The Independent — Debate over federal funds, repairs not quite simple as Rose Nulman Park owners threaten to shut public access

Officials from the Rose Nulman Foundation say they may shutter public access to Rose Nulman Park, a popular oceanfront area in Narragansett, by the end of the year if town and state officials don’t agree to use federal infrastructure money to pay for restoration work they say is needed to offset the effects of erosion. Photo: Michael Derr

Dec 17, 2021

By Bill Seymour — NARRGANSETT, R.I. — The administrators of a privately-owned 4.5-acre scenic area providing public oceanfront  access for decades are threatening to close the property unless public officials give them millions of dollars to fix what they say is erosion damage.

Offering vistas stretching far out into the Atlantic Ocean, the Rose Nulman Park has long been a popular spot for surfers, fishermen and sightseers. But the owners say the site, at the tip of Point Judith, is at risk of collapsing and disappearing due to erosion.

The park’s owners – the private Rose Nulman Foundation – are threatening to put up a keep-out fence by the end of the month unless officials move to award federal infrastructure money to pay for land restoration work the foundation says is needed.

But local officials say they aren’t clear on what exactly the work would entail.

Jesse Pugh, town council president, said this week that the foundation thus far has not provided supporting documentation for the costs, other than a verbal estimate of about $10 million to $20 million dollars.

Pugh said it’s unlikely that the town could afford an expenditure of that magnitude, and that even if it could afford to do so, the use of municipal funds to make improvements to private property could be problematic.

Other local residents  and officials familiar with the situation say they believe the Nulman Foundation is using the threat of closure as a means to increase public pressure on the town to use some of its federal infrastructure funds, now that town budget talks are under way.

Representatives of the foundation have met and had several phone calls with town officials on the matter.

Carol Nulman, a managing partner with the foundation, wouldn’t comment on these meetings. Officials have said they have made clear the town’s position.

Nulman did comment to the Independent this week, “It’s up to the people who use this park after 30 years to use their voice to be heard.” She admitted that she wants to apply public pressure on officials.

“We just don’t have the ability to fund it directly,” Pugh told The Independent this week.

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