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Growth
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Block Island's recent
growth has been fueled almost entirely by the
ability and desire of families in the Northeast
to buy summer homes. The island's small year-round
population of approximately 1,000 residents is
responsible for the management of the town and
therefore decides the future of its growth. Because
Block Island is such an isolated community, there
are a number of factors that can limit growth,
including but not limited to: open space, drinking
water, schools, sewage disposal and employment.
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Given
these limits to growth,
townspeople
have two options:
1. Overcome the limits by funding additional infrastructure
like a new sewage treatment
plant, school additions and additional commercial
development.
2. Use these limits as justification for growth
caps and the preservation of rural character.
Growth Management Map:
Though the Growth Management map (right) accentuates
in green the extensive amounts of openspace preserved
on the island, it also reveals the widely scattered
development. The Vacand Land zoned for residential
and commercial development and the Potentially
Subdividable lots shows the land that can potentially
be developed to build-out levels should growth
continue unabated.
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Unprotected
Land: Of Block Island's roughly 6,000 acres of land,
about one third is already developed,
one third is preserved as open
space, with additional land undevelopable because
of coastal or wetland features. This leaves approximately
one third of the island available for development.
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