The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) was informed today by the Navy's Base Realignment and Closure Program Management Office (BRAC PMO) that the release of land on the west side of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth will be announced in the Federal Register this week, the AIPC said in a statement this afternoon.

During the process, which began in December of 2008, the Bureau of Indian Affairs had been granted several extensions to review the properties for possible transfer, the last of which expired last month.

The next step, according to the AIPC, involves official recognition of the "Aquidneck Island Reuse Planning Authority" (AIRPA), the local redevelopment agency, created by the three towns on the island and supported by representatives from state agencies.

From the release:

In December, 2005, the AIPC published West Side Master Plan,” to specifically and collaboratively address the future reuse of Navy land along the west side of Aquidneck Island. This plan advances strategies for a shared, community-based vision for the West Side.

The plan builds upon a community consensus and outlines development that is designed to optimize economic returns to the communities, preserve sensitive environmental areas, provide new recreational opportunities and access to Narragansett Bay, improve transportation, create bicycle and trail networks, and maximize opportunities for the marine trades and Navy related technology industries. There is a great deal more to the 350-page plan which will now provide the basis for an updated redevelopment plan to be overseen by the AIRPA.

The AIPC is completing work on a grant proposal to the Office of Economic Adjustment that includes a fresh market analysis for the West Side and Aquidneck Island, hiring a BRAC experienced consulting firm to create a reuse plan for Navy properties that will likely draw upon the West Side Master Plan, funds for a Reuse Coordinator position to support the AIRPA, and various equipment and supplies to undertake the project work. Results from the proposal may be made available within the month.

This development, according to the AIPC, offers an unprecedented economic, recreational and infrastructure development opportunity to Aquidneck Island and Rhode Island. The 260 acres of excess land, most with water views of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor, represent real estate that is unparalleled in the state. Yet the land is not without its challenges for redevelopment. and for that reason, the carefully orchestrated redevelopment planning process will allow for environmental issues to be fully explored.
— via AIPC press release

Editorial note: Written from a press release.