In a decisive move during a special Town Council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. introduced a plan to replace a low-income housing project proposed by a private developer with a new, centralized municipal campus housing the Fire Department, Police Department and Town Hall.
The projected cost of the project has yet to be determined.
The first time the project was mentioned publicly was when the town clerk filed the meeting’s agenda last Friday afternoon. With a Town Council vote of 4 to 0, and District 5 Councilman Robert J. Civetti not present, the proposed resolution was approved.
“We plan to fund the project by changing our strategy on the high school, going back to the original plan of a renovation with a focus on career and technical pathways, use of our $40-million cash reserves, and our revenue stream from the police and fire departments,” Polisena said.
The resolution came as a surprise to Schools Superintendent Bernard DiLullo, who said he learned of the plan the same time it was released to the public. The town had been exploring the possibility of building a new high school. The planned building was to be built for 761 students, as NESDEC (New England School Development Council) projections show Johnston’s enrollment beginning to shrink in the 2025-26 school year, reaching 761 in the 2028-29 school year.
DiLullo said he preferred not to comment on any proposals yet as he did not have the complete details.
TAKING BY EMINENT DOMAIN
“As many of you are aware, there is a 252-unit, 100% low-income housing project being proposed off George Waterman Road. The developer is using state law to usurp town zoning, ultimately rendering the town powerless to stop the project,” Mayor Polisena said in a Facebook post announcing his decision on Monday. “This project would cost our current taxpayers millions, with at least $2 million to educate the kids in our school system. With that being said, I am hereby announcing the taking of all 31 acres of that land by eminent domain.”
In response to inquiries from the Sun Rise, Polisena said several situational factors led to the selection of the site. He said town buildings are “decrepit” and first responders work “in squalor.” He added that the administration took a hard look at three different sites in the past for facilities improvements, with the hardest look given to AA Wrecking. at 1307 Hartford Ave., but those plans did not come to fruition.
Prior to the announcement of this housing development, the town had no designs on the 31-acre parcel with access to sewers and water.
Polisena said the proposed municipal complex is “not extravagant, but modern and efficient buildings for our first responders and employees.” He said he believes the change will provide a “one stop shopping experience” for residents, who will no longer have to drive to different town buildings to receive certain services. He also advocated that bringing public safety closer to residents will provide more security, particularly from a firefighter perspective, as many of their rescue runs are to residential homes and not commercial businesses.
The ambitious proposal seeks to modernize all three facilities with new buildings. It also seeks to provide economic and operational efficiencies and 21st century services to the community. It also appears to block a proposed low-income housing plan now in its pre-application stage.
PROPOSED HOUSING PROJECT
The housing project, proposed by Waterman Chenango LLC of Johnston, seeks to build a 255-apartment building on the same land at 178 and 200 George Waterman Road. According to a letter from Kelley Morris Salvatore, the Providence lawyer representing the project, it would consist entirely of rental units for low-income residents. She described the property as 31 acres, of which about 18 acres are upland-land that is buildable, not wetlands or other environmentally sensitive land. A call to Morris Salvatore went unreturned prior to the Sun Rise deadline.
“I still think the American dream is to own a home," said the mayor in a recent interview, adding that he is committed to supporting policies that promote homeownership versus prioritizing renting.
"But I think there is a way to incentivize homeownership, and I understand times are tough," he said, citing taxation and construction incentivization. "However, I do not want to do anything to incentivize renting, whether that be market-rate rent or low-income rent."
During the council presentation, public comments were open for the overflow crowd, which spilled outside into the parking lot. One member of the public, Jairson Ascencao, a resident of Johnston, spoke out against the proposal and asked the council to seek a compromise.
“The reason I came here primarily is because of the housing crisis in Rhode Island and America. Two hundred and fifty plus units of housing is an extreme amount of housing and it’s something people have needed,” Astentao said, acknowledging that there was a need for new town buildings as well. “It’s a real trouble getting housing and getting a place where your family can stay. I really ask that you consider what your residents need.”
THE MUNICIPAL CAMPUS PROPOSAL
The resolution cites a review conducted by Police Chief Mark Vieira and Fire Chief David Iannuccilli that found the site is an “excellent” location for public safety services. All three town buildings are approaching the end of their operational usefulness, according to the mayor and chiefs.
Fire Chief David Iannuccilli presented the council with a laundry list of deficiencies and derelictions his Fire Department faces, including a basement with only one egress and a building that doesn’t meet fire code. He said the department had outgrown the station, which now presents health and safety hazards.
“I have been on the department for over 30 years, and during that time, there have been no significant upgrades to the building other than any needed repairs. The current condition of our building has led to an increase in the cost of repairs, and as time goes on these repairs become more frequent and more expensive,” said Iannuccilli. “Our building does not meet national fire protection agency standards.”
Dozens of pictures of current physical conditions of the Fire Department were presented to the council in the form of a packet during the council meeting. He added that the station does not have a working sprinkler system, something the department requires of businesses in town.
“More importantly, it’s my concern of the life and safety issues that are present throughout the building, but to be honest, my firefighters deserve better,” said Iannuccilli.
For Police Chief Mark Vieira, department deficiencies mean public safety is at risk. He said the size of the current police force is in jeopardy due to the dilapidated conditions found in flood-prone rooms and jail cells, closet offices and electrical systems.
“There is a concern that our current police station will adversely impact our recruitment and retention efforts due to a less than desirable work environment with overcrowded workspaces and the inability to support specialization,” Vieira told the council. “These much-needed improvements are essential to support modern-day policing as the Johnston community continues to grow and evolve. These upgrades would enhance the department’s capacity to continue delivering high quality police services to the community and help assure accreditation standards are maintained.”
Polisena said he believes the complex proposal would take several years to complete. He also anticipates a court challenge to the plan, but said he believes the town is on sound legal ground with its intended public purpose of the project.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
The George Waterman site proposed for these projects, however, does have challenges. About six weeks ago, the administration hired DiPrete Engineering to review the property to determine if it was appropriate for such a development. That review confirmed the site as appropriate for a public safety headquarters and a municipal hall.
Brian Thalmann, senior project manager at DiPrete Engineering, told the Town Council during the resolution meeting that his firm spoke with several divisions of the Department of Environmental Management to address potential environmental concerns at the site.
“What we can say is that while there are some challenges that this site presents moving forward, that none of them would be able to derail anything moving through a full design process,”said Thalmann. “We’re comfortable in saying that if this project were to be granted, with the approval at this level and subsequent [eminent] domain process, that the municipal campus could be constructed and would be a good use for this site.”
COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPOND
Following the approval of the resolution, Town Council members spoke with the Sun Rise in regard to the conditions they saw and their thoughts about the proposal.
“I’m very excited because we’re looking for a campus for the … elementary schools, which is working. Now we’ll have it with our government buildings. We’ll have police, fire, and municipal all in one location, which I think is very efficient, I think it’s a perfect use of the land; I think the town needed it for many years,” said Council President Robert Russo, whose district would include the new complex.
“As we saw in tonight’s presentation, [public safety department] conditions are horrible. I didn’t know they were that deplorable. It’s good for the taxpayers, I think the citizens will be happy with it, it’s going to make it a lot easier for our elderly. We’ve outgrown these facilities, and I think this is the wave of the future to develop like this.”
Russo did acknowledge, however, that this is a long process and that lawsuits may be inevitable.
“We’re in the business of lawsuits nowadays. But you’ve got the benefit, and do a cost/benefit analysis, and the benefit of what we’re looking to do here justifies the cost of a lawsuit,” he said.
“With the discussions that we heard today, we’re in dire need for a safety complex, and this is an ideal location for it, and I think it was a good decision,” added District 3 Councilman Alfred Carnevale. District 1 Councilwoman Linda Folcarelli said she agreed with his sentiments.
Councilwoman Lauren Garzone felt the resolution was past due.
I am very proud that this town is going into the 21st century on a good foot,” she said while listing the decline in facilities. “With public safety, they save our lives, and we weren’t saving their lives, and that’s a darn shame.”
As the council approved the measure, the town will proceed with eminent domain through the exercise of condemnation as provided by the town Charter and take title. In Rhode Island, the government can exercise eminent domain for a number of reasons, including transportation, public utilities and economic development. The government must pay the owner "just compensation" for the property. That determination has yet to be made.
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