city officials will be available to discuss the Providence Anti-displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy report's preliminary recommendations for zoning changes that could have a profound impact on College Hill (CH).  One of the most notable of 7 proposed zoning changes is that residential zones with 30% nonconforming properties--like much of College Hill, including its single-family zones-- be rezoned to R-4, the highest density residential zone (see the link to the Zoning Ordinance below for definitions of R zones).  

The single-family, or R-1, neighborhood on CH has a substantial number of nonconforming, 2- and 3-family dwellings, according to maps the city made of these areas a couple of years ago.  (The R-2 and R-3 areas of CH, including Benefit Street, also likely have a many nonconforming properties, but these have not been mapped out so we don't know how many there are.)  While we all support the creation of more affordable housing in Providence, rezoning CH neighborhoods to R-4 would have dire consequences for homeowners and other non-transient residents--without actually making housing more affordable.  Rezoning CH to R-4 would open the floodgates to student housing developers, who would now be permitted to buy up single-family homes with the goal of converting them into mini dorms, which is far more lucrative than renting to non-students.  

The "dormification" of College Hill would also bring with it the problems attendant on this business model, including noise and poor maintenance of historic properties.  (Currently, single-family homes in Providence's R-1 and R-1A zones are protected by an ordinance that says no more than 3 students may occupy a non-owner-occupied, single-family house, a rule recently upheld by the RI Supreme Court.  If the area is rezoned to R-4, however, the ordinance will no longer apply.  A modest extension of the ordinance meant to cover nonconforming dwellings has been held up in the Committee on Ordinances for years; student housing developers are opposed to any restrictions.)  In addition, this re-zoning recommendation singles out historic College Hill over other, less dense areas of the East Side in a way that is difficult to justify.  Furthermore, the Thayer Street Planning Study <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=d676d303e3&e=38c22b6026>  addressed zoning questions and has guided development in CH and the surrounding area for almost a decade. The study emphasized intensifying the Thayer Street corridor while explicitly protecting single-family housing in the R-1 zone, recommendations incorporated in the 2014 Providence Zoning Ordinance.  

Lastly, these recommendations were made without any input from residents who would be affected by them. Some of the other zoning recommendations include allowing cluster, infill, and row house development, and loosening Accessory Dwelling Unit rules, all of which may also have unintended consequences that we need to consider. Rather than encourage the "dormification" of CH, the city could consider innovative policies to encourage more economically diverse families to rent and buy in the neighborhood and support owner-occupants who have a stake in the quality of life, stability, and historic nature of CH.  

Links to report and zoning recommendations:
https://www.providenceri.gov/planning/comprehensive-housing-strategy/ <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=cb0ffd0793&e=38c22b6026> 
https://www.providenceri.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DraftZoningStrategies_for_SpecialSeptCPCMeeting.pdf <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=6cc16b11d4&e=38c22b6026> 

Link to Providence Zoning Ordinance; R-1, R-2, R3, and R-4 zone definitions are on p. 4-1:
https://www.providenceri.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20.04.06-Official-Zoning-Ordinance.pdf <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=982bfcc614&e=38c22b6026> 

Zoning map:
https://www.providenceri.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Planning-Official-Zoning-Maps-17-04-24.pdf <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=2aba326647&e=38c22b6026> 

Please save the date for our  next meeting - Monday, January 4, 2020, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Zoom meeting information:Time: Dec 7, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84464572213?pwd=ME5sWG1YYWVGSDNvNTNQc21vcHEzQT09 <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=101d7b41cd&e=38c22b6026> 

Meeting ID: 844 6457 2213
Passcode: 815632
One tap mobile
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Our mailing address is:

College Hill Neighborhood Association

P.O Box 2442

Providence, RI 02906

Add us to your address book <https://chnaprovidence.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=01bcb109f43fe50f38bba864a&id=d908e87d9f> 

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Neighborhood Development Meeting

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Two project reviews at 

West Broadway Neighborhood Association's 

Community Development Committee
Tuesday, December 8, 2020, 5:45-7:30pm via Zoom 

Please join us for WBNA's Community Development Committee (CDC) <https://wbna.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=13060de2a635671a7cef9c41e&id=3a942458fb&e=4d3025ca74>  meeting this Tuesday, December 8 at 5:45pm on Zoom. The committee will be reviewing two items:

1.	245 Carpenter Street, the former Decatur Social Club in Luongo Square
2.	Application for a Tax Stabilization Agreement for 31-45 Parade Street, the former Parkview Nursing Home

The agenda for Tuesday's CDC meeting is here <https://wbna.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=13060de2a635671a7cef9c41e&id=05c0b480cc&e=4d3025ca74> . For both projects, there will be an opportunity for the public to comment.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT

*	Using your web browser or the Zoom app (not required), join webinar using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82246806907?pwd=TDZSM2FqajAyUURJOFpGbU1TcDU2UT09 <https://wbna.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=13060de2a635671a7cef9c41e&id=d48cca5141&e=4d3025ca74> . Passcode is 12082020
*	If you prefer to join by phone, call 929-436-2866, and enter webinar ID 822 4680 6907, followed by #. Passcode is 12082020.

WBNA's CDC seeks to encourage and support projects that will be positive, long-term additions to our neighborhood through a process of public discourse and expert opinion. CDC meetings are open to the public. Learn more about WBNA's CDC here <https://wbna.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=13060de2a635671a7cef9c41e&id=cdf911e21e&e=4d3025ca74> .

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