City receives $100K ‘Take It Outside’ grant

Cranston has been awarded a $100,000 grant in the Rhode Island Commerce Corp.’s latest round of “Take It Outside” funding.

The program, established by Gov. Gina Raimondo, seeks to help businesses increase outdoor activity to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. It provides funding to businesses through intermediary organizations such as municipalities and chambers of commerce.

“I’m excited that we’re able to get the grant …“We’re going to continue to do what we can to help support [businesses],” Mayor Allan Fung said Monday.

Cranston’s award will be distributed to businesses through a sub-grant program. Fung said the application process is being developed through Larry DiBoni, the city’s economic development director.

“This second round of grants represents an investment in the Rhode Island organizations who have thought outside the box to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This new funding will help our businesses, communities, and nonprofits in finding even more ways to Take It Outside,” Raimondo said in a press release. “We are grateful to every business owner working to keep their customers and staff safe and healthy, and we’re going to continue to support them at every step of the way.”

Library’s Garcia nominated for ALA president

Ed Garcia, director of the Cranston Public Library, is one of three nominees to serve as the next president of the American Library Association.

“It’s very cool. For me, I was really lucky and was able to attend the ALA annual conferences when I was in library school at URI … So I got involved in ALA very early on,” Garcia said Monday. “It’s just been so helpful to me in my career that I’ve wanted to give back to the organization.”

Garcia said the ALA’s nominating committee reached out to him early in the summer, and he completed a nomination packet for consideration. The other two finalists are Stacey Aldrich, state librarian for the Hawaii State Library System, and Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, adult services assistant manager for the Palos Verdes Library District in Rolling Hills Estates, California.

Voting for the ALA’s presidency will be held in March, Garcia said. Typically, between 10,000 and 15,000 of the organization’s roughly 56,000 members cast ballots in the voting. If he is elected, he will become the group’s president-elect in June and assume the role of president in 2022.

Garcia already serves in several capacities for ALA, including as a member of its Executive Board. He said if elected president, he hopes to “see through” work on a number of initiatives, including finding new ways to address challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

‘In-fill’ zoning resolution approved

During its regular monthly meeting Monday, the City Council approved a resolution urging the administration to pursue the enactment of new “in-fill” zoning rules.

Ward 6 Councilman Michael Favicchio, who introduced the resolution, described the “in-fill” approach as a “very direct and simple way of introducing some more affordable housing into the city.”

Essentially, the concept involves allowing for flexibility in terms of new construction on vacant, non-conforming lots – particularly in areas that had already been developed prior to the enactment of the city’s zoning laws in the 1960s.

Favicchio said his resolution urges the adoption of new rules to allow for non-conforming home construction “where it fits the character of the neighborhood.” The hope, he said, is for the creation of new affordably priced and “starter” homes that will help alleviate the demand for housing in the city.

Favicchio said he is pursuing the matter through a resolution, rather than an ordinance, because the current term is nearly at and end. He is leaving the council in January due to term limits.

Planning Director Jason Pezzullo said his department has discussed the possibility “in-fill” zoning – and been supportive of it – for some time.

“It’s been an issue for decades … In-fill is the way to get units that are in the range of affordable to be built,” he said.

Pezzullo added, however, that the “in-fill” approach would be just “one slice of the pie” when it comes to the broader issue of affordable housing. He also said development of “in-fill” rules is “not going to be an easy lift.”

Ward 3 Councilman John Donegan, the sole vote against the resolution, said he is concerned the “in-fill” approach could exacerbate density issues in some neighborhoods and further concentrate low- and moderate-income housing in some parts of the city. He also fears the loss of green space in neighborhood settings.

“I would want further data on the impact this would have,” he said.

Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos said he was “a little bit torn” on the resolution, although he ultimately voted in favor of passage. He said the “record of the Planning Department has been that lawyers for the developers write ordinances and the Planning Department kind of fronts for them.”

“I think developers’ opinions should be considered. But it should be done like every other member of the public has to do … It should not be done secretly in your office,” he said.

Director of Administration Daniel Parrillo countered: “I don’t think the administration has hidden anything whatsoever. I think we’re very transparent.”

Finance panel continues discussion of city bidding plans

Debate on proposals aimed at expanding the number of city contracts awarded to local businesses owned by women, members of minority groups and veterans was continued during Monday’s meeting of the City Council’s Finance Committee.

The first of the proposals, introduced by Ward 3 Councilman John Donegan, was continued to the November meeting of the finance panel. The measure – which seeks to establish a “bid discount” program for minority-owned, woman-owned and local businesses – had previously been continued twice.

The second, submitted by Ward 1 Councilwoman Lammis Vargas and cosponsored by Donegan and Ward 2 Councilwoman Aniece Germain, would take a different approach, establishing a certification system and bid award requirements similar to what currently exists in state law. Vargas withdrew the proposal with plans to resubmit it as new business at November’s council meeting following further discussions with the city administration and changes to the existing language.

Donegan’s proposal would provide bid discounts for businesses that are based in Cranston, minority-owned and women owned. Each of those criteria would be eligible for a 2 percent discount, for a total of up to 6 percent. As an example, if a business were owned by a woman and based in Cranston, it would receive a discount of 4 percent – meaning that during the bid evaluation process, its bid would be reduced by 4 percent, even though the city would pay the full price.

During Monday’s meeting, the Finance Committee approved an amendment to Donegan’s proposal that would cap the value of discounts at $10,000. Previously, the figure had been set at $50,000.

Donegan initially sought a vote on the proposal Monday, but agreed to a continuation at the request of other council members. It was suggested that the bid discount plan might be incorporated into the measure introduced by Vargas.

Officials debate tax rate for solar facilities

The City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday continued discussion on a proposal that would significantly increase the tangible property tax rate paid by owners of large solar facilities in Cranston.

Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos introduced the proposal, which would increase the tangible property tax rate for such installations from $2 per kilowatt to $10 per kilowatt. He said the current $2 rate is far lower than seen in other communities and states, and the $10 figure would be “reasonable.” The proposal would also tie future increases in the rate to any increases in the city’s commercial tax rate.

Stycos said estimates he received from the administration suggest the increase would result in between $250,000 and $300,000 in additional revenue to the city – a “considerable amount of money” at a time when the economic impact of the pandemic has created a great deal of uncertainty.

“I just think it’s going to be critical to get money into the budget, and particularly from a business that has money, and that’s a much better route than raising the residential tax rate,” Stycos said.

Ward 4 Councilman Ed Brady said he agrees the current $2 rate is “too low,” but he asked for more time to gather information regarding the proposal. He specifically questioned what impact the increase would have on the city’s negotiations with Revity Energy, developer of the Natick Avenue solar project, toward a net metering agreement.

“I don’t know how it would affect, if it would at all … I think those are good questions and we should have that information,” Stycos said, agreeing to the request for a continuance.

Robert Murray, the attorney representing Revity, addressed the committee prior to the continuance vote and expressed opposition to the proposal.

“I’m not sure what statement this makes about supporting renewable energy projects,” he said, adding: “This ordinance is nothing more than a punishment, or punitive, for solar facilities.”

He later continued: “To impose this type of punitive action … is probably going to be met with a litigious reaction.”

Daniel Parrillo, the city’s director administration, told council members the talks on the net metering agreement are “ongoing.”

-- Daniel Kittredge