Planning Board – Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - 7:00 p.m.

(Pursuant to Governor Gina M. Raimondo Executive Order 20-46, dated June 12, 2020, and extended October 9, 2020, this meeting was held in person and via Zoom.)

Council Chambers, Westerly Town Hall
45 Broad Street, Westerly, RI 02891

 

A. CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Hall called the meeting to order at 8:33 p.m. immediately following the adjournment of the 5:00 p.m. special meeting.

 

B. ROLL CALL AND ATTENDANCE

 

Members present:           Chair James A. Hall, IV, Vice Chair Richard W. Constantine, Secretary Christopher K. Lawlor, Alternate Secretary Justin M. Hopkins, and Members Joseph M. Montesano and Andrew Delisio

 

Members absent:             None.

 

Staff present:                   Assistant Solicitor for Planning & Zoning Atty. Scott Levesque, Town Planner Nancy Letendre, Principal Planner Alyse Oziolor, Director of Information Technology Marc Tate, Minute Taker Stephanie J. LaSota

 

C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

1.      October 20,2020 – Mr. Lawlor made a motion to approve the October 20, 2020 Planning Board minutes as submitted. Mr. Hopkins seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

D. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA

Review, discussion, and possible action by the Planning Board on changes to the agenda, including known continuances and the order in which items will be heard.

 

There were no changes to the agenda.

 

E. OLD BUSINESS

 

1. Rules of Procedure Revision Review, discussion, and continuation to a future meeting by the Planning Board on revisions to the Rules of Procedure.

 

Ms. Letendre said Planning staff revised the rules of procedure according to the Planning Board discussion had on October 20 and each Board member has an updated copy. There was clarifying discussion regarding Board members’ right to vote if he or she was not present for each informational hearing on a single application. Ms. Letendre said currently their rule is the same as the Zoning Board, but it is not State law, so they may change it. Atty. Levesque said some towns have allowed Board members to read transcripts of missed meetings or watch the meeting video in order to vote on an application. The Planning Board agreed to change this rule to allow Board members to read a transcript or watch a meeting recording for information if they must miss a meeting. Atty. Levesque advised that at the next attended meeting, the previously absent member states for the record that he or she read the minutes or watched the video.

Mr. Montesano made a motion that the Planning Board accept the revised rules of procedure as modified this evening. Mr. Lawlor seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

2. Application & Procedures Discussion (DPR Checklist) Review, discussion, and possible action and/or continuation to a future meeting by the Planning Board on Development Plan Review application form and revised procedures for implementing the amended Zoning Ordinance.

 

There was a brief review of the topic discussed on October 20. Ms. Letendre said staff completed the changes discussed and requested the Planning Board approve the documents so they can begin to use them.  

Mr. Montesano made a motion that the Planning Board accept the Planning application form update as presented tonight as Exhibit E 2. Mr. Constantine seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions. 

 

F. NEW BUSINESS

 

            There was no new business to discuss.

 

G. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

 

1. Administrative Actions - Report on the following administrative decisions, extensions and/or other

actions of the Administrative Officer taken from October 20, 2020 to November 9, 2020:

• Approval of Final Development Plan – Turano Morris Salon, 8 Franklin Street | AP 77, Lot 403

• Approval of Final Development Plan – 44 Frontage Road Solar, 44 Frontage Road | AP 49, Lot 1

 

Ms. Letendre reviewed that there were two final development approvals, which are listed on the agenda. She said the Planning office had many applications this week for administrative subdivisions, which will be on the next agenda. Mr. Hall asked about the progress on the Canal Street parking lot application. Ms. Letendre said she knows the applicant pulled permits to begin the environmental remediation.

 

H. CONFIRMATION OF QUORUM FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING

 

1. December 1, 2020 Special Meeting - Members of the Planning Board are asked to notify the Administrative Officer if they will not be present at the next special meeting. The following topics

are anticipated to be discussed:

• Capital Improvement Program

• Rules of Procedure (if continued)

• Planning Application and DPR Checklists (if continued)

 

Ms. Letendre reviewed that the December 1, 2020 meeting will just include the CIP topic as the other two topics were covered tonight. 

 

2. December 15, 2020 Regular Meeting - Members of the Planning Board are asked to notify the Administrative Officer if they will not be present at the next regular meeting. The following topics

are anticipated to be discussed:

• 67 Tom Harvey Road Centrica Solar Facility (Master Plan Review)

• McQuade’s Marketplace Parking Lot (Final Plan Review)

• 60 Ledward Avenue Subdivision (Pre-Application Review)

• Avondale Heights Condominiums (Pre-Application Review)

• Section 270-73 of the Zoning Ordinance “Golf Courses” (Advisory Review)

 

Ms. Letendre said they will not be prepared to discuss a golf course ordinance at the December 15 meeting, but she reviewed the listed applications and pre-applications above that will be on the agenda.

There was clarifying discussion regarding the recently changed rules of procedure that each level of a Planning application review is a new start and as long as a Board member attends or reads into each meeting on a given application, he or she may vote on that application.

 

I. ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Montesano made a motion to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 8:42 p.m. Mr. Constantine seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Stephanie J. LaSota

Minute Taker

 

Approved by vote of the Board on December 1, 2020