Support for Red Swan

To the editor: I am writing regarding the constant approval of multi-home developments and the reluctance to approve the Red Swan Inn proposal. Let’s look at the facts: Houses bring students into a school district and the need for increased services without any contribution from the new residents. It means at least two additional cars per house (unless teens move in as well and then it’s three cars). School taxes go up and the cars are permanently added to the traffic “flow” in the Town. Commuting homeowners don’t have the time to volunteer for the local volunteer fire and EMT departments and taxes drive local residents away because they, who have spent their whole lives here and made contributions to the community, can no longer afford to stay. On the other hand the Red Swan Inn proposal, a tastefully designed commercial property, which would add to the commercial tax base, would attract visitors to the area but no permanent traffic. It could be approved without permanent residents. It also attempts to bring back some of the history to the region. Right now another 24-house development is being considered by the Town of Warwick Planning Board. The proposed property under consideration is located on the corner of Blooms Corners Road and Newport Bridge Road, which is currently zoned RU(ral). This would add a minimum of 48 cars to rural roads where speed is an issue already because both roads are through roads between Warwick and New Jersey. There are horse and dairy farms on both roads and we don’t need any more McMansions in this area. Yours truly, Tom Owen Warwick