January 22, 2026
Roni Phipps, Chair
Barrington Planning Board
283 County Road
Barrington, RI 02806
Re: Request to Defer Action Pending Independent School Enrollment Impact Study
Dear Chair Phipps and Members of the Barrington Planning Board,
On behalf of the Barrington School Committee, we are writing to respectfully request that the Planning Board refrain from issuing any approvals related to the proposed Belton Court development at your upcoming February 3, 2026 meeting, until an independent demographic study can be completed to responsibly assess the potential impact of this project on Barrington Public Schools––from transportation safety concerns to staffing and school building capacity.
The School Committee recognizes the importance of thoughtful housing development in our community, particularly during a time of significant housing need across our state. We also understand the desirability of Barrington as a community, in no small part due to the exceptional reputation and long-standing success of our public schools. Our intent in this request is not to oppose this project nor new housing development in our town. Rather, it is to ensure that a decision of this scale is informed by accurate and independent data—particularly when a project will have significant impacts on students, families, taxpayers, and our public infrastructure for years to come.
As you are aware, the proposed project includes 344 residential units of varying types and sizes, from one- to four-bedroom homes, representing approximately 759 bedrooms and the potential to add a substantial number of new full-time residents to Barrington. The developer has stated that comparable developments in Rhode Island average approximately 0.1 school-age children per unit, translating to an estimated 35 new students for this project. While we appreciate that this figure is intended to provide context, it is not clear how well that average reflects a community like Barrington or a development of this size and composition.
The School Committee has significant concerns that this estimate is far from the reality we will face, and the likely enrollment impact on our district. According to U.S. Census data, more than a quarter of Barrington’s current population (27.5%) is under the age of 18, underscoring the fact that families with children already make up a large portion of our community. Our high performing public schools are widely recognized as some of the most desirable in the state, and it is reasonable to expect that access to these schools will be an important consideration––if not the leading reason––for additional families to move here thanks to more accessible housing opportunities.
Recent coverage in the Barrington Times illustrates the degree of uncertainty surrounding projected enrollment impacts. The article notes that the development could bring more than 2,000 new full-time residents to Barrington, while the developer’s estimate would suggest that fewer than two percent of those residents would be school-aged children. At the same time, substantially higher estimates cited by a community group—though not based on professional analysis—illustrate the wide range of assumptions currently in play. This disparity further highlights the importance of obtaining independent, expert data to inform responsible planning.
Even relatively modest increases beyond the developer’s estimate could have real and lasting implications for classroom capacity, required staffing, transportation safety and costs, and long-term facilities planning—particularly as we begin construction on our historic school building project this spring.
Given that the only student impact projection for this housing project has been produced by the developer, the Barrington School Committee recently voted to authorize our school district administration to issue a Request for Proposals for an independent, professional demographer to study the potential enrollment impacts of this housing development. This action reflects our responsibility as elected officials to do the necessary homework on behalf of Barrington’s students, families, and taxpayers before irreversible decisions are made.
We believe that allowing time for this independent analysis will benefit not only the School Department, but the Planning Board and the broader community as well. Reliable, third-party data will help ensure that any decisions regarding Belton Court will be fully based on a clear and comprehensive understanding of its implications and allow for proactive planning rather than reactive, expensive measures in the future.
Our schools are central to the fabric of this community, and protecting their ability to continue to serve our students and families at their current levels of excellence is one of our highest priorities. We respectfully ask that the Planning Board consider a brief pause in the approval process so that this important analysis can be completed and shared with you.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this request further, please reach out to us directly. Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your consideration of this timely request. We look forward to working together to ensure that Barrington remains a welcoming and successful community for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Barrington School Committee