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BONNET
SHORES MASTER PLAN
Table of Contents
| Bonnet
Shores Master Plan Background/History |
1 |
| Long
Range Plan Vision |
2 |
| Valued
Community Characteristics and Special Features |
2 |
| Bonnet Shores
Land Trust |
3-4 |
| Historical
Perspective |
3 |
| Governmental
Management |
3-4 |
| Long
Term Goals/Water Quality & Safety |
4-5 |
| Long Term
Goals for Transportation & Roads |
5 |
| Long
Term Goals for Health and Sanitation |
6 |
| Long
Term Goals for Recreation |
6 |
| Long
Term Goals for Communication |
6-7 |
| Organization
chart |
8 |
| Acknowledgements |
9 |
Page 1
BACKGROUND
In the winter of 1998 The Bonnet Shores
Long Range Planning Committee hired the Newport Collaborative
Architects, Inc. (NCA), in association with Pawlowski
Associates, to assist the Bonnet Shores community in preparing a
comprehensive Master Plan.
The Bonnet Shores community
undertook this Master Plan process motivated by several
concerns, including: future growth, protection of open space,
preservation of our unique South County seaside character and
the need for guidelines to direct planning for the future.
With these issues in mind, a
year-long community-based planning process began. The process
was a collaborative effort between the resident property owners
of Bonnet Shores, members of the Long Range Planning Committee,
Town of Narragansett officials and the consultants. Funding for
the planning process was provided by State and Town sources.
The original Master Plan
document was the product of community meetings, surveys and
workshops in which many Bonnet Shores Residents participated
during the summer of 1999. It was the result of the enthusiastic
participation of those who care about Bonnet Shores. All of the
issues identified, recommendations made and guidelines for
implementation and maintenance were the result of mutual
collaboration.
The Master Plan is intended to
provide a long-range context in which future decisions can be
considered. In this way, those responsible for making decisions
about the future of Bonnet Shores can maintain the focus of
goals and objectives reached through consensus.
In the Fall of 2001 the
original Master Plan was revised and modified at the request of
the Bonnet Shores Fire District Council and concerned residents.
The resulting Long Range Plan provides a generic overview of the
residents’ intent for the Fire District and its governing
body.
The noted goals and
objectives were identified by our residents who participated in
public meetings and responded through surveys to the Long Range
Planning Committee. Neighbors also provided input to committee
members during this process, some of which is incorporated in this
plan.
Page 2
LONG RANGE PLAN VISION
The vision for the Bonnet Shores
Community’s future includes protecting and preserving the
existing characteristics that define Bonnet Shores. These
include our beaches, boating, scenic views, existing open spaces,
community building and related activities along with our special
environmental characteristics, which should be protected and
enhanced to maintain our unique South County seaside character.
These key features are the primary drivers behind our strong
feeling of community and neighborliness.
VALUED COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS
And Special Features
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Bonnet Shores is a small-scale community
within the Town of Narragansett. It is almost exclusively
residential, with a mix of year-round and seasonal residents.
Bonnet Shores is rich in outstanding natural
resources. Bounded by Narragansett Bay on two sides and facing
Conanicut Island to the east, it offers spectacular views of the
Atlantic Ocean and the bay. Wesquage Pond, open spaces, and the
existing natural features all add to the charm of the area.
The architectural character of Bonnet Shores
is varied, with styles ranging from grand Colonial Revival and
Tudor homes to Cape Cod style homes, and even an area of log
cabins. This mix contributes significantly to the community’s
special character.
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There are also many community owned amenities
which are the financial responsibility of the Fire District. These
features and amenities include:
Ø1 Two
salt water bathing beaches: one, a sandy south – facing beach on
the south edge of the community known as Kelly Beach or Big Beach,
the other a sheltered east facing beach in what is known as the
Little Beach or Old Dock area.
Ø A
mooring area, boat launch ramp and dock.
Ø A
community center used for community entertainment and meetings.
Ø A
playground and playing field
Ø An
historic site with cliff-side overlook
Ø A
fishing and canoe dock at Wesquage Pond, accessed from Camden
Road.
Ø Open
space. |
Page 3
The Bonnet Shores Land Trust
The Bonnet Shores Land Trust,
established in 1991 through an Act of the Rhode Island General
Assembly, is a non-profit entity that has the authority to
acquire, hold and manage land for the preservation of open space.
The Land Trust shelters Bonnet Shores community property.
The Land Trust is also a vehicle
for educating the public on the need to protect and preserve open
space. Land and monetary donations are accepted by the Land Trust
and used to maintain and grow the protected community property of
the Fire District Community.
The Bonnet Shores
Beach Club Condo Association is a separate entity located within the
Bonnet Shores Fire District.
HISTORY
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In 1928 Bonnet Shores was envisioned by its
developers as a summer resort to rival Newport in prestige and
amenities. However, the stock market crash in 1929 and the
Depression scaled development to a more modest level.
The original Master Plan (1932) for Bonnet
Shores included a golf course, beach club and pavilion consisting
of cabanas and bathhouses at the sandy beach. There was also a
club house on Bonnet Shores Road where social activities for
residents of the community were held.
The 1938 hurricane partially destroyed the
old clubhouse and the remaining
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portions were converted into three separate
homes, which still stand today. A new club was formed, located on
the edge of Wesquage Pond and Narragansett Bay. This is known as
the Bonnet Shores Beach Club Condo Association.
In addition, there is a Bonnet Shores
Community Building and playing fields located on Bonnet Shores
Road.
Growth continued, with summer houses
gradually converted to year-round use, so that by 1960 there were
over 100 winterized residences. In 1989 there were over 850
houses, with the potential for over 200 new ones on developable,
vacant lots. |
GOVERNMENTAL MANAGEMENT
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The incorporating Act of 1932 passed by the
Rhode Island State Legislature granted Fire District status to
Bonnet Shores through a charter and by-laws. The charter and By
– Laws are found in a blue book titled (ORDINANCES – BYLAWS-
ACT OF INCORPORATION). A Fire District is a quasi-governmental
entity that has the legal authority to perform specified
administrative and governmental functions independently of the
town in which it is located.
The original propose of our fire district was
to provide safety to its residents from fire and other hazards,
manage its land and provide for recreation. However, the
incorporating legislation also gave the Bonnet Shores Fire
District the authority to raise money through a fire district tax
for the fire, police, and life
with specific responsibilities. A Council
person serves as the chair on each committee. The number of
committees varies depending on the needs of the Fire District.
At present these committees are:
Beach Committee
Conservation Committee
Historical Committee
Planning Committee
Public Safety
Recreation Committee
Policy Program & Governance |
saving department, provide street lights,
improvements, upbuilding and beautification of district property
and to purchase and / or lease land for recreation, including
beach and boating facilities.
The Fire District Council
conducts workshops to prepare the annual budget, which is
presented for public comment at two hearings before it is
finalized. The budget is adopted by the Council and then presented
to the community at the Fire District Annual Meeting. The Budget
includes operating and capital improvement budgets.
This form of self-government functions
through an elected governing Council, which oversees the operation
of the Fire District. It is also empowered to appoint committees
All roads within the Bonnet Shores community
are owned by the Fire District. However, through agreement with
the Town of Narragansett, all utilities and roads are maintained
by the town. Potable water lines are owned and maintained by the
United Water Company, and sewer lines are owned by the town.
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Page 4
PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Key goals and objectives were identified by our residents who
participated in the public meetings. These goals have been
categorized as long and short term goals.
These goals and objectives were divided into several major
areas and should be reviewed by the Fire District Council
annually.
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Long Term Water Quality
1. To preserve, maintain and protect our waters at our
beaches and ponds.
2. To maintain docks and moorings
as needed. To continue positive relationships with all agencies
charged with protecting our waters and those associations
sharing a common beach.
3. To focus upon the unique characteristics of Wesquage Pond
in order to improve its quality.
4. Insuring that a BSFD Council member
maintains open lines of communication with D.E.M., Coastal
Resources, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Audubon Society
and any other regulatory agencies as applicable in all maters
concerning Wesquage Pond and the beaches of the Fire District.
5. Incorporating pertinent sanitation goals.
(see sanitation goals)
6. Following all Coast Guard guidelines to assure safe and
secure moorings and docks for boaters that will be overseen by
the BSFD Harbor Master. A waiting list of persons seeking
moorings will be maintained and posted at area bulletin boards
so that those on the list may readily check on their status.
Responsibility for the condition of moorings, mooring use, and
safe maintenance of the mooring resides with the mooring
owner. Mooring specifications are found in the BSFD
ordinances.
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Short Term Water
Quality
To preserve, protect and maintain our beaches and ponds in a
pristine state by:
1. Keeping our beaches clean:
a. by developing a system of maintenance seaweed control to
improve the condition of our beaches and ponds.
b. assigning specific individuals to be
responsible for this.
c. managing renewal of permits pertaining
to beach maintenance.
2. Establishing mutual co-operation
with the Bonnet Shores Beach Club Condo
Association and the Wesquage Association that share a common beach
and also assigning a Council member or appointee to be responsible for ongoing
communication with all groups and associations impacted and to report to
the Fire District on a regular basis on plans to manage these areas.
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page 5 |
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Long Term
Transportation & Roads
1. To continue communication with the Town of Narragansett and
develop a plan for repairing and paving our roads in a timely
manner.
2. To work in cooperation with the Town of Narragansett to
enforce setback regulations for safety purposes.
3. To request more stringent enforcement of traffic regulations
in the Fire District for the safety of pedestrians and bikers by
the Town of Narragansett Police Force.
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Short Term
Transportation and Roads
Maintain our roads in passable
condition through:
1. Continuing communication with the Narragansett Highway
Dept. as to conditions within the Fire District.
2. Assuring that roads are clear enough for fire apparatus to
pass in safety by encouraging the enforcement the parking bans.
3. Encouraging all who use Bonnet’s roads to drive safely
and within the speed limit.
4. Making drivers aware as to the use of roads by walkers,
runners and bikers.
5. Encouraging residents’ cooperation to prune shrubs that
block visibility for the safety of all.
6. Investigate culvert modification to facilitate more
effective water flow and improve the water quality in the ponds.
Breachway
culvert replacement at Wesquage Pond will have numerous positive effects.
A project of this nature
will result in increased amounts of salt water flushing the ponds at regular
intervals, which will bring about an increase in water quality overall, resulting
in a healthier eco-system.
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page 6 |
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Long Term
Health and Sanitation
1. To
monitor water quality throughout Bonnet Shores and environs.
2. To
continue efficient and sanitary trash removal.
3. To
insure community-wide septic system awareness.
4. Monitoring water quality of our beaches and ponds.
5. Establishing an informational campaign to promote septic
system maintenance through newsletters and our web site.
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Short Term Health and Sanitation
To preserve the health of all residents and the cleanliness of
Bonnet Shores through:
1. Maintaining efficient, timely trash removal including
recycling.
2. Continuing special pickups and grass and brush disposal.
3. Requesting the Town of Narragansett to enforce the rule
that septic systems be pumped every four years by mailing out
reminders.
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Long Term Goals for Recreation
1.
To continue expansion of open space by encouraging
donations to the Land Trust.
2. To employ constant vigilance over our beaches and ponds
and to preserve and protect the quality of our waters.
3. To encourage usage and rental of our community center.
4. To investigate the possibility of improvements to our
Community Center and recreational facilities.
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Short Term Goals for Recreation
To preserve our community areas for enjoyment of all
residents through:
1. Preserving and protecting our boating and bathing beaches
and ponds.
2. Highlighting the importance of
contributions to our Land Trust in order to maintain open
space for all.
3. Encouraging use of our community
facilities, ball field, and playgrounds.
4. Developing other programs of interest to our residents.
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Long term goals for Communication
1. To maintain, improve and increase the level of
communication to all Fire district residents.
2. To develop systematic and accountable lines of
communication with all agencies and associations that deal with
our infrastructure.
3. To better utilize the Community Center
as a place to converse with other residents and
obtain current information.
4. Utilizing mailings and
maintain in semi-annual newsletters to all taxpayers g the of Bonnet Shores.
5. Establishing and maintaining
communications with all agencies and associations that share our waters and
land.
6. Maintaining an open line of
communication with all Town of Narragansett Officials.
7. Implementing the use of a BSFD Renter's Guide and
encouraging owners to share them with their tenants. Making these available at the
Community Center for all owners who rent.
8. Developing the Community center as a place to socialize.
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page 7
Council members Responsibilities &
Committee breakdowns
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Beach Committee
Harbor Master
Breachway maintenance
BSBCA coordination
Beach Clean up |
Historical Committee
Informational hand out
Research BSFD history
Compile Historical Document |
Public Safety Committee
New Construction Plans
Roads
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Planning Committee
Long Range Plan
Grants |
Policy Program & Governance Committee
By-law review
Rental policy document
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Recreation Committee
Community Building
Beautification
Holiday party
Bonnet Daze
Cook outs
Ham & Bean supper |
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Conservation Committee
Open space recommendations
Pond water quality
Historical sites recommendations |
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Bonnet Shores Organizational Chart based on Fire
District Council Seats
As of 5/19/2002
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page 9
Acknowledgements
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge and
thank all the people who donated countless hours of personal time
to see this project to completion. We spent nine months ,
meeting twice per month.
The committee members were:
| Richard
Agnitsch |
Richard
Mann |
| Miki
Dickinson |
Gloria
Esposito |
| Kathy
Guillmette |
Jerry
Zeoli |
| Mary
Beth Holland |
Frank
LaChut |
| Mike
Mannix |
Dana
Carter |
| Nick
Passarelli |
Dr.
Bob Varone, Chairman |
It
is equally imperative to acknowledge the enormous input of the
original planning committee and all the residents who participated
in creating the original document, since it was through their
dedicated efforts that it was conceived.
I
would like to thank all the residents of Bonnet who participated
in the planning process through surveys, letters, meetings and
phone calls. Through your efforts those issues which were most
important were made known for future reference so the torch can be
carried forward.
Respectfully
submitted,
Dr.
Bob Varone
Planning Chair |
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