Westerly - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

The Westerly Comprehensive PlanAgricultureThe agricultural land use category includes only actively farmed lands within the town. Agriculturaluses include croplands, pastures, and orchards. There are 2,046 acres of actively farmed land inWesterly, which accounts for 10.3 percent of the town. The largest concentration of agriculturalland is located around Dunn’s Corners and Bradford Road in the central portion of the town. Thereare also several areas of farmland along Shore Road, and additional farmland can be foundnorthwest of the airport. In the north portion of the town, several smaller areas of land arecurrently used for agriculture. These areas could potentially be used for other purposes. However,under Rhode Island’s land use policy preservation of farmland is encouraged. About 248 acres ofthe 2,046 acres currently farmed are being conserved through acquisition of development rights orconservation easements. Most of the farmland so preserved is in the southern portion of the town.Commercial/Mixed UseWesterly has 728 acres of commercially developed land. Large scale development is located in twoareas:a. Along the Route 1, the Granite Street/Franklin Street corridor, from theTower Street intersection to the area immediately around the Route 78intersection, andb. Around the Dunn’s Corners intersection on Route1 at Dunn’s Corners-Bradford Road and Langworthy Road.There is also a defined historic downtown area bounded by the Pawcatuck River and encompassingportions of Main Street, Broad Street, High Street, Canal Street and Railroad Avenue. Two othersubstantial mixed-use commercial areas exist along the shore; one is on Bay Street in the Watch Hillsection and the other is on portions of Atlantic Avenue in the Misquamicut section. Smallercommercial areas are scattered throughout the town.Community FacilitiesCommunity Facilities include schools, churches, government buildings and hospitals. Also includedare land use areas dedicated to transportation networks, roads, public utilities, and landfills. Theseuses cover 2,144 acres or 10.7 percent of the town’s land area. The airport just south of Route 1 atWesterly Bypass Road is the largest of these areas. The landfill, located between Westerly BypassRoad and Chapman Pond, the rail yards, Westerly Bypass itself and electrical transmission lines areothers of significance. Churches and schools exist throughout the town.Conservation, Recreation & Open SpaceThis category includes golf courses, marinas, beaches, parks and other recreation areas, cemeteries,and vacant land protected from development by conservation easements or other permanentprotection. The largest single tract of vacant land is the Woody Hill Wildlife Management Area.Other tracts have been acquired and preserved by the Westerly Municipal Land Trust and privateconservation organizations. Beaches are located along most of the town’s shoreline. There are fourgolf courses located in the southern portion of the town. Eight marinas are located along thePawcatuck River. The rest of the parks are located throughout the town. This land use categoryaccounts for 4,112 acres of land or 20.6 percent of the town’s area.Westerly, Rhode Island 5