1.

Population

1.1

Introduction

1-4

1.2

Regional Population

1-6

1.3

Age and Gender of Population

1-7

1.4

Housing and Family Composition

1-10

1.5

Education

1-11

2.

Land Use

2.1

Introduction

2-1

2.1.a         Existing Land Use

2-2

2.1.b        Zoning

2-3

2.1.c         Land Use Consistency with Current Zoning

2-4

2.2

Buildout Analysis

2-4

2.2.a         Assumptions

2-6

2.2.b        Analysis Methodology

2-7

2.2.c         Buildout Scenarios

2-10

2.2.d         Summary of Buildout Analysis

2-14

2.3

Land Use Goals and Recommendations

2-15

2.3.a         Goals

2-15

2.3.b        Recommendations

2-16

2.4

Future Land Use Plan Map

2-19

3.

Housing

3.1

Preface

3-1

3.2

Introduction

3-1

3.3

Age of Housing Units

3-4

3.4

Substandard or Overcrowded Housing

3-4

3.5

Housing Affordability

3-5

3.5.a         Rental Housing

3-8

3.5.b        Affordable Housing Legislation

3-9

3.6

Housing Programs

3-9

3.7

Income Levels

3-10

3.8

Housing Needs

3-11

3.8.a         Very Low and Low Income

3-11

3.8.b        Median Income

3-12

3.8.c         Moderate Income

3-13

3.9

Elderly

3-13

3.10

Homeless

3-13

3.11

Housing Goals and Recommendations

3-14

3.11.a       Goals

3-14

3.11.b      Recommendations

3-15

4.

Economic Development

4.0

Introduction

4-1

4.1

Citizen Survey

4-2

4.2

Economic Profile

4-2

4.2.a         Labor Force and Employment

4-2

4.2.b        Commuting Patterns

4-5

4.2.c        Family Income

4-6

4.3

4.2.d        Retail Sales

4.2.e         Public Finances

Business in Little Compton

4-6

4-7

4-17

4.3.a         Agriculture

4-19

4.3.b         Commercial Fishing

4-21

4.4

Findings

4-21

4.5

Goals and Recommendations

4-23

4.5.a         Recommendations

4-24

5.

Natural and Cultural resources

5.1

Introduction

5-1

5.1.a         Purpose

5-2

5.2

Natural Resources

5-2

5.2.a         Natural Features

5-3

5.3

Water Resources

5-3

5.3.a         Groundwater

5-4

5.3.b         Rhode Island Sound

5-11

5.3.c         Sakonnet harbor

5-12

5.3.d         Rivers, Ponds and Streams

5-13

5.3.e         Coastal wetlands and Ponds

5-15

5.3.f          Barrier Beaches

5-17

5.3.g         Freshwater Wetlands

5-18

5.3.h         Regulations of Wetlands

5-20

5.3.i          Flood Hazards

5-21

5.4

Soils

5-22

5.5

Vegetation and Wildlife

5-24

5.5.a         Habitat Maintenance

5-26

5.5.b         Rare and Endangered Species and Habitats

5-26

5.5.c          Sites of Particular Interest

5-28

5.6

Visual and Aesthetic Resources

5-29

5.6.a         Rhode Island Landscape Inventory

5-30

5.6.b         Landscape Protection

5-31

5.6.c          Scenic Roadways

5-31

5.7

Natural Resources Issues, Goals and Recommendations

5-32

5.7.a         Goals

5-33

5.8

Cultural Resources

5-45

5.8.a         Local History

5-46

5.8.b         Existing Historic and Archaeological Resources

5-49

5.8.c         Historic Preservation Activities

5-53

5.8.d         Existing Resource Protection

5-53

5.8.e          Other Cultural Resources

5-54

5.8.f          Cultural Resource Concerns

5-58

5.8.g         Cultural Resource Issues, Goals and Recommendations

5-61

5.8.h         Cultural Resource Goals

5-63

5.8.i          Cultural Resource Recommendations

5-64

6.

Community Services and Facilities

6.1

Introduction

6-1

6.2

Town Government

6-1

6.3

Schools

6-2

6.4

Library

6-5

6.5

Police Department

6-7

6.6

Fire Department

6-8

6.7

Emergency Management

6-10

6.8

Health and Human Resources

6-10

6.9

Public Works

6-12

6.10

Transfer Station

6-12

6.11

Community Center

6-16

6.12

Wastewater Management

6-16

6.13

Drainage and Stormwater Management Facilities

6-17

6.14

Issues

6-18

6.14.a    The Commons

6-18

6.14.b     Sakonnet Harbor

6-19

6.15

Goals and Recommendations

6-19

6.15.a    Goals

6-19

6.15.6    Recommendations

6-20

7.

Open Space and Recreation

7.1

Introduction

7-1

7.2

Results of the Citizen Survey

7-2

7.3

Facilities Types

7-7

7.3.a      Active Play Facilities

7-7

7.3.6      Passive Recreational Facilities

7-7

7.3.c      Conservation/Open Space

7-8

7.4

Definition of Recreation, Conservation and Open Space Needs

7-8

7.5

Recreation, Conservation and Open Space and farmland Inventory

7-10

7.6

Recreation, Conservation and Open Space Needs

7-59

7.6.a      Indoor Recreation

7-60

7.7

Needs by Facility Type

7-61

7.7.a      Indoor Recreation

7-65

7.7.b       Summary

7-65

7.8

Goals, Policies and Recommendations

7-66

7.8.a      Policies

7-66

7.8.b      Five Year Goal

7-67

7.8.c       Recommendations

7-69

7.9

Agencies and Organizations Involved in Implementation

7-69

7.9.a      Local Government Agencies

7-69

7.9.b      Private Organizations

7-71

7.9.c       State and Federal Agencies

7-72

7.10

Sources

7.73

8.

Circulation

8.1

Street Classification

8-1

8.2

Traffic safety

8-4

8.3

Scheduled Road Improvements

8-7

8.4

Parking

8-9

8.5

Motor Vehicle Registrations

8-10

8.6

Goals

8-10

8.6.a      Recommendations

8-11

9.

Implementation Program

9.1

Introduction

9-1

9.2

Element 2 - Land Use

9-3

9.3

Element - Housing

9-13

9.4

Element - Economic Development

9-17

9.5

Element - Natural and Cultural Resources

9-23

9.6

Element - Community Services and facilities

9-36

9.7

Element - Recreation and Open Space

9-43

9.8

Element – Circulation

9-49

10.

Public Participation Program

10.1

Public Kick-off Meeting

10-1

10.2

Comprehensive Plan Citizens Advisory Committee

10-1

10.3

Citizen Attitude Survey

10-4

10.3.a  Profile of the Residents

10-5

10.3.b  Attitudes on Town Image

10-7

10.3.c  Housing

10-9

10.3.d  Schools

10-11

10.3.e  Traffic Safety

10-11

10.3.f   Development – Economic Development and Natural Resources

10-12

10.3.g  Regulations

10-15

10.3.h  Water Quality Protection

10-17

10.4

Public Workshops/Hearings

10-17