Save our Farmland: We urge our Town Planners and Town Council NOT to proceed with any major zoning change that would allow development of The Dimeo Farm at 396 Greenville Ave Johnston, RI.

Interest in local agriculture is skyrocketing.  Demand for locally grown food is exploding with popularity in Rhode Island and within our region.  Never before in recent history have there been so many people interested in owning/renting/leasing land for the sole purpose of farming.  Farmland values have reached record highs in the past decade locally and across the country.

Knowing your farmer has never been so important.  Don’t believe us? Just try going to any one of the various farmers markets around the state on any given day and see how packed they are.  People want to know their food is safe from pesticides.  They want to know it didn’t travel 3,000 miles to end up on their plate.  They want to make sure their dinner is GMO-free (non-genetically modified).  The people of this state are voting with their pocketbooks and are willing to pay top dollar for their food to assure that their families are healthy. 

Johnston has a unique opportunity to take advantage of this growing economic driver.  Supply for farmland in our country, our region, our state and our town is at an all-time LOW and demand for people wanting to farm is at an all-time HIGH.  Allowing a major zoning change to occur at The Dimeo Farm would deplete Johnston’s most valuable asset:  LAND- rich, open farmland.  Johnston is the closest town to Providence that has managed to maintain this tremendous resource.  Johnston stands to gain as local agricultural business, farmers, investors and homebuyers who value open space, realize that our town planners, representatives and town council are serious about preserving our farming heritage and all the economic bounty that comes with it.

According to the RI Land Trust Council, Rhode Island has lost 80% of its productive agricultural land since 1940.  In the 25 years between 1965 and 1990 alone, the Town of Johnston lost over 55% of its agricultural land.  We are leading the country in these embarrassing statistics. 

Michael & Mary DiMeo (owners) and CF Investments and MTM Development Corporation (applicants) proposed a major land development with road construction on the Greenville Avenue property – AP 47/Lots 17, 20 & 186 – which is currently the site of an active, organic farm! In order to move forward with the destruction of this farmland, the Town of Johnston would need to allow for a major zoning change of this property from R-20 to R-10.  This would allow the developers to carry out their plan of building a residential duplex development on the farm with 10 buildings consisting of 20 units.  As if the economic implications of this development for our town are not bad enough, the proximity to wetlands and a tributary of the Woonasquatucket River are frighteningly close to the proposed development.  No assurances of water run off plans, drainage plans or sewer pipe stability can be guaranteed forever.  When those systems break down, nature suffers. 

Further, if Johnston considers this major zoning change, it would effectually be setting a precedent for every development company that wants to come in to our town, make a quick dollar at our expense, and leave us with nothing but a built up, devalued, wasteland of condos and urban sprawl.  According to numerous studies, over the past two decades, it was found that open space improves the local tax base and enhances community property values. Economists call this the “proximate principle.”   Communities that conserve land and make an effort to push back on developers are making a wise investment.  In addition to all the intangible benefits of open space, it is proven to: reduce the tax burden on residents; improve property values; attract business investment; reduce spending on infrastructure; and promote healthy lifestyles and public health.

Thankfully our town of Johnston is full of supporters of farmland and open space; congratulations to Johnston for recently passing a million dollar bond to preserve our open space!  Please sign this petition to oppose the development of residential properties at 396 Greenville Avenue in Johnston, RI.  Contact your Town Council Members and let them know you are NOT in favor of this development before it’s too late.  Below are their contact numbers:

District 1: Eileen Fuoco 401-946-1848 and 401-787-0522

District 2: Anthony Verardo 401-369-5657

District 3: David Santilli 401-787-0919

District 4: Robert Russo 401-473-4083 and 401-751-3900

District 5: Stepahnie Manzi 401-764-0051

 

Mayor: Joseph Polisena 401-553-8800

 

Senator: John Carnevale 401-274-1353

Senator: Frank Lombardo 401-270-1379 flomba9509@aol.com

 

Thank You!