AIPC

How much land does Navy need?

How much land does Navy need?

Future of the West Side: First of 2 parts

by Matt Sheley/Daily News staff,

03/01/08

It’s not every day that valuable waterfront property becomes available on Aquidneck Island.

But that’s what could happen to more than 400 acres on the west side of the island. A consulting firm working for the Navy is compiling a master plan of Naval Station Newport property and the 10-month study will help determine the future of that land, which is both inside and outside the base’s fences.

“It’s an exciting time for the Navy in Newport,” said Capt. Michel Poirier, commanding officer of Naval Station Newport. “With the Base Realignment and Closure and other operational decisions, we are seeing substantial projected growth here at Naval Station Newport. There is a lot of work to be done to make sure that we plan for the base’s growth in a thoughtful way and I’m confident the master plan will be that tool.”

The much-anticipated report, which is being compiled by EDAW Inc., an internationally known planning firm, is scheduled to be released in April. The study is expected to include suggestions about what the Navy could do with long-unused sites such as the Navy Hospital in Newport, the old Navy Lodge property in Middletown and the tank farms in Portsmouth.

The study’s potential findings have officials in those communities excited about the possibilities that could be created from the availability of any of those parcels.

Because the Navy’s master plan hasn’t been completed, details about which properties could be excessed aren’t available, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t yet interest from local officials who are hoping for big things from the report.

“There’s not much that we’re doing right now that doesn’t deal with this,” Portsmouth Town Administrator Robert G. Driscoll said.

Planning for the future

When word came down in August 2005 that Naval Station Newport was spared from cuts during the latest round of the Base Realignment and Closure — or BRAC — process, there was a collective sigh of relief from across the region.

The local military base picked up more than 530 positions and gained several commands. These relocations proved to be a major boost for the defense-related industries that help drive the island’s economy.

EDAW officials have been studying the Aquidneck Island base and its outlying properties that might be deemed strategically unnecessary for the Navy’s mission. A similar process is being conducted at some other bases across the nation.

Locally, most of those parcels, such as the Navy Hospital at the corner of Cyprus and Third streets, have been unused for years, while others, such as the tank farms in Portsmouth, are in need of a costly cleanup.

Some local officials have said the Navy seems interested in excessing some of its Aquidneck Island properties. That decision, however, doesn’t rest with Naval Station Newport officials. Rather, in order to make such a move, top Navy officials need to be consulted, including the office of the secretary of the Navy in Washington, D.C.

Besides preaching patience, local officials said the Navy has made it clear that there won’t be any handouts when it comes to any of its west-side properties.

“We haven’t had any discussions about property value,” said Paige Bronk, director of Newport’s Department of Planning, Zoning, Development and Inspections. “At the same time, I think most people do understand that this property needs to be sold by the Navy. There aren’t going to be any gifts.”

For the Navy to get rid of a piece of property, though, it’s not as simple as a homeowner sticking a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.

It’s a complicated process that must be followed step by step for each site. Other federal agencies must be contacted to see if they are interested in the property.

If a parcel makes it through that gauntlet, the Navy has a number of options.

A 2007 report from the Government Accountability Office indicated that the most commonly used option used during previous BRAC rounds was the economic development conveyance, which allows the Navy to hand over real estate to a local redevelopment authority to help create jobs at the base.

Others include the conservation conveyance, a process that authorizes the Navy to convey surplus parcels to a state or local government or nonprofit for environmental and open space-related uses. There’s also the public benefit conveyance, which clears the way for real-estate transfers for schools, parks, airports, public-health facilities, historic monuments and wildlife conservation, and a reversion action, where property obtained from local or state government at reduced or no cost goes back to the original owner after the military has finished using the property.

Local municipal officials understand that it could be years before any excessed land becomes available.

“I think clearly, no one believes this is going to happen overnight,” said Shawn J. Brown, Middletown’s interim town administrator. “This is something we’ve been working on for a long time and we’re in it for the long haul.”

An outside look

EDAW officials having been doing their homework and have become familiar with the local base and Aquidneck Island in general. Project manager Richard Dorrier said he and his Alexandria, Va.-based team have been to the base and visited the affected properties several times. He said the master plan is nearing completion.

“A lot of other bases that had a positive BRAC action in 2005 have been the subject of a similar plan,” Dorrier said.

According to Navy officials, EDAW was selected because of its “substantial” experience with other Navy master plans. Dorrier said the work of his five-member team will go a long way in helping the Navy decide what to do with some of its properties.

“The master plan doesn’t make decisions for the Navy,” Dorrier said. “It provides information for them to help make decisions.”

He said the interests of local communities will be factored into any master-plan recommendations.

“We’ve looked at the (Aquidneck Island Planning Commission’s) West Side Master Plan and understand the local municipalities’ interest,” Dorrier said. “While we’re putting it together, we’ll try to take that into account, but our client is the Navy and their decisions about property are way beyond my pay grade.”

Dorrier said the Navy understands its role and importance as “the fourth community” on Aquidneck Island.

“The Navy wants to be a good neighbor,” he said. “(Naval Station) Newport has been making progress and I think it’s going to be a really good plan. The Navy has a lot invested there.”

Future of the West Side: First of 2 parts

by Matt Sheley/Daily News staff,

03/01/08

It’s not every day that valuable waterfront property becomes available on Aquidneck Island.

But that’s what could happen to more than 400 acres on the west side of the island. A consulting firm working for the Navy is compiling a master plan of Naval Station Newport property and the 10-month study will help determine the future of that land, which is both inside and outside the base’s fences.

“It’s an exciting time for the Navy in Newport,” said Capt. Michel Poirier, commanding officer of Naval Station Newport. “With the Base Realignment and Closure and other operational decisions, we are seeing substantial projected growth here at Naval Station Newport. There is a lot of work to be done to make sure that we plan for the base’s growth in a thoughtful way and I’m confident the master plan will be that tool.”

The much-anticipated report, which is being compiled by EDAW Inc., an internationally known planning firm, is scheduled to be released in April. The study is expected to include suggestions about what the Navy could do with long-unused sites such as the Navy Hospital in Newport, the old Navy Lodge property in Middletown and the tank farms in Portsmouth.

The study’s potential findings have officials in those communities excited about the possibilities that could be created from the availability of any of those parcels.

Because the Navy’s master plan hasn’t been completed, details about which properties could be excessed aren’t available, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t yet interest from local officials who are hoping for big things from the report.

“There’s not much that we’re doing right now that doesn’t deal with this,” Portsmouth Town Administrator Robert G. Driscoll said.

Planning for the future

When word came down in August 2005 that Naval Station Newport was spared from cuts during the latest round of the Base Realignment and Closure — or BRAC — process, there was a collective sigh of relief from across the region.

The local military base picked up more than 530 positions and gained several commands. These relocations proved to be a major boost for the defense-related industries that help drive the island’s economy.

EDAW officials have been studying the Aquidneck Island base and its outlying properties that might be deemed strategically unnecessary for the Navy’s mission. A similar process is being conducted at some other bases across the nation.

Locally, most of those parcels, such as the Navy Hospital at the corner of Cyprus and Third streets, have been unused for years, while others, such as the tank farms in Portsmouth, are in need of a costly cleanup.

Some local officials have said the Navy seems interested in excessing some of its Aquidneck Island properties. That decision, however, doesn’t rest with Naval Station Newport officials. Rather, in order to make such a move, top Navy officials need to be consulted, including the office of the secretary of the Navy in Washington, D.C.

Besides preaching patience, local officials said the Navy has made it clear that there won’t be any handouts when it comes to any of its west-side properties.

“We haven’t had any discussions about property value,” said Paige Bronk, director of Newport’s Department of Planning, Zoning, Development and Inspections. “At the same time, I think most people do understand that this property needs to be sold by the Navy. There aren’t going to be any gifts.”

For the Navy to get rid of a piece of property, though, it’s not as simple as a homeowner sticking a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.

It’s a complicated process that must be followed step by step for each site. Other federal agencies must be contacted to see if they are interested in the property.

If a parcel makes it through that gauntlet, the Navy has a number of options.

A 2007 report from the Government Accountability Office indicated that the most commonly used option used during previous BRAC rounds was the economic development conveyance, which allows the Navy to hand over real estate to a local redevelopment authority to help create jobs at the base.

Others include the conservation conveyance, a process that authorizes the Navy to convey surplus parcels to a state or local government or nonprofit for environmental and open space-related uses. There’s also the public benefit conveyance, which clears the way for real-estate transfers for schools, parks, airports, public-health facilities, historic monuments and wildlife conservation, and a reversion action, where property obtained from local or state government at reduced or no cost goes back to the original owner after the military has finished using the property.

Local municipal officials understand that it could be years before any excessed land becomes available.

“I think clearly, no one believes this is going to happen overnight,” said Shawn J. Brown, Middletown’s interim town administrator. “This is something we’ve been working on for a long time and we’re in it for the long haul.”

An outside look

EDAW officials having been doing their homework and have become familiar with the local base and Aquidneck Island in general. Project manager Richard Dorrier said he and his Alexandria, Va.-based team have been to the base and visited the affected properties several times. He said the master plan is nearing completion.

“A lot of other bases that had a positive BRAC action in 2005 have been the subject of a similar plan,” Dorrier said.

According to Navy officials, EDAW was selected because of its “substantial” experience with other Navy master plans. Dorrier said the work of his five-member team will go a long way in helping the Navy decide what to do with some of its properties.

“The master plan doesn’t make decisions for the Navy,” Dorrier said. “It provides information for them to help make decisions.”

He said the interests of local communities will be factored into any master-plan recommendations.

“We’ve looked at the (Aquidneck Island Planning Commission’s) West Side Master Plan and understand the local municipalities’ interest,” Dorrier said. “While we’re putting it together, we’ll try to take that into account, but our client is the Navy and their decisions about property are way beyond my pay grade.”

Dorrier said the Navy understands its role and importance as “the fourth community” on Aquidneck Island.

“The Navy wants to be a good neighbor,” he said. “(Naval Station) Newport has been making progress and I think it’s going to be a really good plan. The Navy has a lot invested there.”