Planning officer reports large Carney property sale and 100‑acre conservation; wetlands and park permits noted

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — At the April 9 meeting the planning officer briefed the board on several planning updates, including recent land sales, wetlands matters, and conservation activity.

The planning officer said an entity discussed in the report purchased a large portion of the Carney property (the spoken transcript references an 80‑acre figure and company initials in the meeting). The officer noted that the parcel contains wetlands as well as upland areas and that some site modifications will focus on access and cleanup; the town expects to seek grant funding to remove cement slabs and improve site accessibility. Board members congratulated the planning department on conserving roughly 100 acres related to the matter.

The report also referenced an upcoming special permit request for an outdoor volleyball facility at a beach park and a recent Superior Court decision concerning zoning board matters; the planning officer included correspondence sent to the Conservation Commission for related freshwater wetlands considerations.

Board members asked for clarifications about how much of the conserved parcel will be altered for access or improvements; the officer said six acres containing cement slabs will be addressed while the remainder is intended to remain undeveloped. The report was accepted for the record.