Electricity
Recognizing that electric bills are out of control, the Richmond Town Council has established the Richmond Energy Savings Task Force. A group of five volunteers dedicated to exploring energy-saving programs for possible Town Council endorsement.
The Task Force will review tools like Kilowatt AI and similar services that search energy suppliers and help users find the best energy plans. There is no obligation to sign up for these services in order to volunteer. However, Councilor Madnick and I have signed up for the program.
Interested in volunteering?
Complete an application and return it to the Town Clerk.
Apply here:
https://www.richmondri.gov/128/Boards-Commissions-Committees
Waterline Update
The Richmond Town Council received an update at our January 6 meeting.
Improvements to the town’s public water system are underway. Repairs identified during recent inspections have been completed, and remaining updates (including safety measures and documentation) are in progress. These upgrades help ensure continued safe, compliant drinking water and support long-term infrastructure planning.
Richmond’s water line is an important asset for future sustainable growth and economic development in the downtown Wyoming and Hope Valley areas. The line runs from Town Hall to West’s Bakery and supports both current needs and future planning.
The Town is actively exploring grants and other funding sources to avoid placing a financial burden on residents connected to the water line. Residents who rely on private wells do not pay into this system.
More information:
https://clerkshq.com/Content/Attachments/Richmond-ri/260106_19.pdf?clientSite=Richmond-ri
Joint Workshop Recap: Special Use Permits & Zoning Updates
The Town Council and Planning Board met jointly to review recent state law changes affecting Special Use Permits (SUPs) and to discuss updates to Chapter 18.16 of the Zoning Ordinance. Currently, we need specific and objective criteria for applicants when applying for a special use permit. Without that, the use would be permitted.
Board and Council members discussed how this impacts the town’s current SUP framework and agreed that clearer, objective criteria are needed for uses requiring a Special Use Permit. We reviewed zoning topics including buffers, lot sizes, aquifer protection, dark sky compliance, hours of operation, parking, licensing, and the Aquifer Protection Overlay District to determine whether additional specific and objective criteria are necessary and what that would look like.
To prevent unintended approvals while those standards are being developed, the Board voted unanimously to request that the Town Council temporarily prohibit all uses currently requiring a Special Use Permit. This pause would allow time to draft specific criteria, with the intention of reinstating those uses under a stronger SUP structure.
The Council will hold a public hearing on March 3rd, if this passes all uses currently requiring a Special Use Permit would not be allowed until specific and objective criteria can be developed. Once Developed, we would hold another public hearing to review and approve the ordinance change with the specific and objective criteria.
Other Ordinance Updates
Beginning February 1st, the Richmond Transfer Station will be closed on Tuesdays. The facility will be open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with gates closing promptly at 3:45 p.m. During Daylight Savings Time, extended hours will be available on Wednesdays only, with the station remaining open until 6:00 p.m. We also updated the tipping fee schedule to align with fees for items like air conditioners.
In another ordinance update, Town staff and Council also worked on changes to the outdoor and indoor public entertainment license ordinances. These licenses now apply to any public entertainment events, eliminating prior confusion regarding what applies. The Council eliminated monthly inspections for indoor entertainment licenses and approved final revisions to this ordinance after a public hearing on February 3.
Recreation and Events
Richmond is starting an April summer camp! It will be held at the Richmond-Carolina Fire Department, and the deadline to register is Friday, March 6. The Recreation Commission has scheduled many events throughout the year. Check them out on the Town website.
Additionally, as we celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, there are many opportunities to come together as a community. Richmond’s Semiquincentennial Committee is holding its first event on Thursday, March 5, at the Richmond-Carolina Fire Department to honor Women’s History Month. The event will feature a presentation by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions titled Women of ’76: Stories of Courage and Conviction from Five Remarkable Women Who Witnessed and Shaped the American Revolution.
