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