Uses permitted
(a) The following table lists the sub-districts within the waterfront district, and the uses permitted within each sub-district. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure compatibility and efficient, economical use of land within the waterfront district. These regulations are also intended to encourage development projects and use of land which is functional, and to protect the city's residences, businesses, and infrastructure in a manner that is consistent with the comprehensive plan.
This article is intended to enable the development of the waterfront district in keeping with the scale and character set forth in the East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Plan. It provides a framework to allow higher land use densities in a context that promotes mixing land uses and building types, provides larger common open space areas and contiguous public access to and along the waterfront, lowers street and utility costs because of reduced frontage, and promotes a concentration of uses within a pedestrian friendly environment. Waterfront development is guided by a development plan review process in which the East Providence Waterfront special development district commission has significant involvement in determining the scale of the development and the character of the uses.
(1) Permitted uses are any use allowed in the waterfront district by this article IX, subject to the provisions applicable to that sub-district contained within this article.
(2) Accessory uses are uses which are considered to be subordinate to, and serve the main building or principal use; contribute to the comfort, convenience or necessity of the occupants of the main building or principal use served; are subordinate in area, extent and purpose to the main building or principal use served; are located within or external to the main building or principal use, but on the same lot.
(3) Conditional uses are a discretionary entitlement which may be granted under the provisions of this article, and which, when granted, authorize a specific use to be made of a specific property, subject to compliance with all terms and conditions imposed on the entitlement by the East Providence Waterfront special development district commission.
(b) Any change in the principal use of a property, or within the buildings or structures located on a property, shall be required to be reviewed by the executive director for compliance with the district regulations set forth for the zoning of said property, prior to the occurrence of the proposed change in use.
(c) Unnamed uses, or uses not specifically defined in this article, are not allowed except as follows:
(1) Upon application therefore, the executive director may determine whether a proposed use which is not specifically named within any zone district created by this article, and is not an accessory use, is similar to and compatible with uses otherwise allowed within a specific zone district and may, upon making a determination of similar and compatible uses, allow the proposed use within that district.
(2) In making the determination of similarity and compatibility, the executive director shall consider, among other relevant matters, traffic generation, density of population, and hours of operation of the proposed use in comparison to specifically named uses within the district in question, and with named uses permitted in other zone districts.
(d) The waterfront district encourages mixed land uses which may include, but are not limited to, any combination of housing, offices, retail and service businesses, and public and civic uses. Land uses may be mixed by floor (vertically within a building) or horizontally on a parcel of land. Office and residential uses are encouraged above ground level retail spaces. The scale of mixed use may range from a single stand-alone retail use with residential uses on upper stories, to a major development that integrates housing, offices, shops, streets and public spaces.
The intent of the waterfront district is to provide uses in conformance with the East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Plan. The plan identifies a range of general land uses within each of the waterfront sub-districts, as described in the following subsections:
(1) Kettle Point: Medium density residential, with ancillary commercial uses including restaurants, clubhouses, marinas and limited retail geared toward residents.
(2) Veterans Memorial Parkway: Medium density multi-family residential along the Veterans Memorial Parkway frontage, with commercial and retail uses at the lower levels of the site, and marina uses at the waterfront.
(3) Bold Point Harbor: A mixed-use high density area of commercial, office, retail and high density multi-family residential uses. Hospitality uses, including hotels and lodging, cafes, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues are also encouraged. Marinas, with limited support services, and water-transit related services are also permitted. Heavy commercial or industrial land uses are not permitted.
(4) Crook Point: Retail and hospitality uses are encouraged closer to the Washington Bridge, with commercial office, retail and high density residential uses transitioning north toward the Henderson Bridge.
(5) Dexter Road: Technology-oriented light manufacturing, including offices, research and development, commercial education institutions and supportive commercial retail uses. Heavy commercial, mini-storage or industrial land uses are not permitted.
(6) Phillipsdale: A mix of commercial office, retail, mixed-density residential (single-family, townhouses and multifamily condominiums), light manufacturing (in selected areas) and artisan live/work studio space.
(7) Pawtucket Avenue: Commercial office, light manufacturing and research and development, with medium density multifamily residential in selected areas.
(8) Metacomet: A mix of commercial office, retail, mixed-density residential (single-family, townhouses and multifamily condominiums), continuing care, fast food, conference centers, hotel, pharmacies, recreation and outdoor uses.
(Ch. 317, § I, 3-2-04; Ch. 810, § II, 7-20-21)