Land use is always a difficult, multi-faceted issue for any municipality, but especially so for such a dense place like Warren, which due to its location, coziness and vibrant culture has become a desired destination for new residents.

One of the pressing matters it has faced over the last several years is interest from developers to build housing here, while the town also looks to maintain a vigorous commercial/business sector.

Meanwhile, Warren finally completed the arduous task of revising its long-term comprehensive plan. A key component of meeting the expectations set forth in it is to have the town's zoning ordinance updated to mirror those designs. But several changes to the state's housing mandates have made that an even more challenging effort.

There's also a push for coastal communities like Warren to meet the demands of potential changes to the climate along with the eagerness of residents to have attainable "green" spaces.

In addition, there's a concern about the stresses an increasing population could put on the services provided by the town: education, public safety, water/sewer.

With all those things in mind, the candidates were posed with the following question:

From your perspective, in the near term, what is the best approach of balancing likely development/redevelopment of residences with the wont to keep Warren a vibrant, prosperous community?

Daniel Barlow: When I think about development and housing, I ask: Will my children be able to afford to live in Warren if they choose? The answer depends on the choices we make today.

Warren's population is aging and shrinking, with a median age of 49, nine years older than Rhode Island's. Local business leaders also cite workforce housing as a critical need. A vibrant community and strong economy require us to address both.

Much of the groundwork is done. Our Planning and Zoning Boards have completed the Comprehensive Plan and have nearly finished updating zoning to meet state requirements. The next Council must focus on implementation, starting with the Metacom Corridor. Appropriate development there can add housing and commercial opportunities, generate tax revenue, and reduce pressure on downtown and existing open green space.

We must also consider our schools, public safety, and public works. Enrollment is projected to fall by about 250 students between 2019 and 2029. As a result of declining student population our schools lost significant state funding this year.  We have already invested in our schools, added students would actually lower the cost per student and strengthen our community.

Public safety cannot be sacrificed. Focusing redevelopment along Metacom limits the areas needing additional patrols and improves response times. Previous Councils envisioned a centralized fire station that could strengthen our volunteer fire service while reducing the cost of maintaining separate stations. Although funding is not currently available, we should continue working toward this long-term goal.

Our public works also need investment regardless of new development, and every proposal should be evaluated for its impact. In the near term, stronger development standards and zoning can ease pressure on our wastewater system at no added cost by reducing impervious surfaces leading to less stormwater runoff.

Past councils and boards have given us a strong Comprehensive Plan. If elected, making it a reality, in partnership with residents, businesses, developers, and the state, will be my top priority.

James Core: I’m advocating for a new toolkit of innovative solutions because current approaches aren’t working. We need new energy and an assertive approach to sustaining the community rather than continuing to react to developers.

I want to work together to keep the character of the town while intentionally crafting options that allow families to stay in Warren, local workers to find reasonable housing, and for seniors to remain near family as their housing needs change.

Safe and reasonably priced housing is scarce, and the state’s method of bypassing local zoning is not protecting our neighbors, the environment, farms, or small businesses. Working families struggle to get housing, seniors have limited downsizing options, and the zoning exemptions risk creating permanent scars on the social and economic fabric of Warren. Our decisions should be informed by data on the capacity of municipal services, and the demographic shift to smaller households for an aging and declining population.

Short term — Quickly approve zoning ordinance updates from the Planning Board. Consider: 1) land-banking for workforce housing; 2) Under existing rules, purchase the affordable units and re-sell to a nonprofit with permanent deed covenants; 3) adopt a policy of pressing developers to make the 25% affordable/workforce set-aside permanent; 4) directing the town planner to develop a prioritized-list of housing recommendations from the past few years, including resource needs and obstacles; 5) obtaining short-term planning support to work on initiatives with state, federal, nonprofit, and private-sector partners to strengthen the town’s agricultural and commercial sectors; and 6) collecting developer impact fees.

Long Term – Consider: 1) legislation to make permanent the deed covenants on affordable units and account for naturally occurring affordable housing when calculating the 10% zoning bypass; 2) using bonds for small in-fill housing; and 3) exploring partnerships with non-profits and housing agencies to achieve town goals.

Scott Lial: The task of balancing development and redevelopment while fostering cultural and economic vibrancy, strengthening historic preservation, and adhering to the comprehensive plan is a challenging one. Doing so while meeting the housing mandates set forth by the State only serves to complicate matters.

Warren’s land use is a complex issue due to the compact physical nature of the town. There simply isn’t a limitless amount of space to achieve the blanket parameters set forth by the State for all cities and towns. There certainly may be creative ways to meet these and they need to be explored.

It is also no secret that developers take advantage of the benefits afforded them in this process, and in turn are able to take advantage of the situation at the local level when allowed to do so. There needs to be oversight to ensure design, construction and community impact fall in line with our objectives as established in the comprehensive plan.

Managing and preparing for the associated population increases and the impacts on our infrastructure is also a pressing concern. Our systems and departments have limits, as do the services we provide. Expansion of these once again requires corresponding funding and a balanced approach to meeting the needs without delivering too severe a financial impact to our residents.

Other important land use considerations include but aren’t limited to open space preservation, rising sea level impacts, and the provision of additional green space. Addressing these requires significant planning and funding, something that will prove to be challenging in the near term. The fiscal constraints facing the town have been well documented and will prove to be a legitimate obstacle in the coming years.

That said these challenges and opportunities require constant planning and preparative discussion, so action can be taken as funding becomes available.

Bert Rodrigues: I think the best approach is to be thoughtful about where Warren grows and what kind of development we want to encourage. We know there is going to be growth, and we also know the state has put additional housing requirements on communities like ours. The question is how we manage that growth without losing what makes Warren, Warren.

The town has spent years putting together a new Comprehensive Plan, a roadmap if you will. The plan identifies the Metacom Avenue corridor as an area where we can accommodate more housing, mixed-use development and new businesses. That makes sense to me. But that growth also has to go hand in hand with protecting our established neighborhoods, historic character, waterfront and open spaces.

I also think we have to be careful about adding density without looking at the bigger picture. Before we approve significant development, we should understand what it's going to mean for our schools, police and fire departments, traffic and sewer system. Those services cost money, and ultimately somebody has to pay for them, and being a coastal community adds another layer to this.

We already have areas of Warren that are vulnerable to flooding, and the Comprehensive Plan makes it pretty clear that those challenges are only going to become more serious. The Comprehensive Plan anticipates increasingly serious flooding around Market Street. It projects at least one foot of flooding on portions of Market Street by 2035 and substantially greater inundation later in the century.

And we can't forget about our business community. Housing is important, but so is maintaining a strong commercial tax base. I want Warren to remain a place where businesses can open, grow and succeed. For me, it's really about balance.

I'm not against development, but I don't believe every available piece of land needs to be developed to its maximum potential either. Let's put growth where it makes sense, make sure our infrastructure can support it, protect the character of our neighborhoods, and keep Warren a community where people want to live, work and do business.

Rebecca Schmaeling: The question of land-use in Warren is one of the top issues that I hear about from residents. There are many competing factors at play, but I will address as many as I can in this short response.

One of the first things I would ask for if elected is a report on our infrastructure and what kinds of expansion it can handle. This is a concern for many, and I would like to see objective information about what’s possible.

When it comes to housing development, I think we should aim for “low-hanging fruit”–looking first at underutilized buildings, like the old Mary Quirk School, which are already connected to water and electricity. Climate resiliency also worries me a great deal. We have already begun to see flooding in Warren, and our Flood Zone maps are now over a decade old. This, to me, is another reason to invest in more housing options.

As water levels rise, we may see neighbors displaced, and I want there to be an adequate stock of homes available for them to relocate to. In regards to other types of development, I think that attracting more businesses to Metacom Ave. is a great way to build up an area that is further from flood zones, while boosting tax revenue and giving those that live nearby access to more walkable options.

Ultimately, Warren’s population is aging, and our school enrollment is dropping. If we want to maintain the vibrant culture we take pride in, we need to be able to attract young people to our community who will raise their families here. As a young person starting my family in Warren, I can attest to how challenging it was to afford to purchase a home.

My husband and I were lucky to find a starter home, but these are rarely available and rising in cost. There is no one perfect solution to this issue, but I can promise that if elected, I will keep listening, taking your concerns seriously, and making the best decisions I can with the information I have.