Planning Board Site Visit– Meeting Minutes

Monday, March 29, 2021 – 5:30 p.m.

 

(Pursuant to former Governor Gina M. Raimondo Executive Order 20-46, dated June 12, 2020, as extended, and Executive

Order 20-100, dated November 30, 2020, as extended, this meeting was held via Zoom conference in addition to onsite.)

 

A. CALL TO ORDER – Mr. Hopkins called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

 

B. ROLL CALL AND ATTENDANCE

 

Members present:           Chair Justin M. Hopkins, IV, Vice Chair Richard W. Constantine, Secretary Christopher K. Lawlor, and Members Joseph M. Montesano, Andrew Delisio, Kevin Lowther (via Zoom), and Auxiliary Member Tabitha Harkin

 

Members absent:            None.

 

Staff present:                   Assistant Solicitor for Planning & Zoning Atty. Scott Levesque, Town Planner Nancy Letendre, Principal Planner Alyse Oziolor, and Minute Taker Stephanie J. LaSota

 

Town Council Liaison Phillip M. Overton was absent from the meeting.

 

C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

1.   None

 

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. 2020-MJLD-08: Avondale Heights – Master Plan Review of Major Land Development (165 East Avenue | Assessor’s Plat 107, Lot 57) Site visit to 165 East Avenue. Walking the site and discussion between the Planning Board and Applicant on request for Master Plan Review of a condominium complex. Public comments related to the site visit will be heard during the next Regular Planning Board Meeting on April 20, 2021.

 

Atty. William Nardone, with offices at 42 Granite Street, was present on behalf of the applicant, along with the applicant, Douglas DeSimone, and engineers Joe Duhamel and Molly Titus, of DiPrete Engineering. Also present were many members of the public. Mr. Hopkins asked that all public comments be made at the next regular Planning Board meeting on April 20 to simplify the process of recording the site visit meeting minutes. The site visit was streamed Online via Zoom as Mr. DeSimone led the meeting attendees around the property at 165 East Avenue, which is pending approval of a Master Plan for a condominium complex. Mr. DeSimone said they are proposing to relocate some low and moderate income (LMI) units off-site. He said 19 market rate units and one LMI unit are planned for the property. He noted that the closest any unit would be to another residence is 75 feet. Mr. Duhamel further explained the required buffers from other residences. There was discussion on tree identification done on the property and which specimen trees were staying. Mr. DeSimone said the newest plan proposed allows them to follow the natural contours of the land and there will be 80 percent less fill than previously proposed.

Mr. DeSimone and Mr. Duhamel led meeting attendees along the area of the proposed access road to where the new entrance would be. Mr. DeSimone said they would be opening the stone wall for the new entrance and closing the wall at an existing opening. There was some discussion on the applicant researching the proposed access road plan to position it directly across from the neighbor’s driveway instead of their home.

 

F. NEW BUSINESS

 

There was no new business to discuss.

 

G. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

 

There was no report given.

 

H. CONFIRMATION OF QUORUM FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING

 

There was no discussion under this agenda item.

 

I. ADJOURNMENT – Mr. Lawlor made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Montesano 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 April 20, 2021