Quonset Business Park district
(a) Findings. The town herein makes the following findings relative to the Quonset Business Park (QBP):
(1) The QBP is established through unique state legislation for the primary purpose of large-scale economic development.
(2) The Quonset Development Corporation (QDC), as steward of the QBP, has developed a vision to achieve sustainable economic development through its master land use and development plan (master plan).
(3) The QDC has developed the Quonset Business Park Development Package to establish review processes and standards for development proposals. These processes and standards are consistent with the vision laid out in the master plan.
(4) The success of the QBP is an integral part of the town's overall fiscal and economic viability as a provider of tax revenue and jobs.
(5) The town comprehensive plan provides clear language requiring careful consideration of how these lands are developed and the necessity of first avoiding, then minimizing, then mitigating impacts to the environment, the town's infrastructure, and town residents.
(6) All development proposals shall be consistent with the provisions of the town comprehensive plan, the performance standards listed below, and the QDC development package as amended.
(7) The town and QDC shall execute and maintain a memorandum of agreement that ensures amendments to QDC regulatory standards can be reviewed and approved by the town with adequate due process before they are adopted by the QDC board of directors. The town may terminate this memorandum of agreement at any time and for any reason (or no reason at all) by providing 90 days advanced written notice to QDC, in which event the memorandum of agreement shall terminate and the town may amend the zoning ordinance as appropriate.
(8) The town is represented at QDC by two appointees to the board of directors, and shall be represented by two members of the five-member technical review committee (TRC).
(b) Purpose and intent. The QBP district is established as a mixed use center for economic activity, which may be supported by residential use and recreational opportunities. Due to the presence of significant infrastructure including access highways, a general aviation and military airport, a wastewater treatment facility, freight rail, a working waterfront, and public water supply, the QBP district is uniquely suited to accommodate a high density mix of uses. These uses will potentially include standard commercial (retail/office), light and heavy industry, open space and recreation, water-dependent use, freight transport, energy generation, and transit-oriented development. It is the intent of this district to facilitate the development of these uses through a unique relationship between the town and QDC. The QBP is a performance-based development district that will focus on facilitating economic development that recognizes, is protective of, and is consistent with the overall community planning objectives of the town.
(c) Relationship to the local zoning standards and administration. Development proposals in the QBP shall be reviewed under the procedures and standards located in the Quonset Business Park Development Package (September 2005, amended in September 2008, and as subsequently amended consistent with the memorandum of agreement dated December 15, 2010, and as subsequently amended). Development proposals within the QBP shall comply with the performance standards contained within subsection 21-100)(f) of this zoning ordinance. Development proposals within the QBP are not subject to other design standards, processes, or other limitations set by this chapter including the land use table, dimensional regulations, parking requirements, inclusionary zoning, signs, development plan review, and any other provisions that may conflict with those processes and standards provided in the Quonset Business Park Development Package.
(d) Relationship to comprehensive plan standards. All development proposals shall be consistent with the goals, objectives and actions within the comprehensive plan.
(e) District boundary. The boundary of the QBP district is depicted on the official map entitled "Quonset Zoning District Official Map" located on file with the town clerk, dated (the day of adoption) and signed by the president of town council. Where any conflicts in zoning district designation may exist between the official map and descriptions provided as part of section 21-363, the designation provided by the Quonset zoning district map shall prevail. Any amendments to this map shall follow the procedures contained in section 21-19 of this chapter.
(f) Performance standards. Construction activities and resulting land uses in the QBP district shall conform to the following performance standards:
(1) Residential districts and neighborhoods that abut the QBP shall be protected from the impacts of uses within the QBP through the careful location, design and buffering of non-residential uses on QBP lands.
(2) Buffers created for the protection of residential districts and neighborhoods shall be designed to maximize visual screening and minimize impacts from noise, glare, pollution, odor and heat transfer through the use of best buffering and mitigation practices which may include berms, structural barriers and non-invasive resilient plant species.
(3) Selection of allowed uses shall consider potential impacts from noise, heat, glare, air quality, traffic or other standards enumerated in the development regulations on residential areas and shall be performed in a manner that precludes the possibility of any use causing a nuisance to residential areas under regular operations.
(4) Parking areas shall be designed to avoid more parking spaces than is reasonably required by the use.
(5) Parking areas shall incorporate landscaping in a manner that improves visual appeal by breaking up long stretches of pavement, utilizing landscaping to treat stormwater where appropriate, and providing shade to reduce the heat island effect.
(6) Development proposals shall take into account the availability of water supply, the ability to adequately treat and dispose of wastewater, and the ability to provide adequate circulation for daily traffic demands.
(7) Access to the bay shall be provided in a manner consistent with the QDC public access plan approved by CRMC.
(Ord. No. 11-01, § 2, 1-10-2011)