Traditional Village District.
§ 218-49. Traditional Village District.
A. Purpose. The purpose of the TVD is to encourage small-scale business and residential uses consistent with the historic and pedestrian-scale characteristics that exist and which are unique to Charlestown village, to preserve the Town's heritage, to strengthen the local economy, to continue small town character and aesthetics and to promote the general welfare of the Town. The TVD regulations set forth herein are consistent with and further implement the Town of Charlestown Comprehensive Plan, dated 1991, and any amendments thereto. These regulations are also intended to preserve the rural small town character of the Town, to encourage the most appropriate use of land, to enhance the beauty of the community, to provide affordable housing opportunities, to be consistent with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council Special Area Management Plan and to protect the character of the Charlestown village neighborhoods. These regulations shall be construed in a manner to further implement the goals, policies and applicable elements of the Charlestown Comprehensive Plan, dated 1991, and any amendments thereto.
B. Permitted Uses. Those land uses that are permitted to be located within the TVD are those land uses permitted by-right or conditionally-permitted only upon the issuance of a special use permit from the Zoning Board of Review, as set forth in § 218-36, Land Use Table.
C. Boundary. The boundary of the TVD is that area set forth on the map attached as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by this reference. The Town Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to revise the Official Zoning Map of the Town of Charlestown that is part of the zoning ordinance. All lots listed as TVD shall be re-zoned from the existing standard district of C-1 or C-2 to TVD and all lots listed as TVD shall be removed from the Mixed Use Overlay District. The remaining overlay districts shall remain in full force and effect.
D. General Provisions. The TVD shall be governed and controlled by the following:
(1) All activities, additions, alterations, renovations, and new construction that occur within the TVD that require the issuance of a building permit shall first be reviewed pursuant to the provisions of ARTICLE XII, Development Plan Review and Land Development Review, of the Charlestown Zoning Ordinance.
(2) Prohibited Uses. Prohibited uses within the TVD include the following:
(a) OUTDOOR DISPLAYS: The display and sale of products and services outside of a building or structure is prohibited between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Specific holiday related displays may be shown for three weeks prior to the holiday and one week following the holiday.
(b) FLEET VEHICLES: Outside parking or storage of three or more vehicles, used for commercial purposes, at one location is prohibited, unless obscured from public roads by a building or year- round vegetated buffer.
(c) OUTDOOR STORAGE: The keeping of any goods, junk, material, or merchandise or portable storage containers in the same general place for more than twenty-four (24) hours is prohibited unless obscured from public view by a vegetative screen or buffer.
(d) All those uses prohibited set forth in § 218-38 of this Code.
(3) Density. No more than one dwelling unit per lot is permitted in the TVD, unless low or moderate income housing units are provided at a rate of fifty-nine (59) percent to each and every market rate dwelling unit. To be eligible to create more than one dwelling unit on any property located within the TVD, all required federal, state and/or local approvals/permits must be obtained and the total number of dwelling units shall be limited to the following formula: Density is expressed in the following formula, where: A = Number of Low or Moderate Income Dwelling Units P = Percentage of Low or Moderate Income Dwelling Units - (59%) N = Total Number of Dwelling Units. M = Number of Market Rate Dwelling Units. A = N x P rounded down to nearest whole number (M = N -A)
(4) New Construction.
(a) New building construction on any lot in the TVD shall not have less square footage devoted to commercial use than the square footage of the footprint of the building. A second or third floor may have residential uses provided that the proper septic and well approvals can be obtained from the proper granting authorities.
(b) New commercial building construction may have residential uses at ground level attached to the building at the side or rear, in which case the square footage of residential uses shall not be greater than the commercial building footprint square footage. The building must meet all setback requirements and have proper well and septic approvals from the proper granting authorities. A second or third floor may have residential uses provided that the proper septic and well approvals can be obtained from the proper granting authorities.
(5) Alterations/Additions. An existing commercial building may add second and third floors containing residential and commercial uses. If residential is to be added to an existing commercial building at ground level, it must be attached at the side or rear and may not exceed nor reduce the square footage of the commercial use in the existing commercial building.
(6) Nonconforming Uses. Current non-conforming residential uses on lots within the TVD shall become conforming upon passage of this ordinance. In addition, any residential use located in the TVD may add an attached or detached commercial use to the residence.
(7) Prohibited Uses/Structures. No new residential-only buildings shall be built on any lot in the TVD. In addition, no metal buildings or metal-sided buildings are permitted within the TVD.
E. Dimensional and Design Regulations.
(1) General. Unless specifically modified in this Chapter of the Charlestown Zoning Ordinance, all the otherwise applicable dimensional and design standards for new and altered structures, uses and land shall be required. See also the standards set forth in ARTICLE VII, Dimensional requirements.
(2) Building Footprint. The maximum building footprint for all new construction of any single building is limited to 8,000 square feet. Buildings with footprints of 4,000 square feet or less are permitted by-right, subject to review pursuant to Article XII, Development Plan Review and Land Development Review of this Ordinance. Buildings with footprints greater than 4,000 square feet up to 8,000 square feet shall be permitted only upon the issuance of a special use permit, pursuant to § 218-23 Special Use Permits and review pursuant to ARTICLE XII, Development Plan Review and Land Development Review, of this Ordinance. More than one building per lot is permitted, subject to compliance with all other applicable provisions of the Charlestown Zoning Ordinance. [Amended 2-11-2019 by Ord. No. 380] (3) Building Height. All buildings on any lot zoned within the TVD shall be limited to 35 feet in height.
(4) Bulk and Massing. The massing of new commercial buildings shall be deemphasized in a variety of ways, including the use of projecting and recessed sections, to reduce their apparent overall bulk and volume.
(5) Roofing and Fascia. New buildings shall be topped with pitched roofs with overhanging eaves, but flat roofs with articulated parapets and cornices may be allowed at the discretion of the Administrative Officer or, if referred to the Planning Commission. The use of fascias, dormers and gables is encouraged to provide visual interest.
(6) Landscaping. The provisions of § 218-57 and § 218-74 of the Charlestown Zoning Ordinance shall govern the landscape improvement and buffer requirements of the TVD.