Roger Williams says waterfront estate won't become dorms
Bristol Town Administrator does not want property off the tax rolls
Roger Williams University released a statement Wednesday afternoon, clarifying that it does not intend to put students residences, or the president's home, on an exclusive Bristol residence it plans …
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Roger Williams says waterfront estate won't become dorms
Bristol Town Administrator does not want property off the tax rolls
Roger Williams University released a statement Wednesday afternoon, clarifying that it does not intend to put students residences, or the president's home, on an exclusive Bristol residence it plans to buy later this year.
“Wind Hill,” a 20-acre estate known to many as the home of sailing legend Stanley Livingston, is located on Ferry Road, across from the university’s main entrance. Its neighbors are Columban Fathers to the north and Low Lane to the south.
Property taxes — yes or no?
Bristol Town Administrator Stephen Contente was as surprised as anyone to learn about the university’s interest in the estate. When he heard about it, he called the university’s vice president for outreach and engagement, Peter Wilbur. He told Mr. Contente the same thing: “We don’t know what we’re going to do with it yet.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Contente has strong feelings about what could happen with the property.
“I’m not interested in seeing this property come off the tax rolls … It’s not fair to the taxpayers living here. I am going to be opposed to any change to a non-taxable zone for this property,” he said.
The private estate is zoned Residential and valued at about $3.4 million by the Town of Bristol. The annual property tax is nearly $51,000 per year.
University land, including the main campus and a residence known as the “president’s house,” which actually borders the Wind Hill estate, is zoned “University” and is not subject to property taxes.
However, while the university does not pay traditional property taxes, it pays the Town of Bristol through a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement that was amended earlier this year.
That payment had been $150,000 per year, but the new agreement includes big increases each of the next three years (see chart), topping out at $350,000. In addition, they pay the same Sewer Use Fee as any other Bristol land owner, with a current bill of $412,326 per year.
Property tax phase-out
If the university buys Wind Hill and successfully petitions the town to change its zoning (it requires town council and zoning approval), the property taxes would not vanish immediately. Under the PILOT agreement, the phase-out would take 15 years, on this schedule:
- Years 1 to 5: University pays 100% of the tax
- Years 6 to 10: University pays 66.7% of the tax
- Years 11-15: University pays 33.3% of the tax
