Development News for South Kingstown, Rhode Island

Resident Pitches Alternative Energy Solution to Town's CCA Program

During the public comment section, a resident named Rockco Graass presented information about his company, Kilowatt, and its solution to the town's Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, which he described as 'not safe, not simple, and not effective.' He argued that Kilowatt offers a safer, simpler, and more effective alternative by utilizing AI technology to shop for better energy rates, providing market-based rates and savings analyses. He presented a chart comparing Kilowatt's pricing to the town's CCA pricing and Rhode Island Energy. The council acknowledged the presentation but noted that a detailed presentation would require adding the topic to a future agenda due to time constraints and the complexity of the topic.

South Kingtown Council Reallocates Unused Funds to Support 250th Committee Event

The Town Council approved the reallocation of $2,000 from the Peaceale Neighborhood Revitalization budget to the 250th Committee for their upcoming June 27th event. The Peaceale Neighborhood Revitalization funds were allocated during the previous fiscal year's budget but had not been claimed by the organization. The 250th Committee, led by Sharon Henderson, required additional funds for their commemorative event. The council agreed that reallocating these unused funds was a practical solution to support the 250th Committee's needs while closing out the fiscal year's budget.

South Kingtown Council Approves Amendment to Allow Restaurants Without Alcohol in Industrial Zones

The Town Council heard a public hearing regarding a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow restaurants without alcohol sales as a permitted use in the Industrial One (IND1) district. The applicant, representing Palisades Mill LLC, sought to revert the zoning to its pre-2023 status, where such uses were permitted by special use permit. The proposed amendment includes specific criteria for these restaurants, such as a maximum size of 2500 square feet, to ensure they are small-scale and do not negatively impact surrounding areas. The planning board unanimously recommended approval, finding the amendment consistent with the comprehensive land use plan. The council discussed the limited scope of the IND1 district, which primarily affects a few properties, and the process for potentially allowing restaurants with alcohol sales in the future (which would require a separate amendment and special use permit application). The council ultimately approved the amendment.

South Kingtown Police Department to Acquire Data Analysis Software with Opioid Settlement Funds

The Town Council approved the purchase of a data analysis software solution called Peragan for the South Kingtown Police Department. The software, costing approximately $43,000 for a one-year contract, aims to improve the department's ability to analyze data currently held in its 25-year-old records management system. The funds for this purchase will come from the town's opioid settlement account. Peragan was selected as the lowest bidder out of eight companies after a competitive bidding process and is designed to merge data from various police systems (CAD, records management, body cameras, time management) to enable better analysis of incidents like overdoses, EMS calls, and officer workload. The police department plans to evaluate the software's effectiveness during the one-year contract period before considering a multi-year agreement. Access to the data will be restricted to the police department.