Industrial performance standards

No land shall be used nor structure erected or occupied for industrial use unless the town planning board has certified that the proposed use complies with the following performance standards.

• • (1) Reserved.

  • (2) Reserved.

  • (3) Performance standards. The following standards for the operation of uses in industrial zones shall apply. Measurements shall be made at the nearest boundary of the industrial zone.

    • a. Noise. In an I-A district, industrial noise shall be measured from any property line of the tract on which the industrial operation is located. Industrial noise shall be muffled so as not to become objectionable due to intermittence, beat frequency or shrillness.

In I-B districts, industrial noise shall be measured from the nearest industrial district boundary line. Industrial noise shall be muffled so as not to become objectionable due to intermittence, beat frequency or shrillness.

At the specified points of measurement, the sound pressure level of noise radiated continuously from a manufacturing facility or activity (other than background noises not under direct control of the manufacturing use, such as vehicular traffic) shall not exceed the values given in tables 1 and 2 in octave bands of frequency, between the night hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

The instruments used for these measurements shall conform to the specifications published by the American Standards Association, Inc., New York, N.Y. The sound pressure level shall be measured with a sound level meter (American Standard Specification for Sound Level Meters for Measurement of Noise and Other Sounds, S1.4-1961) and an octave band analyzer (American Standard Specification for an Octave Filter Set) as indicated in table 1.

Table 1

Maximum Permissible Sound-Pressure Levels

 

If noise is not smooth and continuous and/or is not radiated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., one or more of the corrections in table 2 below shall be added to or subtracted from each of the decibel levels previously stated in table 1.

Notes:

1. Pre-1960 octave band. A standardized series of octave bands prescribed by the American Standards Association in S.24.10-1953, octave band filter set for the analysis of noise and other sounds.

2. Preferred frequency octave bands. A standardized series of octave bands prescribed by the American Standards Association in S.1.6-1960, preferred frequencies for acoustical measurements.

Table 2

 

*Apply one of these corrections only.

• • • b. Vibration. In I-A districts, vibration shall be measured at any property line.

In I-B districts, vibration shall be measured at the nearest industrial zone boundary line.

No vibration is permitted which is discernible to human sense of feeling for three minutes or more duration in any one hour of the day between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., or for 30 seconds or more duration in any one hour between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. No vibration at any time shall produce an acceleration of more than 0.1g or shall result in any combination of amplitudes and frequencies beyond the "safe" range of table 7, U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin No. 442, "Seismic Effects of Quarry Blasting," on any structure. The methods and equations of said Bulletin No. 442 shall be used to compute all values for the enforcement of this regulation.

• • • c. Smoke. Measurement shall be taken at a distance from the emission source in accordance with the specifications established for the Ringelmann test. The Ringelmann smoke chart published by the U.S. Bureau of Mines or Power's Micro-Ringelmann Chart, McGraw Hill Publishing Company, 1954, shall be used for the measurement of smoke. Gray smoke not darker than no. 1 on said charts may be emitted, except that gray smoke not darker than no. 2 on said charts may be emitted for periods not longer than four minutes in any 30 minutes. These provisions shall apply also to smoke of a different color but of equivalent apparent opacity.

    • d. Waste. In I-A and I-B zones, effluent from any plant which is discharged into the ground shall at all times comply with the following standards:

      • 1. Maximum five-day biochemical oxygen demand — 20 parts per million.

      • 2. Maximum total solids — 5,000 parts per million.

      • 3. Maximum phenol — 0.01 parts per million.

No untreated liquid or solid wastes shall be emptied into any stream, river, pond or other body of water. Treated effluent may be discharged only as approved by the building inspection division.

A septic tank, tile field or other disposal place for any waste shall be located at least 100 feet from any wetlands, as those lands are defined in G.L. 1956, §§ 2-1-14, 2-1-20, and 46-23-6(B)(e), or the boundary of a residential or commercial zone. Such disposal places shall be located at least 1,000 feet from any source of drinking water supply.

No effluent shall contain any acids, oils, dust, toxic metals, corrosive or other toxic substance in solution or suspension which would create odors, discolor, poison, or otherwise pollute any wetlands, watercourse, or watershed in any way.

• • • e. Fly ash, dust, fumes, vapors, gases and other forms of air pollution. No emission shall be permitted which can cause any damage to human health, to animals or vegetation, or to other forms of property, or which can cause excessive soiling. In no event shall any emission be allowed of any liquid particles (other than water) in concentrations exceeding 0.3 grains per cubic foot of the conveying gas or air at any point. Measurement in I-A and I-B zones shall be taken at the point of emission.

For measurement of particles in gases resulting from combustion, standard corrections shall be applied to correct to a stack temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit and to correct the assumption that 50 percent excess air is present at the time of measurement, which must be deducted from the measured volume (zero percent excess volume) before computing the grains per cubic foot to compare with the standard.

Standards for individual gases and pollutants shall be as follows:

• • • • 1. Photochemical oxidants. Emission of photochemical oxidants shall not exceed a maximum hourly concentration of 0.04 parts per million, as determined by the alkaline potassium iodide method.

      • 2. Hydrocarbons. The three-hour average concentration of hydrocarbons (with correction for methane) shall not exceed 0.15 parts per million, as determined by the flame ionization technique.

      • 3. Carbon monoxide. The eight-hour average concentration of carbon monoxide shall not exceed three parts per million, and the average concentration shall not exceed 20 parts per million in any 90-minute period, as determined by continuous nondispersive infrared analyzers.

      • 4. Sulfur oxides. The 24-hour average concentration of sulfur oxides shall not exceed 0.03 parts per million, and the maximum hourly concentration shall be 0.10 parts per million, as determined by the modified West-Gaeke method.

      • 5. Nitrous oxides. The annual average concentration of nitrous oxides shall not exceed 0.026 parts per million, as determined by the modified West-Gaeke method.

If monitoring of the ambient air in the Town of Narragansett shall determine pollution levels lower than those specified by this ordinance, these lower levels shall be maintained. No significant degradation of air quality shall be permitted within the Town of Narragansett.

• • • f. Gases and fumes. Any gases or fumes emitted in such quantity or of such nature that they are or potentially may become odorous or toxic shall be collected and filtered, washed, absorbed, burned or otherwise treated in a manner approved by the building inspection division before being discharged into the atmosphere.

    • g. Heat and glare. In I-A zones, any industrial operation producing heat or glare (as differentiated from interior illumination) shall be shielded so that no heat or glare can be recorded at the property line.

In I-B zones, any industrial operation producing heat or glare (as differentiated from interior illumination) shall be shielded so that no heat or glare can be recorded at the nearest property line in any residential zone. Exterior lights shall reflect light away from property in any residential district.

• • • h. Radiation. Manufacturing operations shall cause no dangerous radiation at the property line as specified by the regulations of the United States Atomic Energy commission.

  • (4) Enforcement of performance standards. If the zoning enforcement agency determines that a permitted industrial use might be violating any performance standards, it shall send written notice of the probable violation by registered or certified mail to the owner and tenants of the industrial use. The notice shall describe the alleged violation and shall require correction or an answer within a specific time. It shall state that failure to answer or to correct the alleged violation to the satisfaction of the building inspection division within the time limit constitutes admission of violation of this ordinance. The notice shall further state that if the violation continues, the zoning enforcement agency will undertake a technical survey to determine its nature and extent. If a violation is found, those responsible will be charges the costs of the determination, including the costs of hiring qualified experts, and for such penalties as this ordinance provides.

  • (5) Reserved.

(Ch. 990, § 2, 10-21-2013; Ch. 1117, § 13, 12-18-2023)