MEETING MINUTES

Town of West Warwick

Planning Board

 

 

Meeting Date:           Monday, February 7, 2022

 

Time:                          6:00 p.m.

 

Location:                    West Warwick Town Hall

                                    Town Council Chambers

                                    1170 Main Street

                                    West Warwick, RI 02893

 

Members Present:     Joseph DiMartino, Chair

                                    Felix Appolonia, Vice Chair

                                    Joshua Barrette - Zoom

                                    Joe Garcia (Alt. member)

                                    Jessica Rubery (Alt. member) - Zoom

 

Members Absent:      Anthony Petrarca

 

Planning Staff:           Susan Mara, Acting Town Planner

 

Legal Counsel:           Albert DiFiore, Esquire - Zoom

 

Meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by the Chairman.

 

 

Item 1  Approval of Minutes

 

Review and approval of the January 3, 2022 meeting minutes.

 

Motion to approve the minutes as presented was made by Mr. Appolonia, seconded by Ms. Rubery, and passed unanimously.

 

 

Item 2  PY 20/21 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Application:

 

Certification to determine compliance of proposed activities with local development ordinances and regulations.

 

Discussion

 

Elaine L. Mansour, CDBG Manager, reviewed the proposed application for the Board members.

 

Motion to certify the proposed 2020/21 CDBG application, is in compliance with local development ordinances and regulations by Mr. Appolonia, seconded by Mr. Barrette.  All in favor.  Approved unanimously.    

 

Planning Board Vote

 

Joseph DiMartino	Yes
Felix Appolonia	Yes
Joshua Barrette	Yes
Joe Garcia (Alt.)	Yes
Jessica Rubery (Alt.)	Yes

 

 

 

Item 3  Cascade Falls - 771 Main Street, Assessor’s Plat:  2; Lot 661

Public Informational Meeting

 

The applicant was represented by Attorney David Johnston who has filed an application for Master Plan, for a Major Land Development.  The proposed is a 16-unit residential condominium development.  Per RIGL 45-23-40(d) the West Warwick Planning Board is holding a public informational meeting.  Attorney Johnston gave a brief overview of the proposed development project.   The project is a 16-unit proposal on vacant land of a former Mill that was destroyed by a fire.  Keeping with the Historic nature of the previous Mill and area the condos will be 2400 sq ft, 2-bedroom units. The plan is compliant with all zoning regulations, and they are not seeking any variances or wavers of regulations.  After the meeting tonight, applications will be submitted to DEM for permits and to deal with any possible contamination from the prior Mill use and the fire. The applicant’s engineer, Dan Campbell was sworn in by Al DiFiore, Esq., motion was made by Mr. Appolonia and second by Mr. Garcia to accept Mr Campbell as a qualified witness and was approved unanimously by the board.  Mr Campbell explained in detail the design and layout of the project.

 

  Discussion

 

Chairman DiMartino stated that the project must also go to zoning for a multi-family special use permit and that next month there will be no public hearing, just give decision on the Master Plan. Acting Town Planner Ms. Mara explained, that after the approval of Master Plan, the applicant must go to Zoning, then back to the Planning Board for a public hearing for preliminary plans.  Mr. Barrette asked about fire equiptment accessibility both in and out of the property.  Mr. Campbell stated that there was enough room in the rear of the proposed building to create a turnabout if needed.  That will be determined when meeting with the Technical Review Committee and all questions from the TRC must be resolved before filing preliminaries. No public comment or question.

 

 

Item 4  East Greenwich Luxury Estates

511 East Greenwich Avenue, Assessor’s Plat:  30; Lot 17

Public Informational Meeting

           

The applicant was represented by Attorney Tom Cronin who has filed an application for Master Plan, for a Major Land Development.  The proposed is a 16-unit residential condominium development.  Per RIGL 45-23-40(d) the West Warwick Planning Board is holding a public informational meeting.  Attorney Cronin stated that they are not having a public meeting this evening, as there was a problem with the notice on the agenda stating that the development is a 16-unit and their notice said 20-unit development. They are voluntarily going to continue the matter, requesting the next meeting on March 7, 2022, at 6 PM here in the West Warwick Town Hall.  Attorney Cronin presented the project information tonight and will present it again at the meeting next month as well, at the public hearing.  Area is on the south side of East Greenwich Ave, zoned R-10.  It is 6.33 acres, with a 2-family resident with a garage that are in dismay and will be knocked down. Proposed use is 2 story condominiums, 5 buildings 4 units each.  Attorney Cronin stated the plans are to go for the Master Plan approval at the next meeting, then to zoning for multi-family special permit and height variance, then to planning for the preliminary plans.  To the east & west of the property is single family homes, to the rear is Cox Communications and across the street is condominiums – 500 East Greenwich Ave.  The property has 2 acres of wooded wetlands with a 50 ft buffer.

 

Discussion

 

Vice Chair Mr. Appolonia asked if they should review the soils reports tonight, Chairman DiMartino stated that all reports of the project will be reviewed at the March meeting when the project engineer is present.  Mr Appolonia asked Acting Town Planner Ms. Mara if she has reviewed the soil analysis report.  Ms. Mara replied that she has reviewed the report and so has Jim Geremia and will look at it with the Technical Review Committee in about a week.

Motion was made by Mr. Appolonia, to continue on March 7, 2022, at 6 PM at the West Warwick Town Hall certain for the purpose of Public Informational Meeting and Master Plan. Seconded by Mr. Garcia.

                                                            Public Comment

 

Where would the condos come out? Reply: Directly across the street from the other condos at 500 East Greenwich Ave.

 

 

Item 5  Brother’s Farm

Plat 13, Lots 53 and 765

Request to combine Master and Preliminary Plan and waive

the public informational meeting.

 

Per RIGL 45-23-40(d)(1) the applicant would like to combine the Master and Preliminary stages of review.  This project had previously received Master Plan approval from the Planning Board in May of 2019, but the project was denied by the Zoning Board.  The applicant has modified the application to obviate the need for relief.  This modification reduced the number of units from 12 to 10.

 

Staff Findings

 

Because the change was a reduction in intensity, and all the other components remained the same as the previously approved plan, Planning staff recommended a request to combine the Master and Preliminary Plan stages. 

 

Applicant was represented by their Engineer Brian King of Crossman Engineering, Mr. King was sworn in, and motion was made by Mr. Appolonia to accept him as an expert witness, seconded by Ms. Rubery, and approved unanimously by the board. Another motion was made by Mr. Appolonia to allow Mr. King to speak on behalf of the applicant, seconded by Mr. Barrette and unanimously approved by the board.  Mr King gave a brief timeline and description of the project, Master Approval in May of 2019, zoning denied request for 12 lots, the development has been reduced to 10 lots as zoning required. All DEM, KCWA and WWSA permits have been approved.  They are here tonight to request to combine Master and Preliminary Plan and waive the public information meeting.

 

Discussion

 

Chairman DiMartino asked if they have to go back to zoning as their plan was denied.  Vice-Chair Mr Appolonia asked why do they want to combine them together? He is afraid of how it looks to the public. Acting Town Planner, Ms. Mara replied that former Planner Mark had suggested this request and she agrees, because the Master Plan has already been presented to the planning board and received Master Plan approval.  They have made the changes that zoning required and all their permits have been approved. Al DiFiore explained zoning process of the reduction of the number of lots from 12 to 10. Chairman DiMartino questioned if the abutters will be served notice and will have the opportunity to appear and voice their concerns as they would in any informational meeting.   Al replied - Yes, it will be a full heating.

 

Motion was made by Mr. Barrette to waive the public informational meeting and combine the Master and Preliminary Plans before the Planning Board in March seconded by Mr. Garcia.  Motion was passed unanimously.

 

Planning Board Vote

 

Joseph DiMartino       Yes                 

Felix Appolonia          Yes                 

Joshua Barrette           Yes                 

Jessica Rubery (Alt.)  Yes                 

Joseph Garcia (Alt.)   Yes                 

 

Item 6

 

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

PLANNING BOARD

WEST WARWICK LAND DEVELOPMENT AND SUBDIVISION

REVIEW REGULATION AMENDMENT

 

WHEREAS:   Pursuant to the provision of Sections 17-15 and 17-16 of the West Warwick Land Development and Subdivision Review Regulation, the Planning Board of the Town of West Warwick is empowered to adopt, modify and amend the Regulations; and

WHEREAS:   The Planning Board for the Town of West Warwick has determined that the provisions of Sections 17-7. Definitions. (35a), (44) and (47), 17-9. General provisions – Pre - application meetings and concept review. 17 – 11. General provisions – Administrative subdivision. (F), (G), 17 – 14. General provisions – Major land development and major subdivision master plan, (B) and (E), 17 – 15. General provisions – Major land development and major subdivision preliminary plan (B) and (F). Said Regulations should be amended to insure that said Regulations are updated to provide for compliance with the General Laws of Rhode Island, for accurate rules and regulations for the governing of land development and subdivision projects and to control land development and subdivision projects;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF WEST WARWICK

HEREBY AMENDS THE WEST WARWICK LAND DEVELOPMENT AND SUBDIVISION REIVEW REGULATIONS as follows:

 

Sec. 17-7. Definitions.

(35a), (44)

 

Sec. 17-9. General provisions--Pre-application meetings and concept review.

(e)

 

Sec. 17-11.   General provisions--Administrative subdivision.

(F), (F) (G)

 

Sec.17-14. General provisions--Major land development and major subdivision master plan.

(B), (E)

 

Sec. 17-15. General provisions-Major land development and major subdivision preliminary plan.

(B), (F)

 

Findings

 

Planning Board Legal Counsel finds for the Planning Board to approve the proposed changes to our Subdivision Regulations to bring them in line with the Rhode Island General Laws.

 

Al DiFiore, Esq. gave a brief explanation of the regulation detail and to bring them up to date.  If approved, he is going to have all the regulations combined and put into a packet.

 

Motion was made by Ms. Rubery to approve the proposed changes to our Subdivision Regulations to bring them in line with the Rhode Island General Laws, seconded by Mr. Garcia.

 

Planning Board Vote

 

Joseph DiMartino       Yes                 

Felix Appolonia          Yes                 

Joshua Barrette           Yes                 

Jessica Rubery (Alt.)  Yes                 

Joseph Garcia (Alt.)   Yes

 

 

Item 7  Public Comment

 

Councilman Mark Bourget 3 Meggan Court:

– 2 new houses that are being built on East Greenwich Avenue, when it rains water flows down and causes huge puddles across East Greenwich Ave. Chairman DiMartino – There were no discussion of flooding issues in their plans, not an issue at all in the planning it could be a construction issue.

-Madison Ridge condos another water issue - water flows on Greenbush and onto Drawbridge causing flooding, is the retention pond not catching the water.

-Condo construction near Greenbush school, water issue, flooding Chairman stated -  may be construction issue – check on a retention pond.

 

 

Discussion

 

Suggestion that the Building Official Robert Assalone and DPW Director Fred Gil check into the water issues and that construction is being done in compliance to the approved plans filed.

 

Mr Barrette, asked if the meetings will be held remotely now?  Joe Houle – Month by Month according to the Governor’s Executive Orders.

 

 

Motion to adjourn the meeting Mr Barrette second by Mr. Garcia.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 6:49 PM.