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'Informational Meeting' on Affordable Housing Development Next Week

East Bay Community Development Corporation is hosting a pubic session specifically for the neighbors of the proposed Palmer Pointe development on Sowams Road in Barrington.

 

An “informational meeting” on the proposed Palmer Pointe affordable-housing development on Sowams Road in Barrington will be held next Tuesday evening, Nov. 27.

The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the Barrington library auditorium.

Representatives of the developer – East Bay Community Development Corporation – will join with the engineer and the architect to explain the already controversial development and to field questions, said Frank Spinella of FJS Associates, a consultant to EBCDC.

“All of the abutters within 500 feet of the development are receiving an invitation to attend,” said Spinella. “It will be an informal neighborhood meeting, not something that is required.”

“We’re hoping that people show up with an open mind,” Spinella said. “That’s our hope.”

A rendering of the 48-unit development will be on hand, he said. There will be a PowerPoint presentation as well.

“We want neighbors to meet the team, who will introduce the plan, and how it came about, before we get feedback from the town,” Spinella said. “This will give people an opportunity in a less formal session than a public hearing before the Planning Board.”

The engineer is Shawn Martin of Fuss & O’Neill of Providence. The architect is Don Powers of Union Studio in Providence.

Spinella said the details of the proposed development will be laid out on Tuesday. But it will include 48 rental units in 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom layouts that are not unlike Sweetbriar in Bay Spring.

“In Barrington,” Spinella said, “22.5 percent of residents would qualify for these homes. And decent, affordable housing can change their lives.”

Many neighbors in that part of Barrington have already indicated that they oppose the development. A petition against the housing project has been circulating for weeks.

“We’re hoping for a positive exchange that will make everyone more informed,” said Spinella. “We always try to be good neighbors.”

Related Topics: East Bay Community Development Corporation

Gary Morse

7:14 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I assume this meeting is open to all residents of Barrington, not just those receiving the "invitation". See blog at:

http://barrington.patch.com/articles/affordable-housing-meeting-cancelled

The major question is whether EBCDC will be asking the town council for a property tax break on this new construction as they did for the Sweetbriar project.

This is a huge issue for the town. We already know that our so called objective town attorney (Ursillo law firm) does legal work for the Executive Director of EBCDC, thus any legal opinion on these matters may come to the town with a certain bias towards the EBCDC.

Our town needs a truly objective legal opinion on these matters.

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