Narragansett wants affordable homes on a piece of town-owned land along Boston Neck Road, and two development teams have stepped up. On Monday, Oct. 19, the Town Council will sit down with them.
The council's work session is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room at Town Hall, 25 Fifth Avenue, ahead of its regular meeting, according to the agenda posted Oct. 15. The only item is a work session "with the respondents of the request for proposals for the development of affordable housing on town owned property" at Assessors Plat N-L, Lot 22 and Plat N-O, Lot 5 on Boston Neck Road. The meeting will stream live on the council's YouTube channel, but there will be no remote participation. Council President Alexander T. Menzies leads the five-member council, and James R. Tierney is town manager.
Who answered
The town published its request for proposals June 4, and responses were due July 6. According to the results posted on the town's bid page, two proposals came in: one from Coastal Modular Homes of RI with One Neighborhood Builders, and one from Connolly and Partners, LLC.
The bid page lists six plan holders that picked up the documents: One Neighborhood Builders, Pariseault Builders, South County Habitat for Humanity, Women's Development Corporation, Wingate Companies and Church Community Housing Corp.
The two abutting parcels total about 2.61 acres of vacant land. The town is looking for "a maximum number" of homeownership units, year-round rentals or a combination, under state low- and moderate-income housing law, with off-street parking.
Affordability rules are spelled out in the request. Two-thirds of the units must be sold or rented at 80% of area median income or less, and one-third up to 100%. A high percentage of the units must be for families of more than one person, with at least two bedrooms. The request also says development "shall be consistent and compatible with surrounding existing development."
The site has public water from Veolia Water RI, and public sewer is available at the north side of the property, at the end of Cornell Road. The town attached a wetland report dated April 24, 2026, and put the burden on developers to figure out how much of the land can actually be built on.
Required studies include wetland confirmation by the state Coastal Resources Management Council, a Class 1 land survey showing the wetland flagging, an application to CRMC for a preliminary determination, a water table analysis for septic siting and stormwater areas, a Phase 1 environmental site assessment, and a review of any easements or encroachments.
Respondents had to say whether they want to lease or buy the land, and give rough cost estimates for design, sitework, permitting, utility extension, septic construction, buildings, roads, stormwater and landscaping, plus performance bonding.
The winning team would go through the town's comprehensive permit process. "Density relief is expected to be requested," the request says, and the final density will depend on utilities, sewage treatment and environmental mitigation. Under the request, town staff review the proposals and recommend the one that best meets the town's needs to the council for approval. Proposals are scored on completeness, team qualifications, experience with similar projects, capacity to finish in a reasonable time, and references.
Green building practices are strongly encouraged, including steps to limit soil tracking, stormwater runoff and construction debris and to lessen wetland impacts.
Why it matters for Contractors
This is a small site with a lot of homework attached. Wetland flagging, CRMC review, water table testing and septic design will decide how many homes fit, which makes environmental consultants, surveyors and site engineers the first trades in line. If the project moves ahead, sitework, utility extension, stormwater and septic contractors come next, followed by the building trades.
One of the two proposals pairs a nonprofit developer with a modular home company, so off-site construction could play a role. The town's requirement for mostly two-bedroom-plus homes points to family-sized units rather than studios.
Nothing has been awarded. The council's work session is the next step, and the request makes clear the town can reject any or all proposals. Contractors in South County should watch the council's next moves and the comprehensive permit filing that would follow a selection.