Legal Notice
LEGAL NOTICE
CITY OF WARWICK
ORDINANCE NO. 0-12-6
APPROVED SCOTT AVEDISIAN
January 19, 2012 MAYOR
THE CITY OF WARWICK
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
AN ORDINANCE RELATIVE TO AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE
TO IMPLEMENT
THE WARWICK STATION DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT:
A Transit Oriented Development
Be it ordained by the City of Warwick:
SECTION I. Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warwick is hereby amended by amending the following sections:
§§ 300 and 500
See Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as if set forth fully herein.
SECTION II. This Ordinance shall take effect upon passage and publication as prescribed by law.
SPONSORED BY: COUNCILMAN COLANTUONO AND
COUNCILWOMAN VELLA-WILKINSON
ON BEHALF OF MAYOR AVEDISIAN
COMMITTEE: ORDINANCE
EXHIBIT A
An Amendment to the
City of Warwick Zoning Ordinance
Creating
The Warwick Station Development District:
A Transit Oriented Development
SECTION 300 ESTABLISHMENT AND CLASSIFICATION OF DISTRICTS
301.11. Warwick Station Intermodal District (Intermodal). Properties mapped in accordance with subsection 303 of this ordinance and are intended to comply with the special zoning needs resulting from their location near the railroad terminal and the airport terminal site, including appropriate complementary uses, pedestrian and vehicular circulation and parking needs, access issues, traffic flow and congestion, lot coverage and height restrictions. The intent of the intermodal zone is to create and sustain an area of regional economic activity within a retail commercial and office core located on a circulation access spine linking the two transportation nodes described above. This area is the core commercial activity area of the Warwick Station Redevelopment District. It is intended that this zone have a high quality of design for pedestrian use, infrastructure improvements that will enable a flow of users between the two transportation nodes and an appropriate intensity of associated retail, office and hotel uses.
Warwick Station Development District (WSDD). The Warwick Station Development District shall consist of that area presented in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan and Warwick Comprehensive Community Plan. The Development District shall consist of two distinct zoning districts; the Intermodal District as defined in Section 301.11A of this ordinance and the Gateway District as defined in subsection 301.11B of this ordinance, and as illustrated on the Warwick Zoning Ordinance Map. Warwick Planning Department and Planning Board are hereby authorized to carry out the purposes of the Warwick Station Development District.
All development within the Development District shall be reviewed and approved by the Warwick Planning Department and/or Warwick Planning Board as a Land Development Project as defined in subsection 200.87 entitled Land Development Project and in accordance with the City of Warwick Land Development and Subdivision Review Regulations. The Planning Department and Planning Board shall also provide assistance to property owners and the City including the City Council, Zoning Board of Review and other agencies on planning issues within the WSDD related to design and site planning and on related issues as it deems appropriate, including the design of public improvements such as street rehabilitation, paving, lighting, sidewalks, curbing and drainage.
301.11A Warwick Station Intermodal District (Intermodal). Properties mapped in accordance with subsection 303 of this ordinance and which are intended to capitalize on the opportunities resulting from their location in proximity to the Intermodal facility and the Airport terminal, including appropriate complementary uses, pedestrian and vehicular circulation and parking needs, access issues, traffic flow and congestion, lot coverage and height restrictions. The intent of the Intermodal District is to create and sustain an area of regional economic activity consisting of retail, commercial, office and residential uses located on a circulation access spine linking transportation nodes. This area is the core commercial activity area within Warwick Station Development District. It is intended that this zone have a high quality of design for pedestrian use, infrastructure improvements that will enable a flow of users between different transportation nodes and an appropriate density of associated retail, office, residential and hotel uses.
301.11B. Warwick Station Gateway District (Gateway). Properties mapped in accordance with subsection 303 of this ordinance and which are intended to serve as transitional areas leading to the Intermodal District of the Warwick Station Development District from outlying areas, including the Post Road and Airport Road general business districts. The Gateway District is intended to allow limited commercial uses customarily associated with transportation facilities as well as general commercial uses commonly allowed within general business districts. It is intended that this zone have a high quality of design associated with vehicular circulation and appropriate landscaping and architectural design intended to create a separate identity and a cohesive appearance distinguishable from the outlying areas.
301.12. Warwick Station Gateway District (Gateway). Properties mapped in accordance with subsection 303 of this ordinance and are intended to serve as transitional areas leading to the Intermodal District of the Warwick Station Redevelopment District from outlying areas, including the Post Road and Airport Road general business districts. The Gateway District is intended to allow limited commercial uses customarily associated with transportation facilities such as airport and railroad terminals as well as general commercial uses commonly allowed within general business districts. It is intended that this district have a high quality of design associated with vehicular circulation and appropriate landscaping and architectural design intended to create a separate identity and a cohesive appearance distinguishable from the outlying areas.
Table 1. Use Regulations
Zoning Districts Intermodal Gateway
100. Residential uses:
101. Detached single-family dwelling unit no no
102. A two-family, three-family or four-family no no
dwelling in a development containing four or
less dwelling units
102.1 A multifamily dwelling in a development yes(23) yes
containing between five and ten dwelling units
103. Two-family and multiple-family dwelling in yes yes
a development containing ten or more dwelling
units
104. Congregate elderly housing containing no no
between two and ten units
105. Congregate elderly housing containing more no no
than ten units
106. Rooming house no no
107. Room for less than three boarders no no
107.1 Bed and breakfast for up to four guests no no
108. Mobile home, mobile home park, or trailer park no no
109. Community residence no no
200. Agricultural uses:
201. Raising of crops (commercial and non- no no
commercial)
202. Commercial greenhouse no no
203. Sales place for flowers, garden supplies, no no
agricultural produce conducted partly or wholly
outdoors
204. Raising and keeping of animals and livestock no no
300. Office uses:
301. Medical offices, excluding clinic no yes no
302. Clinic no yes no
303. Law office, accountant, architect or other yes (25) yes
non-medical professional person
304. Real estate, insurance, travel agency, yes (25) yes
advertising or similar agency office
305. General office use yes (25) yes
306. Bank, trust company or similar financial no yes
institution with drive-in window
307. Bank or other financial institution without yes (25) yes
drive-in window
308. Research and development laboratory, S(25) no S no
testing facility for environmental or medical
purposes, or facility excluding radioactive and
chemical or biological processes
309. Biological technologies, including rDNA S(25) no S no
(recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid), cell fusion,
and novel bioprocessing techniques, including
related research into processes that promote health
diagnostics and therapeutics, agricultural biology
including plant genetics for food purposes,
environmental remediation techniques, and
manufacture of instruments that assist in biological
research
400. Service uses:
401. Barbershop, beauty salon yes (24) yes
402. Laundry and dry cleaning, pickup, yes (24) yes
self-service cleaners, and laundromat
403. Shoe repair, tailoring shop, or other yes (24) yes
similar establishment
404. Television, radio, or other household no no
appliance repair
405. Instant copy and printing shops, photographer’s yes (24) yes
studio, and photo processor shops
406. Arts or crafts studio (no sales) no no
407. Veterinary establishment and kennel no yes
408. Mortuary, undertaking or funeral home no no
establishment
409. Locksmith no yes
410. Caterer no yes
411. Hotel or motel yes (25) yes
412. Public gathering hall, theater and auditorium yes yes
413. Indoor commercial recreation facility including, yes (25) yes
health club and private club
414. Outdoor commercial recreation facility, including no S no
amusement park, and sports center not elsewhere
classified, driving range, pitch & putt, miniature golf,
or similar activity
414.1 Outdoor recreation limited to driving range, no S
miniature golf, pitch & putt, batting cages and/or little
league baseball facilities
415. Golf course (excluding driving range, pitch & no no
putt, miniature golf, or similar establishment)
416. Coin-operated amusement establishment yes(24) no S no
417. Massage establishment no no
418. Marina, yacht club no no
419. Vehicle rental agency yes(14b) yes
(16a)
420. Carwash no no
421. Gasoline station (no repairs), may include yes
convenience and/or grocery retail
422. Service station (with repairs) no no
422.1. Auto body repair shop no no
423. Boat repairs, painting or storage. no no
424. Building trades contractor, oil and fuel service, no no
or similar establishment
424.1 Landscape and tree service no no
425. Cesspool company no no
425.1 Other service establishment S (24) no S no
500. Retail uses:
501. Restaurant (with liquor license) yes(24) yes
501.1. Nightclub S(24) S
502. Restaurant (without liquor license) yes(24) yes
503. Fast food restaurant yes(15b)(24) yes
503.1. Retail trade-neighborhood establishment yes (23) yes
2,000 square feet GFA or less
503.2. Retail trade-community wide establishment yes (24) yes
of more than 2,000 square feet GFA
505. New or used vehicle sales, with service or no no
outdoor display (excluding boats)
507. New or used boat sales, with service or no no
outdoor display
508. Marine equipment, fishing and tackle store, no no
bait shop
509. Open air market or outdoor sales and display, no no
mobile or otherwise
50X Adult entertainment no no
510. Other retail establishment yes(24) yes
600. Transportation, communication and utility uses:
601. Airport or heliport S no
602. Bus or railroad passenger station yes no
603. Automobile parking lot or parking garage for S (25) S
private passenger cars (as a principal use)
604. Truck, bus, taxi, or other commercial vehicle no no
terminal yard or building for storage and servicing
of such
605. Radio and television transmission station no no
including towers
606. Radio or television studio no no
607. Electrical transformer station and substation, no S
gas regulator station, water and sewer pumping
station, and telephone exchange station as a
principal use and not elsewhere classified in this table
608. Electric power plant no no
609. Nuclear power plant no no
610. Other utility, utility station, receiving or transmitting no no
device or tower, or satellite dish antenna as a
principal use and not elsewhere classified in this table
611. Telecommunications facility, including towers (15) no no
700. Institutional uses:
701. Religious place of worship, including rectory, yes(24) no yes no
parsonage, convent and monastery
702. Social community or recreation center no yes yes
703. Other use with religious purposes no no
704. Hospital, including hospital for mental, drug, no no
or alcohol treatment but excluding animal hospital
704.1. Family day care home, as defined no no
704.2. Day care facility, as defined yes (24) no yes no
705. Extended care, convalescent, rest, or nursing no no
home
706. Preschool and kindergarten yes(24) no yes no
707. Primary or grammar and junior high school or no no
middle school, public, parochial or private school
providing compulsory education, including uses
listed in 706 when located in the same facility
708. High school, including preparatory school or no no
academy, public, parochial or private school
providing compulsory education
709. Junior college, college or university, including no yes
public or private institutions of higher learning
710. Vocational, business or other schools no yes
711. Resident dormitory fraternity, or sorority no yes
712. Government administrative offices yes yes
713. Police, fire, other public safety facility or other yes yes
government facility not elsewhere classified in this
table
714. Library or museum yes (25) no yes no
715. Public park, playground or public recreation yes yes
building
716. Community water supply, wells or conservation no yes no yes
area
717. Cemetery no no
718. Crematory no no
719. Prison no no
800. Light industry:
801. Assembling and packaging of articles no no
802. Manufacturing, welding, fabricating, processing,
assembling or packaging of:
1. Food and beverage products no no
2. Clothing but not textile manufacture no no
3. Paper and paper board products no no
4. Drugs no no
5. Leather goods excluding footwear no no
6. Electric and electronic equipment including audio, no no
video, computer, and office machines
7. Engineering and scientific instruments and supplies no no
8. Medical and dental instruments and supplies, no no
including optical instruments and lenses but excluding
laboratory testing
9. Photographic equipment and supplies no no
10. Watches, clocks, and clockwork mechanisms no no
11. Jewelry, insignia emblems, badges, notions, and no no
costume jewelry, but excluding electroplating
12. Musical instruments no no
13. Sporting goods and toys no no
14. Art supplies, including pens, pencils, and similar no no
products
15. Signs and advertising devices no no
16. Miscellaneous products including umbrellas, no no
parasols, canes, brooms, and brushes
803. Bottling beverages no no
804. Distribution center, parcel delivery center, no no
delivery warehouse
805. Laundry, dry cleaning plant no no
806. Printing, binding publishing and related arts no no
and trades
807. Mini-storage and mini-warehouse facility no no
808. Processing and packaging of fish or fish products no no
809. Wholesale business and storage in roofed no no
structure or outdoors, but not including wholesale
storage of flammable liquids, gas or explosives
810. Storage warehouse, cold storage plant, storage no no
building but not including storage of junk scrap metal,
rags, waste paper and similar materials
811. Open-lot storage of new building materials, no no
machinery, and metals, but not junk, scrap and wastes
812. Open-lot storage of coal, sand, or other similar no no
material
900. General industry:
901. Dismantling or wrecking of used motor vehicles no no
and storage or sale of dismantled inoperative or
wrecked vehicles or their parts
902. Stone cutting, shaping, and finishing, in no no
completely enclosed buildings
903. Textile mill no no
904. Plaster of Paris or ceramic products manufacture no no
905. Asphalt or concrete plant no no
906. Sand and gravel operation no no
907. Manufacturing, welding, fabricating, processing, no no
assembling or packaging or other industrial operation,
but the following are expressly prohibited:
1. Acid manufacture
2. Cement, concrete, lime or gypsum manufacture
3. Explosives or fireworks manufacture
4. Glue manufacture
5. Incineration of solid waste or dead animals
6. Petroleum refining
7. Stockyard
8. Landfill or underground injection well for hazardous
materials
908. Open-lot storage of second-hand lumber or other no no
used building material
909. Open-lot storage of junk, scrap, paper, rags or no no
other salvage articles
910. Hazardous waste management facility(14) no no
Footnotes:
(14b) Vehicle rental agency with on site storage is prohibited.
(15b) Fast food restaurant with drive-through window shall be prohibited
(16a) Airport related service uses located within the Intermodal zone and directly abutting Post Road at the time of the effective date of this ordinance [Ordinance No. O-98-44] shall be allowed to expand within the limits of their property and abutting properties held in the same ownership at the time of the effective date of this ordinance [Ordinance No. O-98-44]. For the purposes of this ordinance airport related uses shall be defined in Table 1. Use regulations as #421 gasoline station and #419 vehicle rental agency, which may consist of such accessory uses as vehicle storage, fuel pumps, motor vehicle maintenance, vehicle washing, and sales of rental vehicles.
(23) Subject to Planning Board approval as a component of a larger mixed-use development within a multistory building. This use is prohibited as a principal use.
(24) Allowed as a component of mixed-use development within a multi-story building with this actual use code composing no more that 25% of the total gross floor area of the entire building. This use is prohibited as a principal use within a new single story structure. This use may be approved as an interim use within a single story building or structure which was lawfully existing or established prior to January 2012 if approved by the Planning Board in conformance with the WSDD design standards and the Zoning Board as a special use permit, if applicable.
(25) Allowed within a building that is at least 2 stories in height. This use may be approved as an interim use within a single story structure which was lawfully existing or established prior to January 2012 subject to approval by the Planning Board in conformance with the WSDD design standards.
Dimensional regulations:
Zoning Districts Intermodal Gateway
Minimum lot area (square feet) 6,000sf 30,000sf
Maximum density, dwelling units per acre 0 0
N/A N/A
Minimum frontage (feet) 60 60
Minimum lot width (feet) 60 60
Minimum front and corner side yard (feet) 0 10
Minimum side yard (feet) 0 15
Minimum rear yard (feet) 20
Maximum structure height (feet) 75 75
Minimum landscaped open space (percent) 10% 10%
SECTION 500 SPECIAL REGULATIONS
507. Warwick Station Development District (WSDD) Landscaping and screening requirements for the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts.
It is the intent of this subsection to require that properties within the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts be suitably landscaped and screened in order to provide for attractive and well maintained development in accordance with section 103, Purpose of this ordinance. All uses in the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts shall comply with the minimum standards contained in section 505 as well as the landscaping and screening requirements specified in section 700, Parking and Loading.
The intent of the Warwick Station Development District (“WSDD”) is to encourage, guide and direct development and to ensure that the character presented in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan, as amended, is maintained and that mixed uses provide for the health and growth of the Development District. The construction and design of buildings and open spaces shall be regulated and approved in accordance with the provisions of the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan.
Specific components of this purpose include:
A. To comply with all the elements of Section 103 Purpose as contained in this zoning ordinance.
B. To ensure that the District capitalizes on the substantial public investment in T.F. Green Airport, the Intermodal facility and the Interlink.
C. To expand economic development opportunity within the District by encouraging private-sector investment.
D. To provide for an orderly development process that places a premium on quality of design, walkability, function and mitigating traffic impacts and supports multimodal travel options.
507.1. Procedures for approval.
(a) Application. Before a property owner applies for a building permit or commences improvements including the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, demolition, removal and/or rehabilitation of new or existing buildings, or appurtenances (paving, curb cuts, parking areas, drainage, etc.) within the WSDD, a written application for such work and appropriate development plans shall be submitted to the Planning Department.
The Administrative Officer to the Planning Board shall have the authority to review an application and approve, approve with conditions or deny any application administratively or, at his/her discretion, may forward the application to the Planning Board for review and action pursuant to the provisions of this section of the Zoning Ordinance and no building permit shall be issued before a project receives design approval from either the Administrative Officer or the Planning Board.
(b) Administrative approval. The following shall not require formal Planning Board approval and may be approved administratively by the Administrative Officer. Any application denied by the Administrative Officer may be appealed by the applicant to the Planning Board for action at the next available meeting of the Planning Board.
(1) Work meant to remedy damage or deterioration of a structure or its appurtenances which involves no change in type of materials, dimensions, design, configuration, texture or visual appearance;
(2) Exterior alterations to existing buildings, parking areas and appurtenances that require a building permit.
(3) Business enhancement plantings.
(4) Signs that conform to all of the requirements contained Section 800 “Signs.”
(c) Planning Board Review. The Planning Board shall review all applications including, but not limited to, new construction, additions, moving of structures and demolition of buildings. Such review shall be held during a regular Planning Board meeting in accordance with the procedures contained in the City of Warwick Land Development Subdivision Review Regulations.
(d) Determination. The Planning Board shall be authorized to approve, approve with conditions or deny an application. Approval shall be based upon conformance with the regulations of this section, the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan, as amended, City of Warwick Development Review Regulations and the WSDD Design Manual.
(e) Advice from other agencies. In order to assist in its review, the Planning Board may request other agencies to review and comment on proposals. Compliance with the Design Guidelines of the WSDD Master Plan and Ordinance shall be determined by the Planning Board or a designated Design Review Subcommittee. This process may be assisted by a third party peer review consultant to provide design review on an on-call basis at the request of the applicant or the Board, provided that the proper findings of fact have been made. This consultant may be selected by the applicant subject to prior approval from the Board. The consultant shall have demonstrated a satisfactory knowledge of the design principles, fundamentals and objectives as contained within the WSDD Master Plan. The total fee for the third party peer review shall be paid by the applicant before the application receives final approval.
507.2. Design regulations for alterations and enlargements of existing buildings, parking areas and/or landscaping. All exterior improvements on existing buildings in the WSDD are subject to approval by the Administrative Officer or Planning Board and shall be regulated by these standards and guidelines except for those activities listed in section 507.1 (b) Administrative approval. The purpose of these regulations and the WSDD Design Manual is to establish design criteria to create and maintain the architectural and landscape features of the District envisioned in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan.
(a) Minimum standards. The following are minimum standards for the design of alterations or additions to existing buildings:
(1) Design. Alterations and additions to existing buildings shall follow the design standards defined within the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan and further detailed within the WSDD Design Manual. All designs shall be compatible with the size, scale, massing, proportion, material, and other features and environmental setting of a pedestrian-scaled urban development.
(2) Additions and alterations. Wherever possible, additions or alterations to buildings, structures, and appurtenances shall be designed in a manner that transforms existing buildings to conform to the character of the district in compliance with the standards for new construction listed in section 507.3.
(3) Exterior lighting and glare. All exterior lighting shall be designed to minimize negative impacts on neighboring properties. Night sky pollution shall be controlled by down-shaded lighting or shielded lighting. All lighting shall be based upon a pedestrian scale appropriate for the Warwick Station Development District setting. Glare from outdoor lights and signs and from the movement of vehicles on site shall be shielded from the view of adjacent residential properties.
(4) Landscaping and Screening. Landscaping and screening requirements for the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts. It is the intent of this subsection to require that properties within the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts be suitably landscaped and screened in order to provide for attractive and well maintained development in accordance with Section 103, Purpose of this ordinance. All uses in the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts shall comply with the minimum standards contained in Section 505, Landscaping and Screening Requirements for Nonresidential Uses; the landscaping and screening requirements specified in Section 700, Parking and Loading; as well as the guidelines found in the WSDD Design Manual.
507.3. Design regulations for new construction, parking, landscaping, storm-water control, and signage. All new construction in the WSDD is subject to approval by the Planning Board and shall be regulated by these standards and guidelines as well as those defined within the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan, the WSDD Design Manual, and Sections 505.2 through 505.5 and 505.7 of Section 505, Landscaping and Screening Requirements for Nonresidential Uses, except for those activities listed in section 507.1. (b) Administrative approval. The purpose of these regulations is to establish design criteria to create a Development District which is pedestrian in scale and to ensure that new construction is consistent with the WSDD Master Plan.
(a) Minimum standards. The following are minimum standards for all new construction projects.
(1) Design. Buildings, structures and site layout, shall be visually compatible with the character contained in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan and the surrounding area, including building materials, massing, scale, building roof lines, and site furnishings.
(2) Architectural elements. Architectural elements should be in proportion to the overall building and should also be congruent with the surrounding building context. Exaggerated or excessively large (or small) architectural elements should be avoided. Development projects should reuse existing buildings of historical significance whenever possible.
(3) Scale. Large scale development may be encouraged in appropriate areas, but pedestrian level streetscapes shall be included as an integral design element. Conventional suburban-oriented, individual structures with a single entrance set back on a large expanse of asphalt parking are prohibited. New buildings should not be single story, large, bulky masses, but should be vertical in orientation and multi-storied.
(4) Vehicular access. Proposed site layout shall limit direct access to collector and arterial roadways and shall provide safe ingress and egress from local roads and private drives by providing a sufficient number and control of access points including adequate site distances, turning lanes and signalization when required by existing and projected traffic flow. The Planning Board may require consolidation of existing curb cuts into fewer clearly defined entrances. The Planning Board may also require shared access between developments where practicable. No development shall be allowed where there is unrestricted access to public streets or roadways or where a public street must be utilized to maneuver in and out of a parking space. Provisions shall be made for providing and maintaining safe and convenient emergency vehicle access to all buildings and structures at all times.
(5) Parking. New construction shall conform to Section 700, Off-street Parking and Loading, except for the parking reductions prescribed below:
Requirement
Use Parking Spaces per Unit or
Gross Floor Area (GFA)
Office , Bank, Medical and Professional 1 spaces/300 square feet of GFA
Hotel 0.75/bedroom
Multifamily residential 1.5/dwelling unit
Retail/Entertainment 1/300 square feet of GFA
Parking structures may be required to satisfy parking space requirements. Due to the pedestrian nature of the Intermodal zone and the use of the Interlink between the Intermodal facility and the Airport terminal, the Planning Board may limit the number of parking spaces provided for each use within the WSDD. In addition, the Planning Board may limit the ingress and egress points of parking facilities to side streets to ensure that traffic congestion is mitigated so that collector and arterial roadways are not adversely impacted.
(6) Circulation. The design of the project circulation system shall be inclusive of all transportation choices and relate to planned improvements in the area, including future walkways, street widening, realignments, or paving programs which have been planned or scheduled for construction. The design shall be consistent with corridor improvement designs encouraged within the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan and WSDD Design Manual and promote convenient and safe pedestrian and bicycle transit accessible to all. Small scaled interior streets and drives, alleyways, public spaces, and pedestrian paths shall be encouraged within the District. Such interior circulation shall link to an overall system envisioned in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan.
(7) View corridors. Views of significant features such as the new intermodal station, the Elizabeth Mill and the Airport terminal shall be preserved whenever possible.
(8) Utilities. New development shall not impose unreasonable burdens on sanitary sewers, storm-drains, water lines, roadway systems and other public utilities and may be subject to impact studies in accordance with the Warwick Development Review Regulations. Developers shall be responsible for all improvements and upgrades resulting form a proposed development. All utilities shall be underground.
a) Public water. All new construction must utilize the City of Warwick water system. Sufficient public water supply must be available for a proposed development and shall not result in an unreasonable burden on the existing water supply.
b) Sewage disposal. All new construction must utilize the City of Warwick sanitary sewer system. Sufficient sewer capacity must be available throughout the sewer system for a proposed development and shall not result in an unreasonable burden on the existing sewer system.
c) Storm-water run-off and erosion control. Adequate provisions shall be made for storm-water runoff so that removal of surface water shall not adversely affect neighboring properties, downstream water quality, soil erosion or the storm-drain system. Whenever possible, on site underground infiltration systems shall be utilized to eliminate discharges from the site.
1. Erosion and sedimentation shall be controlled during and after construction and shall not adversely affect adjacent or neighboring property or public facilities and services. All erosion control shall meet the standards of the City of Warwick and the Rhode Island Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook.
2. All storm-water control shall meet the standards of the Rhode Island Storm-water Design and Installation Standards Manual and Section D.2.7 “Drainage” as contained in the City of Warwick Development Review Regulations. Such storm-water control shall be integral to the landscape design of the
project.
c) Traffic impact. Proposed developments shall not impose unreasonable burdens on the circulation system of the district or surrounding areas. Public roadways inadequate to handle the volume of traffic generated by the development shall be improved by the applicant to provide safe, efficient passage for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Developers may be required to provide a traffic impact report prepared by a certified traffic engineer as authorized in the Development Review Regulations.
(9) Security. In the case of significant projects having a substantial impact upon the district, the City, or the surrounding area, the Planning Board shall require a performance guarantee in accordance with the Warwick Development Review Regulations ensuring that the project will be completed in accordance with the approved plans and any conditions imposed.
(10) Signs. The size, location, design, lighting and materials of all exterior signs and outdoor advertising structures shall be compatible with the design of proposed buildings, structures and surrounding properties. The Planning Board may limit the size and number of signs for any property, provided however, that at least one sign for each nonresidential lot which meets the standards of the City of Warwick Zoning Ordinance shall be allowed.
(11) Special features. Exposed storage areas, exposed machinery, service areas, loading areas, utility buildings and similar structures shall have sufficient setbacks and screening to provide an audio and visual buffer designed to minimize adverse impacts on surrounding properties.
(12) Exterior lighting and glare. All exterior lighting shall be designed to minimize negative impacts on neighboring properties. Night sky pollution shall be controlled by down-shaded lighting or shielded lighting. All lighting shall be based upon a pedestrian scale appropriate for the Warwick Station Development District setting. Glare from outdoor lights and signs and from the movement of vehicles on site shall be shielded from the view of adjacent residential properties.
507.4 Demolition.
In order to create the appropriate architectural and landscape character envisioned in the Warwick Station Development District Master Plan, no building shall be demolished until the Planning Board has granted a demolition permit.
(1) Review of application. In reviewing an application for demolition, the Planning Board shall consider the architectural quality of the existing building and the quality of the site and shall review the proposed landscaping and/or new building to be constructed.
(2) Grant of demolition. A demolition permit shall not be issued until the applicant demonstrates adequate financial ability to demolish the existing structure and landscape the site or construct a new building on the site. The Planning Board may require a performance guarantee to ensure that all work approved in the grant of demolition is satisfactorily completed.
1/24/12