Costco Development Proposal at Mulligan’s Island Is Cranston’s New Political Football
Thursday, July 23, 2020
The proposal to develop the Mulligan’s Island golf facility into a Costco has drawn a range of reactions from Cranston mayoral candidates -- as well as political charges and counter-charges.
The longtime golf facility and open space is now being slated for bulldozing.
The Massachusetts developer, Coastal Properties LLC, has hired a politically connected lawyer to help push the project forward.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCranston City Council President Michael Farina is coming under fire. He is a candidate for mayor.
Candidates Spar Over Proposal -- and Politics
Democratic candidate for mayor Steven Stycos said, “I am very concerned about the proposal to turn open space at Mulligan’s Island into big box stores, parking lots and housing subdivisions. Unfortunately, I cannot comment in detail because I have received no information about the proposal other than press reports.”
“I am especially concerned that the developers selected attorney John Bolton to represent them. Bolton was the attorney for two damaging projects presented to the City Council; a massive solar facility on Hope Road which was built and a large Cumberland Farms in Edgewood which was blocked twice by neighborhood opposition,” said Stycos.
Democratic candidate for Mayor Maria Bucci did not respond to questions about the project.
Farina and Bolton have a complex relationship. In 2018, GoLocal uncovered a tangled web of relationships surrounding Bolton, a one-time Cranston municipal judge and Cumberland Farms attorney.
Bolton at the time represented the effort by Cumberland Farms to locate a store in the Edgewood section of Cranston — while simultaneously he served as a municipal court judge for the city and had been a prolific political campaign donor.
At the time, Bolton said he had not given to any Cranston elected officials since he was named to the court in January 2017. “As I have told your colleague numerous times now, I did not contribute to Councilman Farina in November 2017, nor have I made any contributions to Cranston officials subsequent to my appointment as a Municipal Court Associate Judge in January 2017,” said Bolton in an email to GoLocal.
Rhode Island campaign finance reports showed however that Bolton gave Farina $500 in November 2017 -- which the reports filed with the state show was received and deposited -- and Bolton’s wife, who had never given any campaign contributions to any Rhode Island campaigns, had become an active donor to Cranston officials in 2017. Bolton's wife is not barred from making donations -- but neither Judge Bolton nor Colleen Bolton would respond to requests for comments about her new political financial activism just as he had pledged not to give to Cranston officials.
According to the campaign finance report submitted by Farina on behalf of his campaign, then-Judge Bolton donated $500 on November 9, 2017 and it was deposited on November 11, 2017. All of the data for the donation was included in Farina’s campaign report including Bolton’s home address, employer and work address.
Farina and Bolton denied that Bolton had somehow made the donation - despite the report.
“No mystery just entered incorrectly. I have spoken with the BOE about the error, based on their suggestions I am going to review all the data from my November fundraiser before I amend the report. I had 157 people and almost as many checks so it will take a few days,” said Farina in an email to GoLocalProv. Farina refused to provide details. READ MORE HERE
Bolton after the GoLocal report in 2018, gave Farina $500 in March of 2019 and another $500 in October of 2019.
Hopkins Charges Farina Is Manipulating Process
City Councilman Ken Hopkins - Farina's rival in the GOP primary - is highly critical of Farina's actions.
“This out of state developer has laid out a timetable to get this Costco proposal through with as little community input as possible. It is clear my opponent is more worried about Costco than the rights and protections of the neighborhoods affected,” said Hopkins.
“By waiting to introduce their zoning ordinance to the City Council on July 27, the matter can be pushed out past the Primary day of September 8th and could go past Election Day on November 4,” Hopkins continued.
Hopkins expressed concern that "the notice requirements under the law are so minimal for a project this size. By law only the abutters within four hundred (400) feet will get notice from the city council. With the state institutions and the width of New London Avenue, barely anyone will get a meeting notice in Garden Hills or in the Mayfield Avenue area,” stated Hopkins. “Even the Oak Hill Terrace neighborhood four hundred (400) feet will hardly cover more than a few houses.”
“This out of state developer and his attorney [Bolton] should voluntarily agree to a notice radius of two thousand (2,000) feet for any public hearings. If not, prisoners at the ACI have a better chance of getting a meeting notice,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins said that under the law, if introduced on July 27, the matter needs to be referred to the Planning Commission who must make findings and report back to the City Council within forty-five (45) days of receipt of the plans. If received the next day after introduction (July 28) then the Planning Commission must report back by September 11. “That would be three days after the September 8 Primary,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins said that the City Council has to hold a public hearing within sixty-five (65) days of receiving the Costco proposal which could be as late as September 30. “Again the public hearing before the Council will be after the Primary,” said Hopkins.
“But the biggest issue is that the City Council would have another forty-five (45) days to take a vote on the rezoning of Mulligan’s Island. My opponent could delay the vote until November 14 so that the vote can be held without the scrutiny and witness of the voters before the election,” said Hopkins.
“I predict that Mr. Farina will do whatever he can to postpone voting for this project until the voters cannot hold him accountable,” Hopkins said, “This is potentially the largest redevelopment of a site in Cranston in many years, and the neighbors in Oak Hill Terrace, Mayfield and Garden Hills will be shut out of the review right in their backyard.”
Stycos also said the project's scope could have a significant impact.
“This proposal should be carefully examined by the public and City Council for its effects on air quality, noise, traffic and property values. Large housing developments also mean higher education costs for the Cranston schools. The proposal should be rejected if found to be damaging to the neighborhood or costly to the city,” added Stycos
Farina Defends His Actions
“Since this is a zoning application by a third party, I will not comment for or against this issue until the applicant and the residents can provide testimony on this application. Also as an elected official who will decide on this application it would not be fair to come or for against this project until the applicant and the residents can receive due process,” said Farina in a message to GoLocal.
He repeatedly refused to address questions about his relationship with Bolton.
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