Development standards for boarding school
The zoning board of review may grant a special use permit for the provision of a secondary level boarding school to be located in the R-80 zone, subject to the following minimum standards:
(1) Site. The development shall be located on a zoning lot or contiguous lots totaling a minimum of 16 gross acres of land in an R-80 zone. The site shall have frontage on a state arterial roadway and shall be serviced by or have access to service by municipal or public water. A landscaping buffer shall be provided in accordance with subsection (6) below.
(2) Building placement and design.
a. Any new building shall be placed outside of the underlying zoning district setbacks. Existing buildings on a site being developed as a boarding school shall not be disqualified from use and/or rehabilitation if they fall within current underlying zoning district setbacks.
b. If a new building(s) are proposed on a developed site, the building height, (up to a maximum of 50 feet), and the roof design and pitch, the proportions of and relationships between doors and windows, and the relationship of the width to the front facade height (massing), shall be compatible with the style of similar existing buildings within the boarding school complex.
c. Any new or renovated building shall have the same materials, or those which are architecturally harmonious, used for all walls and other exterior building components of other existing building(s) in the complex.
d. Additions or alterations to an existing building should be complementary in scale to the original structure, and architectural details, including materials, colors and textures, shall be treated so as to be compatible with the original architectural style of the building, providing such details preserve and enhance the character of the surrounding area. Review of additions or alterations to structures that fall within the local historic district (as provided herein) shall be performed by the historic district commission, subsequent to any reviews required by the planning board and zoning board.
e. Mechanical equipment and utility hardware on roofs shall be screened from public view with materials harmonious to the building. Utility structures that cannot be placed on the roof shall be located so they are not visible from the street or public open space, and shall be screened with landscaping or materials that are compatible with the building.
f. When used, the design and size of exterior lighting and/or window lighting shall be compatible with the building and the adjacent areas, and be adequate for safe residential use. Review of lighting features by the planning board shall include color, lumens, location, design and impact on adjacent properties. Review of lighting fixtures added to qualifying structures with the historic district shall be performed by the historic district commission.
(3) Signage. The following standards for signs in the underlying district shall supersede those regulations contained in section 7.18. All new proposed signage for a boarding school shall be subject to review by the planning board as part of the design and site plan review process, or by the historic district commission if the sign is to be added to a qualifying historic structure.
a. Permits required. A permit shall be required for all signs not specifically exempted in section 7.18(e). Application for a permit shall be made on forms as required by the building inspection division, and shall be accompanied by a scale drawing indicating the following:
1. The size of the proposed sign, general configuration of lettering and/or symbols, and such descriptive material as may be necessary to fully explain the intent of the application;
2. The location of the proposed sign in relation to the building and all property lines;
3. Dimensions of the structure on which the proposed sign is to be located.
i. If the sign for a boarding school is located in residential zones other than those exempted in section 7.18(e)(4), shall require a building permit, and are limited in size and type as below.
ii. A permanent sign at major entrances to the boarding school will be permitted, provided that such signs shall bear no commercial advertising and shall not exceed 20 square feet of area and shall be subject specifically to the limitations set forth in section 7.6(c), "sight distance on corner lots."
iii. Internally illuminated and/or electric signs shall not be permitted in residential districts however signs may be externally illuminated by illumination not to exceed 150 watts per face. (Per section 7.18(i)(1)(c))
(4) Site design.
a. The layout and design of all means of vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including interior drives, parking areas and walkways, shall provide for safe interior circulation and separation of pedestrian, vehicular and service traffic.
b. The number of site entrances shall be the minimum necessary for effective traffic control.
(5) Parking. As part of the site plan review of any new or expanded boarding school project development, the applicant shall present a parking plan to the planning board that addresses existing parking, projected demand and a means of addressing this demand. Approval by the planning board of a parking plan for development shall require the following automobile parking spaces:
Boarding school. One car space for each teacher and/or employee plus one car space for every four students/residents.
a. No parking areas shall be located within the front yard setback.
i. Regarding future development of property on assessor's plat F, lot 16, no new parking shall be allowed in the front yard setback facing Hazard Avenue as it currently exists after January 1, 2012.
b. Parking lots that front on public streets shall be screened by landscaping or with walls or fencing a minimum of three feet in height. Walls and fences shall be of a scale and material appropriate to the site and surrounding area.
c. The interior of all newly proposed paved parking areas shall be enhanced with planted islands, with a minimum of one island for each 50 parking spaces. The planted islands shall be placed so as to prevent long rows of uninterrupted parking spaces and be designed to assist in treatment of storm water runoff. All islands shall be surrounded by continuous raised curbing.
(6) Landscaping. Landscape treatment shall be provided to enhance architectural features and improve aesthetics.
a. Plantings along the perimeter of newly proposed parking areas and new streets should include either evergreen species, or street trees of at least 3.5-inch caliper planted at intervals of 35 feet. Planted islands may include shrubs, plants and other live vegetation, but should include one tree of at least three-inch caliper.
b. Only nursery grown plant materials shall be accepted, and all trees, shrubs and ground covers shall be planted according to accepted horticultural standards. The owner shall be responsible for maintaining the landscaping and for replacing all dead or diseased plant materials on at least an annual basis. Failure to adequately maintain required plantings may result in such work being performed by the town at the owner's expense.
c. Screening of refuse areas, service and storage yards and exterior work areas shall be accomplished by use of walls, fencing, plantings or a combination of these.
(7) Wastewater management. The engineering department shall review all connections to town sewer system to ensure they are properly designed with adequate capacity for the number of boarding school rooms, employees and associated activities, including food services. Sites serviced by onsite wastewater systems shall be required to demonstrate compliance with RIDEM requirements via permit.
(8) Boarding school capacity/number of permitted rooms. All proposed boarding schools shall be allowed at the following density: 16 residents (boarding rooms) per gross acre, limited to 100 students/residents per boarding school complex and housing to serve up to 30 residential staff members.
(9) User fee. The zoning board of review, as part of the granting of a special use permit, may require the applicant to enter into an agreement with the town to pay, on an annual basis, a user fee. The user fee shall be used to help defray the impact of the proposed project on municipal services.
(Ch. 954, § 3, 1-17-2012)