SK Planning Board to Hold Matunuck Village Community Workshop

In order to create a dialogue between residents, town officials and business owners in regards to Matunuck Village, the South Kingstown Planning Board will host a community workshop at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27 in the Matunuck Elementary School cafeteria (380 Matunuck Beach Rd., SK).

Tuesday's event, the second of its kind, is intended to build on the public discussion started at the first workshop held on April 23. It will provide opportunities for those in attendance to discuss key issues related to Matunuck in detail. 

Updates on the most recent developments related to coastal erosion will be provided, as well as interactive exercises related to parking, pedestrian safety, and preservation of community character. 

The workshop and presentation will be led by consultants from the Horsley Witten Group in cooperation with the South Kingstown Planning Department and Planning Board. It is funded through a “Planning Challenge Grant” from the RI Department of Administration’s Statewide Planning Program and is part of an ongoing planning process that focuses on identifying ways to reinforce the best qualities and characteristics of villages and places throughout South Kingstown.

"Matunuck has a rich history as an artist colony, summer resort setting and agricultural resource; the village possesses great strengths and affords unique opportunities for its residents, visitors and small business community. It also faces difficult challenges from ongoing coastal erosion and periodic storm events," read the Planning Board's meeting notice. "This study is intended to better understand and appreciate Matunuck as a historic setting in our community, assess current conditions, identify challenges, opportunities and constraints and develop policy recommendations and other means to reinforce, enhance and protect this unique part of our Town. It promises to be an interesting and important community conversation of the past, present and future of the Village of Matunuck."