Smart Growth e-Brief
Innovative News & Tools for People Shaping our Communities
April, 2013
Walkable Warren
Founded in 1858, Delekta Pharmacy is located on Main Street
A quaint village made for walking, Downtown Warren was featured in the Providence Sunday Journal as its "Neighborhood of the Week".
 
Read more about it HERE
 

Grow Smart Rhode Island

Board of Directors

Howard M. Kilguss

Chairman of the Board
Susan Arnold
William Ashworth
William Baldwin
Daniel A. Baudouin
Samuel J. Bradner
Kenneth Burnett
Joseph Caffey
John Chambers
Kathleen Connell
Gib Conover
Jen Cookke
Trudy Coxe
Dave Cunningham
Kristin A. DeKuiper
Dennis DiPrete
Dr. David Dooley
Stephen J. Farrell
Michael L. Friedman
Wilfrid L. Gates
Junior Jabbie
Stanley J. Kanter
Jason E. Kelly
Stephen M. Maiorisi
Gail McCann
Kelley Nickson Morris
Donald W. Powers
John A. Rupp
Richard Schartner
Lucie G. Searle
Deming E. Sherman
Pamela M. Sherrill
Julia Anne M. Slom
Jonathan F. Stone
Barbara van Beuren
Martha L. Werenfels

Directors Emeritus

Arnold "Buff" Chace

Louise Durfee, Esq.
Michael S. Hudner
Michael F. Ryan
W. Edward Wood



Staff

 

Scott Wolf

 

Executive Director

 

Sheila Brush

  

Director of Programs

 

John Flaherty 


Director of Research & Communications

 

Leslie Denomme 


Executive Assistant for Finance

 

Dorothy Dauray 


Office Assistant

 

Jodi Castallo 


Training Coordinator

  





Governor taps Kelly for 
RIEDC Board

We're pleased to announce that Grow Smart RI Board member Jason Kelly was nominated by Governor Chafee to the RIEDC Board in March and was confirmed by the Senate on April 11, 2013.  Jason is Executive Vice President of Moran Shipping Agencies in Providence.  [More]


Clean Day on the Greenway 2013
Thursday, April 18th
Click to register
Click for details






Grow Smart Rhode Island
235 Promenade Street, Suite 550
Providence, RI  02809
 401-273-5711 
The Foundry Corporate Office Center,
Grow Smart RI's home

 

 



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Dear John   

 

You're among the 4,479 civic leaders, state & local officials, development professionals, investors, decision-makers and visionary citizens getting the latest news, happenings and trends in the local smart growth movement.   

 

We're Grow Smart Rhode Island. Partner with us. Support us with a tax deductible contribution. Let's make Rhode Island a better place together by playing to our strengths.


New Historic Tax Credit with reach, staying power remains Grow Smart goal

Largest coalition ever backing the return of key revitalization incentive
 
 

In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on April 2, 2013, Grow Smart RI Executive Director Scott Wolf reiterated Grow Smart's desire for a restored Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program that is robust, equipped with multi-year funding and available to a variety of  revitalization projects in a variety of locations. 

 

While praising the bill's recommendation to recycle abandoned credits as a funding source for a new HTC program, Wolf stressed that additional funding sources should also be considered for a new program to ensure its longevity and predictability. 

 

Grow Smart has been researching HTC best practices from other states and sharing our findings with the staffs of the Senate President and House Speaker in an effort to structure a program that will deliver the best value for Rhode Island. 

 

The coalition committed to restoring a strong, predictable and transparent HTC is expanding.  The Coalition for Neighborhood and Economic Renewal (CNER) now boasts 110 organizations, 32 more than were recruited in any other year of Grow Smart organizing on behalf of the State Historic Tax Credit. 

 

Is Your organization listed?

 


Transit advocates gear up to move legislation that strengthens RIPTA

Bill hearing set for April 30th and Rally for May 2nd 




Years in the works, those who back a stronger mass transit system will have the opportunity to influence decision makers in supporting legislation designed to stabilize transit funding and allow improvements that make transit a more viable option for more Rhode Islanders.
 
H-5073 will be heard by the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, April 30th beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Those interested in testifying in support are encouraged to contact John Flaherty, Co-Chair of the Coalition for Transportation Choices.  Click HERE to see a sampling of advocates who have testified on behalf of this proposal over the last 3 years.
 
View letters of support from organizations and municipalities that support the Transit Investment Act.
 
Attend a rally in support of the Transit Investment Act at the State House Rotunda on Thursday, May 2nd at 3:30 p.m.
 
Like us on Facebook to get last minute details.
 
Editorial support for Transit Investment Act grows

Click HERE to read editorials from the Providence Journal and The Newport Daily News.
 

 


Public events in April focus on food, farms

 
Food Matters: Community Conversation April 23
 
The RI Food Policy Council (RIFPC) invites the public to attend the launch of Food Matters: A Community Conversation Series on Tuesday April 23, 2013, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Providence Career & Technical Academy, 41 Fricker Street, Providence. The series is designed to gather interested voices around the table for collaborative conversation and listening about food issues.  A light supper will be served.

 

On the 23rd, Kathleen Gorman, Director of the URI Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America will lead attendees in a community discussion on "Food Security & Ways to Make Our Food System Fair." The discussion will include the RIFPC Ideas Exchange, an interactive session designed to engage participants in a community-wide identification of food issues while encouraging collective solutions and feedback around those issues.

 

Suggested donation: $10. Please register in advance at RI Food Policy Council.

 

 
RI Agricultural Day at State House on April 25

 

To recognize the importance of the state's $1.7 billion agriculture and green industries, the Department of Environmental Management will host Rhode Island Agriculture Day at the State House on Thursday, April 25 (11:30a - 5:00p).

This year's RI Agriculture Day program will recognize the 100th anniversary of the RI Fruit Growers Association with the preview of a new documentary film on the state's apple industry, entitled "Vanishing Orchards." In addition, the event will highlight a new initiative to promote and market local seafood as well as ongoing programs to maintain the viability of farming in Rhode Island.
 
 

Seats filling up quickly for May 13th Complete Streets forum

Mark Fenton, former host of "America's Walking", will headline forum to be held in Apponaug Village, Warwick 
Complete Streets are roadways designed with all users in mind

 

Complete Streets allow pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, seniors, youth and the disabled - as well as motorists - to easily and safely get around in their communities. 

 
The Coalition for Transportation Choices (CTC) and Grow Smart - through its Land Use Training Collaborative and with support from the RI Department of Health - are collaborating on 
the workshop intended to help municipal officials and advocates better understand and implement strategies for shaping more walkable and bikeable communities.

 

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian and RIDOT Director Michael Lewis will be on hand to welcome participants and to discuss the opportunities and benefits of implementing Complete Streets at the local level.

Avedisian        Lewis

 

The workshop is free and will be limited to 50 people. It will be held at the Warwick Museum of Art in Apponaug Village in Warwick on Monday, May 13th, 3:30-7:30 p.m. 

 

Download registration form HERE

 


Training for Conducting Effective Land Use Reviews to be held in South County April 25

 

Training open to municipal staff and volunteers in any Rhode Island community

 

 

Conducting Effective Land Use Reviews is led by experienced land use attorneys and planners.  This workshop will guide you through your legal responsibilities as a public official in Rhode Island and discuss in detail the legally required procedures and best practices that should be followed in conducting land use reviews.  The workshop provides ample time for participant questions.

  • Charlestown, RI
  • Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
  • Kettle Pond Visitor Center
The total training fee is $30, which covers training, a training manual and a light supper.  The Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust provides registration fee assistance for Trust members for this training (see flyer).
 

 

Historic Preservation Conference to be held April 27th in West Warwick

 

Morning coffee and pastry, lunch and closing reception included for $40 registration fee

 


 

Join Grow Smart Rhode Island at "Preservation Works" - the 28th Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in West Warwick on Saturday, April 27th 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

The day-long "Preservation Works" conference examines how preservation works and what we work to preserve--historic mills and mill villages, downtown commercial districts, public works, and works of art.  

 

The event gets underway at the Church of St. John the Baptist in historic Arctic Village with a keynote speech on the industrialization of 19th-century southern New England.  The speech is followed by 12 workshops and 11 bus, bicycle, and walking tours of historic places around the Pawtuxet River Valley, including Royal Mill and Anthony Mill--both restored using the RI Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credit.  

 

Grow Smart Rhode Island's Sheila Brush is participating in a session on "Reinvestment Works: The Case for Preservation Tax Credits" with developers, public officials, and other advocates. Presented by the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, the annual conference is a great opportunity to explore the historic Pawtuxet River Valley for design professionals, students, history buffs, public officials, and everyone else. 

 

To register, click HERE

 


This email was sent to jflaherty@growsmartri.org by jflaherty@growsmartri.com |  
Grow Smart Rhode Island | 235 Promenade Street | Suite 550 | Providence | RI | 02908