OLD BUSINESS

RESIDENCES AT GREENVILLE FARMS - (ID#: 20-08) – PUBLIC HEARING

Comprehensive Permit Application / Major Land Development Project – Preliminary Plan Review

AP 44 / Lot 82 – 89 West Greenville Road

43 Acres / R-80 Zone

Applicant/Owner: West Greenville Road, LLC

Engineer: Garofalo & Associates, Inc.

a.  The Board will review and discuss the proposed submission with the project proponent.

b.  The Board will conduct a public hearing to receive input on the proposed project.

c.  The Board may approve the Master Plan as submitted, approve with changes and/or conditions,

     deny the application or continue the meeting to a future date.

d.  The Board may authorize the Town Planner to prepare a written decision consistent with the

     Board’s findings of fact and motion for signature by the Chair and subsequent recording.

Attorney John Mancini on behalf of the applicant, West Greenville Road, LLC states he has spoken with Assistant Solicitor David Ursillo earlier today and is making a request for a continuance to the next scheduled Planning Board meeting on June 26, 2025 as well as an extension on the clock for the Planning Board to make a decision, which was due to expire on May 15, 2025. Mr. Mancini states that the reason for the extension is that they have received two reports, one environmental report from GZA, which they had not an opportunity to review or have their engineer respond to and secondly is the storm water peer review report that was submitted to the Planning Board on May 9, 2025. Mr. Mancini states that the applicant wants to do some additional field work because they think they can better respond to and coordinate with GZA with respect with one of the comments that they’ve made. Mr. Mancini states they want to prepare a more detailed response to GZA and give that information to the Planning Board ahead of the next meeting.

Assistant Solicitor Ursillo states that the environmental peer review was done by David Hazebrouck from Lakeshore Environmental and the storm water report is from GZA. Member Moan questions if Mr. Hazebrouck will be available to speak at the June 26, 2025 meeting. Assistant Solicitor Ursillo confirms that Mr. Hazebrouck will be present. Mr. Mancini states that Samuel Hemenway, Rick Mandile, and Edward Pimental will all be present for the June 26, 2025 meeting. Assistant Solicitor Ursillo states that someone from GZA should be present to respond to any questions.

Member Yoakum made a motion, seconded by Member Nani to approve the continuance to the June 26, 2025 meeting as well as an extension of the clock for the Planning Board decision. The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Voting In Favor: Members Boyd, Colavecchio, D’Ambra, Lynn, Moan, Nani, Sleboda and Yoakum

Voting In Opposition: None

Abstaining: None

NEW BUSINESS

33 STEERE ROAD- (ID#: 25-9)

Minor Subdivision - Pre-Application                       

AP 44 / Lot 1A - 33 Steere Road

2.69 Acres (approx.) / Zone: R-20

Applicant/Owner: Bruce Beaumier

Engineer: In Site Engineeering

a.        The Board will review the submission with the applicant and provide input for future review

stages

Attorney Tim Kane of 627 Putnam Pike, representing the applicant Bruce Beaumier presents the plan for the proposed lots, the land is served by town water and sewer, and to the best of their knowledge there is no wetlands, and wanted to come before the Planning Board as a pre-applciation. Mr. Kane states the driveway would be private and would be maintained by the homeowners and not by the Town, the runoff on the lots would be contained by an underground filtration system. Mr. Kane states that the design fits the character of the neighborhood, and is looking for feedback before going through the engineering process.  

Member Colavecchio states that in the past, lots have come before the Planning Board with sharp acute angles and the Board has frowned upon them and questions if the lots shape fits the ordinance. Mr. Kane states that although they are not typical cookie cutter square lots they are still nice and allow for a house in the setback. Mr. Kane states that they will review the regulations and if relief is needed they will seek that or change the conceptual plan. Member Colavecchio states that he just wants to be sure they are not creating a lot that wasn’t conforming.

Member Moan questions if the proposed roadway will meet the Town standards. Mr. Kane states they will ask for 22 feet but could go higher if necessary, to accommodate emergency vehicle access.

Assistant Solicitor Ursillo questions if any relief needed on zoning. Mr. Kane states they have reconfigured the lots and doesn’t believe they need to seek relief.

Chair D’Ambra states that it looks like a good project other than the concern with the angles of the lots. 

0 CROSS STREET & SHAMROCK LANE - (ID#: 25-10)

Minor Subdivision - Pre-Application                       

AP 23 / Lots 61 & 67A - 0 Cross Road

2.92 Acres (approx.) / Zone: R-20

Applicant/Owner: Crescenzo/Shannon Conti

Engineer: Kelly Land Services

a.        The Board will review the submission with the applicant and provide input for future review

                   stages.

Assistant Planner Christopher Carcifero presents the plan for a piece of property west of Olivia’s Forest where a reconfiguring of two lots similar to the project located at 520 Douglas Pike and 540 Douglas Pike took place. Assistant Planner Carcifero states that the Town has the potential of purchasing the privately owned lot for parking and joining it to Olivia’s Forest, with the parking be in the proximity of Cross Street and Shamrock Lane. Assistant Planner Carcifero states that the Town is a co-applicant on this project and would like to be able to have parking for possibly 20 cars on the lot.

Member Lynn questions if this lot was originally designated as open space. Assistant Planner Carcifero states that it is not open space and is currently still owned by the co-applicant on the project.

Assistant Solicitor Ursillo states that this essentially is a land swap, where the Town picks up a piece of land where parking needs to go and the Town will convey the sliver of land to Shannon Conti, the co-applicant. Assistant Solicitor Ursillo further states this will allow residents to park on Land Trust property to access Olivia’s Forest instead of trespassing where they currently park.

Member Moan inquires with Chair D’Ambra and Assistant Planner Carcifero to the status of Hoxy Farms LLC, in relation to this project and requests and update when this project comes before the Planning Board again.

Member Lynn asks if that lot is currently all trees right now. Assistant Planner Carcifero states the Town Manager and the Director of Public Works visited the site and will have to remove trees to make parking.

Member Sleboda inquiries about the potential multi-family dwellings possibly on each site that would be created by this land swap. Assistant Planner Carcifero states that yes there is a possibility of potential multi-family dwellings but that isn’t being considered today.

Member Colavecchio asks if this parking will be for Whipple Field and Olivia’s Forest, Assistant Planner Carcifero confirms that this potential parking area will be for both with up to 20 spaces.

Member Moan asks what this will lead to down the road, because this will allow 33 acres of developable access to Shamrock Lane. Assistant Planner Carcifero states that there are not additional details available at this time.

WINSOR APARTMENTS (School)/Gemini Housing Corp. - (ID#: 25-11)

Major Land Development- Pre-Application                       

AP 6 / Lot 49  562 Putnam Pike

1.42 Acres (approx.) / Zone: MU/R-U

Applicant/Owner: Gemini Housing Corporation

Engineer/Architect: Saccoccio & Associates

a.        The Board will review the submission with the applicant and provide input for future review

                   stages.

Attorney Joesph Tudino, represents Gemini Housing, partner with Commentary Housing Authority presents the proposed project including the adaptive reuse of the building as currently stands along with the construction of a separate building. Mr. Tudino states there is a current purchase and sale agreement with the Town for this property. Mr. Tudino states that there will be 29 units in the former school and the new construction will have 22 units comprising of 50 one bedroom apartments and 1 two bedroom apartment.

Mark Saccocio of Saccocio and Associates states that this project is for senior housing and part of the agreement is to not change the esthetic of the historic building. Mr. Saccocio states that the two story additional building will be in the back to limit the exposure to the neighborhood. Mr. Saccocio states that the parking will allow for 1.2 spaces per unit. Mr.Saccocio states that David D’Amico is the engineer on the project, and they will have studies for traffic, environmental, etc. at future Planning Board meetings.

Member Lynn questions where the driveways will be for this project. Mr. Saccocio states that egress will be on Cottage Street.

Member Boyd questions why the need to add the large addition of the extra building, instead of just developing the existing building. Mr. Saccocio states that to have the funding from RI Housing, there are required number of units and this plan currently meets and exceeds those numbers.

Chair D’Ambra states that Cottage Street enters onto Route 44 to get in and out and with the stoplight there, this will be the pressure point on this project. Mr. Saccocio states they are doing a traffic study and will have to review the results. Member Boyd questions if anybody has thought of another way of getting access there. Member Lynn states that a former Planning Board member actually owns a piece of property and got the Town Council to approve extending that Cottage Street so there is access to Greenville Avenue. Member Moan questions who is doing the traffic study. Mr. Saccocio states that Paul Bannon of Crossman Engineering is doing the traffic study.

Member Moan inquires to the minimum elderly housing age. Mr. Saccocio states that the minimum age is 55 years old. Member Colavecchio questions what the demand is for one bedroom housing. Mr. Saccocio states there is high demand and will not have any trouble filling these units.

Attorney Kelly Mara Salvatore states that this is a hybrid between an adaptive reuse and a comprehensive permit so there will be waivers and variances in their application, and will continue to work with the Town to achieve that.

Development consultant Seth Sokolove, of Barbara Sokolove Associates states that the Town offered this site for development through and RFP and did not include the second parcel, this project will have lower impact than other developments.

Member Sleboda questions if extending the road is within funding. Mr. Sokolove states that most of the funding sources they use only allow improvements on the property that is owned but there is the possibilities of additional funding through Infrastructure Bank and Community Development Block Grants that would allow for off-site improvements.

Member Moan questions if the Town has the power of condemnation, for purposes to gain access to Greenville Avenue. Assistant Solicitor Ursillo states that the Town Council would have to be involved for that to be considered. Member Moan states that other towns have used eminent domain for economic development.

David D’Amico of D’Amico Engineering Technologies states he did a stage 2 study with the school department and says Winsor granting access through the rear of the property will come with elevation issues, it would be a 25% grade, and physically it may be a feat to actually make this happen.

PUBLIC COMMENT

John Tucker, of 79 West Greenville Road states that he appreciates the Planning Board members efforts thus far and give a lot of serious thought to decisions on behalf of the Town.

Member Yoakum made a motion, seconded by Member Lynn to adjourn the Planning Board meeting.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Voting In Favor: Members Boyd, Colavecchio, D’Ambra, Lynn, Moan, Nani, Sleboda and Yoakum

Voting In Opposition: None

Abstaining: None

Meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Katie Closson, Recording Secretary