Block Island Times — CRMC issues cease and desist to Ballard’s
Above, the snow fencing along the Land Trust side of Ballard’s Beach goes all the way down, and into the water, well below the mean high tide mark, blocking lateral access to the beach.
July 7, 2023
By Renee Meyer — The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council has issued a cease and desist order to Ballard’s Inn Realty, LLC.
The notice, dated June 22, 2023, says: “It has come to the attention of the CRMC that you or your agent have undertaken unauthorized reconstruction/installation of an unauthorized fence and structures (tiki bars) on a coastal feature, and permanent structures (building for stage and pergola) within 200 feet of a coastal feature, at your property, and have failed to submit a complete application for permanent structures as required by CRMC Notice of Violation 22-0187, located at Plat 7, Lot 23, 42 Water Street, New Shoreham; without benefit of a CRMC assent or in violation of a Council order.”
The Notice of Violation referred to above is the one the agency issued Ballard’s on September 27, 2022 that included five violations including: “unauthorized fence on the coastal feature, structures (tiki bars) on the coastal feature, and a stage, canopies and pergola at your property located at Plat 7, Lot 23, 42 Water Street…”
That same notice gave Ballard’s until November 9, 2022 to remove all temporary structures, and apply for an assent for any permanent structures.
Ballard’s did then apply for an assent, which the CRMC’s permit database says was received December 5, “for five seasonal structures.” There were many comments from the town and the general public about the application, almost all of them negative, and the assent application was withdrawn by Ballard’s in correspondence that was received by CRMC on January 31, 2023. No subsequent applications have been made.
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