Narragansett Planning Board Meeting – May 13, 2026: Subdivision Approvals, Site Reviews, and Zoning Discussions
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Narragansett Planning Board Meeting – May 13, 2026
The Narragansett Planning Board convened on May 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Assembly Room. The meeting addressed multiple agenda items including public hearings for comprehensive permit and site reviews, final plan approval for a five-lot subdivision, coastal zone variances, zoning ordinance clarifications, and board updates. All motions passed unanimously unless noted.
Public Hearings
- 649 Point Judith Road Comprehensive Permit (Master Plan Review): The applicant's attorney requested a continuance due to the unavailability of a material witness for medical reasons. The board continued the public hearing to June 16, 2026, and agreed to extend the decision deadline by 30 days. Motion passed 5-0.
- Brooks Site Review (39 Major Arnold Road): The applicant sought to demolish an existing home and rebuild a new four-bedroom home further from the coastal feature and entirely out of the VE flood zone. The project requires variances for floor area ratio (0.03 FAR relief, 163 sq ft over allowance) and height (4'2.625" or 3'2.625" depending on grade calculation). The building department corrected a typo in the FAR calculation. The board found the application complete and in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan (5-0) and recommended approval of the requested relief to the Zoning Board (5-0), noting the new design reduces site coverage from 28% to 20.5% and improves storm resiliency.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Thomas Warren (26 Jakes Way): Speaking during the Clarke Road Subdivision final plan review, expressed concern about the footprint of the proposed homes and the possibility of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on each lot. The applicant's representative clarified that any ADUs would require DEM review and that the footprint could only be modified if it did not trigger additional relief.
Discussion Items
- Clarke Road Subdivision Final Plan Review (5 lots, Plat V, Lot 27): The applicant's attorney summarized the project history, noting master plan approval in 2018, zoning board approvals, and a 17.05-acre conservation easement. Board member Rupert Friday raised concerns that the baseline document for the conservation easement did not meet Land Trust Alliance or Natural Resource Conservation Service standards, citing missing references to wetlands and factual errors. The applicant agreed to work with staff to incorporate missing information as a condition of final approval. The board approved the final plan subject to 17 conditions (including modifications to condition 7 regarding OWTS permits and addition of references to the Attorney General statute for conservation protection) and reiterating conditions 1, 4, and 8–12 from preliminary approval. Motion passed 4-0 (Chair Callahan recused).
- Section 4.5 Memorandum (High Water Table Overlay District): The board reviewed a legal opinion concluding that the district's limitations apply only within the overlay zone and that the added language is surplusage. A motion to amend the recommendation to the Town Council to clarify interpretation passed 5-0.
- Zoning Ordinance Recodification: The board discussed the need for a comprehensive recodification to simplify the zoning ordinance, as previously suggested to the Town Council. They plan to develop a scoping document outlining resources, timeline, and costs, and will seek examples from other towns. No motion was made.
Key Outcomes
- Continuances: B.1 (649 Point Judith Road) continued to June 16, 2026; D.2 (Narragansett Pier Railroad/Boone Street Market) continued to July 21, 2026. Both unanimous.
- Clarke Road Subdivision: Approved final plan (4-0) with modified conditions including OWTS permit timing and baseline document revisions.
- Brooks Site Review: Found complete and conforming (5-0); recommended approval of variances to Zoning Board (5-0).
- Section 4.5 Memorandum: Motion to amend recommendation to Town Council passed (5-0).
- Zoning Recodification: Discussion only; board will gather scoping information.
- Minutes Approved: December 22, 2025, February 18, 2026, and April 21, 2026 (5-0).
- Comprehensive Plan: Soft kickoff scheduled for June 8, 2026; potential Town Council work session on June 10, 2026.
- Next Meeting: June 16, 2026 (quorum confirmed with four members).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the uh the May regular meeting of the planning board. Um would you uh please take the roll? Here present. James Grandes? May here. Dr. Mr. Chairman, thank you. Uh the first matter on the agenda is administrative matters. Staff, do we have anything we need to discuss at this time? Not at this time, Mr. Chairman. Okay, thank you. Uh we are scheduled for a public hearing for 649 point Judith Road to comprehensive permit for development of uh four units of housing on point Judith Road. I understand there's a request for a continuance on that. Yes, I believe the uh applicant's attorney is here. Mr. Doherty. Hi Mr. Chairman Dr. Jordy for the applicants. Um I am requesting a continuous uh because my principal expert witnesses also very achieved and not troubling uh medical conditions we treated for it liberty of speed and not very serious uh issue about share it before in the interest of judicial questioning continuance of parts. Okay, thank you, Mr. Darning. We would need a date certain in order to keep all the notices went out officially by uh fail sort of questions. Is that a microphone? Uh yes. No, it's oh I'm sorry. If there was a light on, it was red. Forgive me. Do you want me to repeat that? I don't think it's necessary. Okay. Do you need you? Do you need a repeat it, Jack? No. Okay. Okay, so um, would somebody uh in terms of a date certain, what do we look like in terms of calendar, Jill? Sure. Bear with me. I'm not sure unless Ms. Patrone knows the date of the June meeting. Would be this third Tuesday, June 16th. June 16th, yes, thank you. So I just want to point out uh Mr. Doherty and we would extend as well. Uh Ms. Sabo informed me again. There was a June 7th deadline.
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