Zoning use table follows
TABLE 2.4. ZONING USE TABLE
| District | ||||||||||||
| 2.4.1. Use Category | RE-2 | RU-3 | RU-4 | CR-5 | B | LB-R | LI | OS/PL | GWOL |
Planned
District |
PVOD | |
| 1. | Single-family structures | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| 2. | Home occupations (as per article IV, section 2) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 3. | Raising of animals or fowl by a resident of the premises not to exceed USDA animal unit equivalent without a management plan by SRICD | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 4. | Public telephone booths | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 5. | Signs permitted in article VI, accessory to primary use | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 6. | Parking as required in article V, accessory to primary use | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 7. | Accessory use as defined in article IV, section 1 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 8. | Farming; nurseries; forestry activities, which includes cutting, buying and selling of firewood; excluding wood processing which is listed as a special use. Buying, selling, breeding and boarding of animals, except dogs, but not including the raising of pigs primarily for the consumption and disposal of garbage | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | |
| 9. | Landscaping businesses | |||||||||||
| a. Home occupation | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y | N | Y (16) | N | ||
| b. Non-home occupation | N | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | ||
| 10. | Kennel business | |||||||||||
| a. Kennel Class 1 (over ten dogs) | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | |
| b. Kennel Class 2 (four—ten dogs) | N | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | SN | N | N | |
| 11. | Erection of a roadside stand, not to exceed 400 square feet for the sale of agricultural products as an accessory use | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | |
| 12. | Single-family mobile homes will be allowed as temporary living structures for a period of one year under the following conditions; i.e. fire- and storm-related damage. The license will be reviewed by the zoning board of review after one year | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | |
| 13. | Pharmacies or drugstores | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| 14. | Grocery, delicatessen, bakery or other retail foodstores | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 15. | Commercial lunchrooms, ice cream parlors. Fast food not permitted | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 16. | Variety stores, family or independent | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 17. | Arts and crafts shops | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 18. | Personal service shops such as tailor, dressmaking, barber, beauty, shoe repair, laundry pickup, dry cleaning pickup and watch repair | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 19. | Antique, art, book, stationery or gift shops | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 20. | Florists and nurseries | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | |
| 20.a | Greenhouse Tier I | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 20.b | Greenhouse Tier II | N | Y (see note 11) | Y (see note 11) | Y (see note 11) | Y (see note 11) | Y (see note 11) | Y (see note 11) | S (see note 11) | S (see note 11) | S (see note 11) | S (see note 11) |
| 20.c | Greenhouse Tier III-CEA Facility | N | Y (see note 10) | N | N | N | N | Y (see note 10) | N | N | N | N |
| 21. | Funeral homes or mortuaries | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 21a | crematorium and/ or medical waste incineration | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | ||
| 22. | Restaurants, taverns or catering establishments. Fast food service restaurants not permitted in any district | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y (16) | N | N | Y | |
| 23. | Package liquor stores | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 24. | Sale of lumber, building materials, hardware, grain or feed | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 25. | Woodworking and furniture refinishing shops | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | |
| 26. | General merchandise, department, furniture or other household goods stores, and food stores | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 27. | Photography, photocopying, blue-printing or printing establishments | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 28. | Recreational equipment sales such as travel trailers, snowmobiles, swimming pools, tents | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 29. | Manufacture of wood products excluding manufacture of raw paper products or recycling of paper | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 30. | Scientific and research laboratories | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 31. | Manufacture of food products, other than from meat, vinegar and yeast. Fish, shellfish and rendering or refining of fats and oil products not permitted | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | |
| 32. | Lumber, coal, building materials, grain and feed storage yards, wholesale and warehouse faciliities, including cold storage | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 33. | Freight or trucking terminals | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 34. | Manufacture of electronic products | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 35. | Public utility structures | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 36. | Private neighborhood halls and other uses incidental to the promotion and development of neighborhood cooperation and activities. Communal uses including grange halls, and other public or private recreation uses incidental to and for the community | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 37. | Educational or religious institutions, including churches, schools and nursery schools. Size restrictions apply | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 38. | Two-family dwelling structures | Y | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 39. | Mixed use commercial development | N | N | N | N | N | SY (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 40. | Government buildings and uses including libraries, town halls and public works garages, but excluding sanitary landfills, sewage treatment plants and incinerators | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | SY | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 41. | Wood processing | N | N | Y(16) | Y (16) | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | |
| 42. | Bed and breakfast | N | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 43. | Family day care, homes | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | |
| 44. | Day care centers | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | |
| 45. | Single-family mobile homes will be allowed as temporary living structures for a period of one year for new construction. Applicants must obtain a building permit before applying for a special-use permit. The license will be reviewed by the zoning board after a period of one year | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 46. | Medical uses, including rest homes, convalescent homes, animal hospitals and clinics | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 47. | Cemeteries, provided that the total area to be devoted to such use shall not be less than 25 acres | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 48. | Structures to accommodate business and professional offices. Towers prohibited | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | Y | |
| 49. | Swimming areas, country clubs, golf courses, skiing and commercial horseback riding facilities. Private and public fishing and hunting areas, sports clubs (excluding shooting ranges). Private or commercial campgrounds or recreation, including sports clubs | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 50. | Motels or hotels with not more than ten rooms per acre of gross site area, and with state-approved water supply well and ISDS systems | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | N | S | |
| 51. | Gasoline filling stations | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | N | S | |
| 52. | New and used automobile dealer-ships, provided that all repair is performed within a structure and that there is no outdoor storage of derelict or junk automobiles or parts | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | |
| 53. | Shopping centers, meaning a cluster of two or more stores with communal parking facilities, planned and built as an entity or subdivision of an area within a business district | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | N | Y | |
| 54. | Occupational schools conducted as a business such as dance, music [or] welding automobiles | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | Y (16) | N | N | N | N | |
| 55. | Extractive industries, including gravel and sandbanks, provided they are screened by an opaque fence, hedge or other natural barrier not less than six feet in height, and provided they conform to the Earth Removal Ordinance | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 56. | Manufacture of food products from meat, vinegar or yeast | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 57. | Metal fabrication | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 58. | Manufacture of machine tools, precision instruments, musical instruments, toys and novelties | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | Y | N | N | S | |
| 59. | Industrial parks, meaning a cluster of two or more industrial businesses with communal parking facilities, planned and built as an entity or subdivision of an area within an individual district | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | N | |
| 60. | Breweries or distilleries | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | S | |
| 60A. | Farm breweries | N | Y | Y | Y | Y(16) | N | N | N | Y | N | N |
| 60B. | Farm café within a farm brewery | N | Y (15) | Y (15) | Y (15) | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| 61. | Junk or salvage yards, including the outdoor storage of used materials, provided they are screened by an opaque fence, hedge or other natural barrier not less than six feet in height | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 62. | Manufacture, processing and packaging of cosmetics and toiletries | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | S | |
| 63. | Private cellular communications antenna on existing nonresidential principal or accessory structure | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y (16) | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | |
| 64. | Private cellular communications antenna on existing residential principal or accessory structure | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | |
| 65. | Public cellular communications antenna on existing non-residential structure | N | N | SN | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | |
| 66. | Other communications tower, including broadcast TV or radio | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 67. | Public cellular communications tower | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y (16) | N | N | Y | |
| 68. | Private cellular communications tower | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| 69. | Accessory building-mounted solar facility | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| 70. | Solar Canopy | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| 71. | Small-scale solar facility | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| 72. | Medium-scale solar facility | S | S | S | S | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| 73. | Large-scale solar facility | S | S | S | S | N | N | Y | N | S | Y | N |
| 74. | Utility-scale solar facility | N | N | N | N | N | N | S | N | S | S | N |
| 75. | Medical Marijuana | |||||||||||
| a. Compassion center | N | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | |
| b. Medical marijuana cultivation center | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | |
| c. Non-residential cooperative cultivation | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | S | Y | S | |
| d. Residential cooperative cultivation | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | |
| e. Patient cultivation | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| 76. | Reserved — Marijuana Cultivation Center | |||||||||||
| 77. | Reserved — Marijuana Store | N | N | N | N | Y(16) | N | Y(16) | N | N | N | N |
| 78. | Short-term rental | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| All uses not listed above are specifically prohibited. | ||||||||||||
| 2.4.2. Dimensional Regulations | District | |||||||||
| RE-2 | RU-3 | RU-4 | CR-5 | B | LB-R | LI | OS/PL | PVOD | ||
| 1. | Minimum lot size, acres | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | See note (8) | ||
| 2. | Minimum street frontage, feet | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 150 | 150 | 400 | 200 | 40 |
| 3. | Maximum lot coverage by all structures, percent. Refer to article VI, section 2 for number of structures (building coverage) | 15 (see note 14) | 15 (see note 14) | 15 (see note 14) | 10 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 10 | See note (8) |
| 4. | Minimum front depth (setback), feet | 60 | 100 (see note 12) | 100 | 150 | 100 | 100 | 200 | 200 | See note (9) |
| 5. | Minimum front depth (setback) on arterial roads, feet | 100 | 100 | 150 | 100 | 100 | 200 | 200 | 10 | |
| 6. | Minimum side depth (setback), feet | 30 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| 7. | Minimum rear depth (setback), feet | 50 | 50 | 50 | 150 | 75 | 75 | 100 | 150 | 0 |
| 8. | Maximum structure height, feet (excluding farm structures), measured from highest grade |
40 (see note 13)
75 |
40 (see note 13) | 40 (see note 13) | 40 (see note 13) | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
| 9. | Maximum building capacity, persons | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 | ||||
| 10. | Maximum gross retail footprint (see note #7 below), square feet | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | N/A | 40,000 | Section 10.3.3 |
| 11. | Number of structures shall be in accordance with 2.6. | |||||||||
NOTES:
1. Any industrial structure or activity or outdoor storage shall be set at least 200 feet from the RE-2, RU-3, RU-4 and CR-5 district boundaries, and at least 100 feet from any B or LB/R district boundaries. A setback for structures and parking lots of 200 feet from all roads and suitable landscape screening shall be provided.
2. No certificate of occupancy for any use shall be issued until the administrative officer has certified in writing that the use has received all required approvals.
3. Each business or industry must contain within its own lot the wellhead protection for the well supplying all its water.
4. For all setback requirements; setbacks shall be measured from the lot line to any part of the building that projects beyond the foundation.
5. On corner lots, the rear setback shall conform to the side setback requirements that there shall be no rear yard; only a front and two side yards.
6. For the purposes of calculating minimum lot dimensions, area, density, maximum percent coverage, and the maximum number of lots or dwelling units permitted in a conservation development in any zoning district where permitted, the provisions of the land development and subdivision regulations shall apply.
7. The maximum gross building footprint per retail structure shall be 40,000 square feet in all zones except the LI zone which does not have a maximum. This maximum footprint shall not apply to agricultural structures.
8. To be determined as part of the PVD review process by the planning board in conformance with all other provisions of PVD. Maintenance of the approved percentage of lot coverage shall be a condition of planning board approval. If an application for further development would increase the percentage of lot coverage, the application must be approved as a major land development project.
9. To be determined as part of the PVD review process by the planning board in conformance with all other provisions of PVD including but not limited to those standards within the land development and subdivision regulations specifically requiring site design techniques that facilitate a safe, pedestrian friendly, compact village development. Maintenance of the approved setbacks shall be a condition of planning board approval. If an application for further development would decrease any setback, the application must be approved as a major land development project.
10. Tier III CEA Facility Greenhouse defined in Code of Ordinances Town of Exeter, Rhode Island, Appendix A — Zoning, Section 1.2. entitled "Definitions" is allowed only if the application meets the eligibility requirements and satisfies all the standards and prohibitions contained within the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Exeter, Rhode Island, Appendix A — Zoning, Section 1.4.1 "Special Provisions;" entitled "Greenhouse Tier II and Greenhouse Tier III/CEA Facilities."
11. Tier II Greenhouse as defined in Code of Ordinances Town of Exeter, Rhode Island, Appendix A — Zoning, Section 1.2. entitled "Definitions" is subject to the review procedure and prohibitions contained within the Code of Ordinances Town of Exeter, Rhode Island, Appendix A — Zoning, Section 1.4.1 "Special provisions;" entitled "Greenhouse Tier II and Greenhouse Tier III/CEA Facilities."
12. Tier III CEA Facility Greenhouse requires a minimum front depth (setback) of 150 feet for all structures, off street loading and parking lots.
13. Tier II Greenhouse and Tier III CEA Facility Greenhouses shall not exceed a maximum structure height of 35 feet.
14. Tier I and Tier II Greenhouses may have a 25 percent maximum lot coverage (building coverage) by all structures.
15. Shall comply with Exeter Zoning Ordinance Appendix A, Section 1.2 entitled "Definitions," 36A "farm café" and shall be considered a minor land development project requiring review and approval by the planning board in a public meeting in conformance with the Exeter code of ordinances Appendix B, Section 7.3. — "Performance and Development Standards." The planning board may set conditions to ensure operations fit with the environment and do no harm to local roadways and or neighborhoods. A farm café must submit an annual report to the town council planning board and town planner, as part of its required annual application under section 18-160 of the Exeter Code of Ordinances. The report must include receipts for food ingredients purchases showing which ingredients were purchased locally vs nonlocal, along with verification of locally sourced items from Exeter, RI, and regional suppliers. It shall detail the quantities, menu descriptions, and partnerships with local producers. Failure to satisfy all specified requirements will result in the use classification as "not allowed" (N).
16. Shall be considered a minor land development project requiring review and approval by the planning board in a public meeting in conformance with the Exeter Code of Ordinances Appendix B, Section 7.3. — "Performance and Development Standards."
2.4.3. Flexible lot frontage and width. Upon approval of the planning board as part of a conservation development as provided in the land development and subdivision regulations, the lot frontage and lot width variations listed below may be permitted by the planning board, through a request for a waiver.
A. In residential CR-5, RU-4, RU-3 and RE-2 zoning districts, the planning board is authorized to reduce the lot frontage and lot width of newly created lots in a subdivision or land development project on any public or approved private street to a minimum of 20 feet.
B. Open space lots, within an approved conservation development, may have zero-frontage on a street, as long as the planning board approves access to the open space by easement or other means.
(Amd. of 6-22-00; Amd. of 3-3-03, § 8; Amd. of 4-8-03; Amd. of 11-3-03; Amd. of 10-5-04; Amd. of 11-1-04; Amd. of 3-3-05; Amd. of 3-6-06; § 2; Ord. of 8-7-06, § 2; Amd. of 5-7-07; Amd. of 6-4-07; Amd. of 4-7-08; Amd. of 4-6-09; Ord. of 9-27-12, Exh. 1; Amd. of 10-6-14, § 2; Ord. of 12-7-15; Amend. of 10-2-17; Ord. of 7-16-18, § 2; Amd. of 9-4-18; Amd. of 2-4-19, § 2; Ord. of 3-9-23, § 1; Ord. of 12-4-23(1); Ord. of 1-6-25(1); Ord. of 5-5-2025(1))