Use code descriptions
The following descriptions are intended to assist the zoning enforcement officer in applying the use code table in 18.16.010 by illustrating the range of specific uses covered by each use code. The descriptions are not intended to be exclusive. Specific dimensional requirements for some uses are contained in chapter 18.20, dimensional regulations, and in chapter 18.36, special regulations.
112 Community residence. A group home or residential facility where children or adults live in a family setting and may or may not receive supervised care; or transitional housing for the homeless or victims of abuse. It does not include halfway houses or substance abuse treatment facilities. See R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 45-24-31(16) and 45-24-37(b).
210 Keeping, breeding domestic livestock other than swine. Includes accessory uses such as spraying, dipping, shearing, and shoeing.
212 Horticulture. Includes growing of vegetables, grain, hay, fruit, turf, trees, flowers, herbs, mushrooms, and ornamental plants.
214 Indoor horticulture. Commercial cultivation of plants, including but not limited to vegetables, fruit, flowers, herbs. mushrooms, and ornamental plants in a fully-enclosed structure.
(Ord. dated 1-2-18; Ord. dated 2-18-20)
308 Cemetery. Does not include historical family burying grounds on private property that were established before 1900.
(Ord. dated 7-20-21)
310 Municipal or quasi-municipal public safety or other facilities. Includes police stations, fire stations, community centers, and animal pounds.
(Ord. dated 7-20-21)
320 Child or adult day care for up to 8 persons. Includes “day care center” as defined in chapter 18.08. It does not include home day care, which is a residential accessory use. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-24-31(17).
326 Homeless shelter. A transitional residential facility for more than six unrelated persons or more than three families.
342 Medical treatment facility less than 15,000 sq. ft. gross floor area. Includes urgent care centers and clinics.
402 Indoor recreational facility. Includes a tennis court, swimming pool, bowling, pinball or electronic game arcade, miniature golf, and a pool or billiards hall.
406 Outdoor recreational facility. Includes tennis court, swimming pool, miniature golf, skating rink, driving range, and mechanical rides and amusements.
408 Golf course. Includes a clubhouse that may contain a restaurant or a function facility serving alcoholic beverages.
410 Equestrian academy and equestrian boarding or breeding facility. Defined in Ch. 18.31; constitutes a principal use whether or not it is located on the same premises as a residence.
414 Health club. A commercial or nonprofit indoor facility that may have a swimming pool, exercise equipment, courts for tennis or other racquet sports, studios for yoga or aerobic exercise, and classrooms for non-academic instruction.
420 Recreational campground. Includes restaurants, dining facilities, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, convenience store, all of which are open only to campers and their guests, as accessory uses to the principal campground use.
424 Seasonal camp. A recreational or educational facility for children or adults operated between May and October. The facility may include permanent structures for dining and sleeping.
434 Wildlife refuge. An area reserved for the protection of wildlife. Wildlife means species of animals occurring naturally, either presently or historically, within the boundaries of the State of Rhode Island, regardless of where the animal originated. See R.I. Code of Regulation § 250-RICR- 40-05-3.6. A fully-enclosed building in which wild animals are rehabilitated is not a wildlife refuge.
435 Conservation area. An undeveloped area set aside for preservation of land in its natural state. The use does not include construction of buildings.
444 Place of worship. Includes accessory facilities such as classrooms for religious instruction, offices, and meeting rooms.
446 Private club. Includes meeting halls or lodges of fraternal or cultural organizations that may be rented for private functions.
460 Theater or other indoor privately-owned facility open to public. Does not include businesses such as restaurants or lounges that offer entertainment as an accessory use.
465 Motocross facility. A site for motorcycle racing on enclosed off-road circuits.
(Ord. dated 9-5-23)
502 Power generation. Includes hydroelectric, cogeneration, or other plants or facilities that produce power.
506 Solar energy system. A facility that collects energy from the sun and converts it into electrical power as a principal use of a property. This use does not include accessory solar energy systems.
532 Transportation terminal. A facility where buses, trucks, or other motor vehicles are parked and where passengers may board or disembark or freight may be loaded or unloaded, with associated offices and warehouses; includes private courier or delivery services, taxi services, and limousine services.
540 Vehicle leasing. Vehicles include automobiles, utility trailers, trucks, and recreational vehicles; use includes vehicle storage on site.
557 Privately-owned recycling facility. An indoor or enclosed facility where recyclable material is collected, sorted, and prepared for shipment by baling, briquetting, compacting, flattening, grinding, crushing, mechanical sorting, shredding or cleaning. The facility must be licensed by the department of environmental management. Cleaning with solvents or water is prohibited.
(Ord. dated 7-19-16)
562 Junkyard. Includes automobile junkyards where unserviceable or junked automobiles, auto bodies, engines, tires, parts, or accessories of junked automobiles, are stored, and automobile wrecking and salvage yards licensed by the department of business regulation.
602 Construction trades contractor. Includes a business office and indoor or outdoor storage of equipment and vehicles for a carpenter, electrician, plumber, stonemason, landscape contractor, excavator, or other contractor who works primary at an off-site location.
604 Fuel sales and delivery. Includes dealers in heating oil, coal, and wood pellets; fuel storage; and parking for delivery vehicles. (Ord. dated 5-19-26)
606 Maintenance services. Includes a business office and indoor and outdoor storage of equipment and vehicles for contractors who provide maintenance and related services to residential or commercial customers such as janitors, chimney sweeps, gutter cleaners, carpet and floor cleaners, power washers, and exterminators.
622 Vehicle repair, auto body shop. Includes repair of automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, or farm or construction equipment powered by gasoline, electricity, or propane.
624 Vehicle service station with convenience store. Provides fuel and limited service for vehicles powered by gasoline, electricity, or propane and includes retail sale of a limited number and variety of snack foods, magazines and newspapers, cigarettes, grocery, and general items.
(Ord. dated 7-19-16)
626 Vehicle service station with body or automotive repair shop. Provides fuel and service for vehicles powered by gasoline, electricity, or propane.
(Ord. dated 7-19-16)
642 Warehouse sales with indoor storage only. A business that sells a limited range of merchandise to wholesale customers.
(Ord. dated 7-19-16)
644 Warehouse sales with outdoor storage. A business that sells a limited range of merchandise to wholesale customers at which stock may be stored outdoors.
(Ord. dated 7-19-16)
702 Professional offices. Includes offices of physicians, dentists, counselors, veterinarians, lawyers, accountants, architects, chiropractors, engineers, land surveyors, and real estate sales and management, stockbrokerages, and insurance agencies.
733 Guest cottages. Accommodations for tourists operated on a seasonal basis and occupied by the day, week, month, or season.
734 Health-related services. Includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, audiology, and optometry.
736 Personal services. Include barber shop, beauty shop, day spa, tattoo parlor, body piercing, and tanning parlor.
738 Retail services. Include photography studios, travel agencies, private investigators, security services, locksmiths, florists, interior designers, and printers and copiers.
740 Repair services. Including repair of shoes, clocks, watches, jewelry, electronics, and upholstery.
754 Dog boarding or breeding kennel. A dog boarding kennel is a facility other than a pound or animal shelter where dogs not owned by the proprietor are sheltered, fed, and watered in return for a fee. A dog breeding kennel is a facility where purebred dogs are kept for breeding, stud, and exhibition purposes.
804 Specialty food store. Includes butcher, confectioner, and store selling primarily baked goods, produce, or dairy foods.
812 Pharmacy. Items sold include prescription pharmaceuticals and health and beauty products, over the counter medicines, and small personal appliances such as razors and hair dryers.
814 Convenience store. A store primarily selling snack foods, candy, bottled beverages, coffee, milk, newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, and a limited number of grocery or general items.
816 General retailer. Items sold include durable goods such as furniture, household appliances, machinery, and equipment; personal appliances; electronics; apparel and shoes; toys and sporting goods; and household furnishings such as cookware and linens.
820 Package store. A retailer holding a Class A alcoholic beverage retail license.
842 Vehicle sales, service. Sales of new or used vehicles with vehicle repair as an accessory use.
852 Flea market; outdoor sales of new or used goods. Retail sales at a seasonal or temporary outdoor facility.
854 Artisan studio. A shop where an artist or artisan makes and sells artwork, jewelry, pottery, glass items, sculpture, and other handcrafted items.
862 Bar, lounge, tavern. An establishment holding a Class C alcoholic beverage license. No food is prepared for consumption on the premises.
902 Food, beverage manufacturing, processing. Does not include manufacturing of alcoholic beverages or cannabis products.
914 Commercial printing and binding. Includes lithography, screen printing on textiles, and printing of books and magazines; does not include copying, digital printing.
(Ord. dated 11-19-13; Ord. dated 7-19-16; Ord. dated 9-19-23)