State Commission Calls for Comprehensive Survey of Metacomet Property
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission is calling for a comprehensive survey to be done on the Metacomet property before anymore development takes place.
According to the commission, the concern is that Metacomet could be an archaeological site, which could include burials.
“We recommend that a comprehensive survey of the property be conducted to determine if a significant archaeological site, which may or may not include burials, is present. Rhode Island laws (23-18 et seq) prohibit ground disturbance within 25 feet of a burial. The onus of determining if burials are present in a project area falls on the project proponent, and the onus of enforcing the protection of burials falls on the City,” writes Executive Director Jeff Emily in a letter to principal planner Patrick Hanner.
The letter notes that the Commission previously expressed these same concerns in October of 2020, shortly after the Metacomet Property was sold to Marshall Properties.
A letter from former director J. Paul Loether reveals that there was a survey done of the cell tower back in 2020, however, it was not “comprehensive” and provided no conclusive evidence one way or the other.
Read Letters Below
The survey should be done by a “qualified archaeologist” at the applicant’s expense with a report submitted to the East Providence City Council.
“The involvement of RIHPHC is a thrilling development in our nonprofit group’s 3-year effort to preserve and protect the Metacomet site. This not only benefits our local community, but also demonstrates the respect that is rightfully owed to our Native American neighbors and to their ancient ones,” said Keep Metacomet Green co-director Heather Andrade in a press release.
Andrade continued: “KMG urges the East Providence Planning Department, the East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Commission, and the East Providence City Council to work together to ensure that this comprehensive survey is conducted expeditiously. KMG will monitor the situation closely to make sure it happens.”
As GolfNewsRI exclusively reported, the front nine of the Metacomet Golf Course will become a nine-hole course called Met Links.
Construction/renovations of the course began back in June and the course is expected to open in 2024.
I really appreciate that Golf News RI would feature this story – I can’t think of where else I could have come across it. High level of interest in the future of that property. Thanks Joe.