Welcome to TIVERTON 1st!

Tiverton 1st is a grassroots community organization open to all who support preserving our quality of life in Tiverton by maintaining both our community and school services in a fiscally-responsible way, and promoting cooperation, compromise and community pride.
Membership is open to all Tiverton residents who are at least 18 years old & support Tiverton 1st's principles & goals (non-residents or those under 18 years old are welcome to join as non-voting members). There's no membership fee.Just email your name, address, phone # and email address to: Tiverton1st@cox.net.
You can also request to become a "Tiverton 1st Friend"& join our confidential email list.

Monday, July 20, 2015

TOWN COUNCIL VOTES 5-2 AGAINST CHANGING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO PERMIT PROPOSED TIVERTON GLEN MEGADEVELOPMENT

The Town Council voted 5-2 tonight against altering the Town's Comprehensive Community Plan to make the Tiverton Glen proposal possible (against: Pelletier, Mello, Chabot, DeMedeiros, Sousa / for: Lambert, Perry). 

Thanks to the five Councilors who heard the people say loudly and clearly "no!" to changing the small town nature of Tiverton. And thanks to everyone who spoke out, wrote, and worked to help stop a destructive proposal, and an improper process.


Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN / TIVERTON GLEN PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUES TONIGHT (MON JULY 20) @ 7p at THS

A reminder that the continuation of the Town Council's public hearing on a proposal to change the town's Comprehensive Community Plan (and a proposed zoning change) to facilitate the proposed Tiverton Glen development is tomorrow (Mon July 20) at 7p at the THS auditorium. 

It's a last chance for all interested residents to be heard on these proposals before a likely Council vote. It's important to make your voice heard on this crucial issue affecting Tiverton's future, and that all who attend be respectful of all who speak, on either side of the issue, as well as the Council and other officials.

One issue that has arisen is what will be voted on. The developer's spokesperson has written a letter claiming the proposed changes are simply minor language tweaks. This is inaccurate, as the changes required to allow what Carpianato is proposing requires a complete alteration of the Comp Plan, and that is what will be voted on. 


Also, the Council claims this change is not specifically about Tiverton Glen. This may be accurate technically, but the undeniable fact is that these changes are being proposed now, outside the normal process, solely to accommodate TG. In fact, while residents were told they couldn't speak to the details of this development, the developer was offered an opportunity to speak first at the hearing, Why was this done if the Comp Plan changes weren't about TG? 

The fact is that a special process is being rushed through to accommodate a development that runs totally counter to the current Comp Plan, and will permanently change Tiverton's small town nature. And this is being done as the developer completely changes the plan presented to the Planning board, and asks the Council to approve this new plan,and undo the limitations set by the Planning Boatd. That's what's going on and what's at stake tomorrow, and to try to spin it as something else is dishonest.

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

PROJO: NEW LIBRARY IS A HIT

The new library is quickly becoming what supporters envisioned (link below). Despite attempts by some to stop this project, and talk it down since it was built, the new library is a huge asset to our community.Thanks again to all who worked long and hard to make it happen, and to the voters who supported it.

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150720/NEWS/150729954/-1/breaking_ajax

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

LETTER: TIVERTON GLEN MESS IS DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN


As Tiverton's Town Council considers whether to ignore proper process, and the clear opposition of residents and businesses, to rewrite the town's Comprehensive Community Plan to accommodate a developer, I'm reminded of a Yogi Berra quote: "It's like deja vu all over again."

"Tiverton Glen" is the latest attempt to bring big-box stores and sprawl to Tiverton, under the guise of a "mixed-use development". The developer, Carpianato Group, has shown their disregard for Tiverton. Shortly after gaining narrow approval from the Planning Board, this developer presented a much larger and significantly different plan to the Town Council for approval, which also eliminates restrictions suggested by the Planning Board. If the Council approves this plan, they will be not just letting the wolf inside the hen-house, but putting the wolf in control.

Yet some on the Town Council seem willing to not only irreversibly sell out the town's greatest asset, the small-town character treasured by so many, but to cheat the proper process to do so. They are looking to rush through fundamental changes to our Comprehensive Plan, since what is proposed runs completely counter to it, and to ignore the committee they appointed to review the Comp Plan and make recommendations.

Over 500 residents attended last week's public hearing, the overwhelming majority expressing opposition to changing the Comp Plan, and to Tiverton Glen. Yet some refuse to accept this reality, claiming the town is evenly split but supporters choose to remain invisible. This is as misguided as when the State officials who conducted the bridge-toll hearings ignored near-unanimous opposition.

A decade ago, a similar development was proposed at the same location, and residents rose up in opposition. Despite this, the Council attempted to bypass established process and proceed, some claiming there was a silent majority who supported it. The next Council election occurred before a decision was made, and all Councilors who had expressed support for this plan were voted out, replaced by seven Councilors who opposed it (I was one of those elected).

Our elected Councilors should put Tiverton's interests before that of a developer. At a minimum, the Council owes it to the people of Tiverton to follow the established process to revise the Comprehensive Plan. I know I'm not the only resident fed up with being told our beautiful town is so pitiful that we should be grateful that a developer wants to exploit and permanently change it. And I know I won't be the only one doing all I can to defeat any Councilor who votes to bypass the proper process and shred our Comp Plan to please a developer. Tiverton deserves better.


Brian Medeiros

Tiverton, RI

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

OVERWHELMING MAJORITY AT PUBLIC HEARING OPPOSES CHANGES TO TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE TIVERTON GLEN DEVELOPER

Great to see such a large turnout on a hot July night, with the overwhelming majority strongly opposed to this attempt to forever change the small-town nature of Tiverton by altering the town's Comprehensive Community Plan to accommodate the developer of the proposed Tiverton Glen/Crossings mega-development (links to media coverage below).

The Town Council continued this public hearing on proposals to alter the town's Comprehensive Community Plan and zoning to July 20. The Council plans to hear more public comment, and then deliberate and vote on the proposals. Whatever your view of this proposed development, this meeting (and the two weeks leading up to it) is your opportunity to let your elected representatives know your view on these proposed changes.


Brian Medeiros

Tiverton, RI

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150707/NEWS/150709497


http://www.heraldnews.com/article/20150707/NEWS/150707481/0/breaking_ajax

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT @ 7p AT THS ON TIVERTON GLEN PROPOSAL / CHANGES TO TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Tonight's public hearing (7pm at THS) may well determine the future of Tiverton. Not only are the Tiverton Glen developers asking the Town Council to change the zoning and the town's Comprehensive Plan to accommodate their proposal, but now they are seeking a larger project than what the Planning Board spent months reviewing, and they want the Council to ignore requirements set by the Planning Board. This is an outrageous attempt to bypass the Planning Board and subvert the towns planning processes. 

Whatever your views on this development, hopefully we can all agree that this is an unacceptable way to bring development. If you agree, let your elected Town Councilors know that this is not how things should be done in Tiverton.

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

TOWN SEEKS TO EXTEND LIFE OF LANDFILL

Providence Journal article on Tiverton's request to the State to be allowed to extend the length of operations at the town landfill.

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150701/NEWS/150709947/-1/breaking_ajax