Narragansett Zoning Board of Review Meeting - June 10, 2026
Narragansett Zoning Board of Review Meeting - June 10, 2026
The Narragansett Zoning Board of Review met on June 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM at Town Hall. The board addressed administrative matters, approved minutes, handled appeals, and conducted public hearings on several development proposals. Key actions included the appointment of a stakeholder for the Comprehensive Plan update, approval of a special use permit for a home expansion at 80 Onondega Road, and approval of variances for a new dwelling at 26 Starfish Drive.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the May 21, 2026 meeting minutes (4-0).
- Continuance of the Micheli appeal (C.1) to July 23, 2026, with an extended deadline for the Town's memorandums of law (4-0).
- Withdrawal of the Sabbagh appeal (C.2) by the appellant.
- Continuance of the Gibson Court Condominium Association public hearing (D.1) to July 23, 2026 (4-0).
- Continuance of the Brooks public hearing (D.4) to July 23, 2026 due to a defect in abutter notification (4-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made in favor or against any of the applications heard during the meeting.
Administrative Matters
- Quorum Confirmation: Members confirmed attendance for the July 23, 2026 meeting. Karen Catuogno confirmed attendance if re-appointed by the Town Council.
- Rules of Procedure: Staff is working on an updated draft; board members are asked to send comments individually via email to avoid a rolling quorum.
- Comprehensive Plan Update Stakeholder: John Ball was appointed as the Zoning Board's stakeholder liaison to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.
Public Hearings
Nero (D.2) - 80 Onondega Road The applicant, represented by Attorney Jack McGreen, sought relief for a second-floor addition to an existing garage to create two bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a deck. The original proposal required multiple variances and special use permits. After a continuance, the applicant revised the plans to attach the garage to the house, eliminating all dimensional relief except for a Special Use Permit for homes exceeding four bedrooms (Section 12.23). The architect, Peter Bosco, and planning consultant, Edward Pimentel, testified that the revised design meets all parking and setback requirements. The board voted to grant the Special Use Permit subject to conditions in the project summary, striking the planning board's recommendations. (Motion passed 4-0)
Terek (D.3) - 26 Starfish Drive The applicant, represented by Attorney Steven Surdut, sought a Variance and Special Use Permit from the Coastal Resources Overlay District and dimensional variances for a new three-story, three-bedroom dwelling. The property is on a sloped lot near Point Judith Pond. Witnesses included surveyor Jeffrey Balch and architect Jack Ryan. The applicant argued that the proposal would improve water quality with a denitrification septic system and stormwater controls, and that the flat roof maintains views. The board noted that the original plans would have been compliant under prior zoning. The board adopted findings of fact and granted the relief requested, subject to conditions including a limit of three bedrooms. (Motion passed 5-0)
Key Outcomes
- Appointment: John Ball appointed as Zoning Board stakeholder for Comprehensive Plan update.
- Nero Application: Special Use Permit granted for home exceeding four bedrooms at 80 Onondega Road, subject to conditions (striking planning board recommendations).
- Terek Application: Variances and Special Use Permit granted for new dwelling at 26 Starfish Drive, subject to conditions including no more than three bedrooms.
- Continuances: Micheli appeal, Gibson Court, and Brooks public hearings continued to July 23, 2026.
- Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:35 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Leslie McKnight? John Paul? Karen, can see if you have it? Do you have a chance out? Yeah. Mr. Chairman, you have four members present. You have a fine. All right, thank you. The first uh matter on the agenda is administrative matters. Um is zoning board um meeting July 23rd, 2026 quorum confirmation. So are we gonna have to do that? That's just uh the stating agenda item at your obviously meeting. Okay. I'm waiting for uh the body being pointed on the on July 3. Um I can't stand over here. Okay. Okay. Next matter is a discussion on the rules of procedures or anything that you need to attend to on that. Not necessarily, just reminder that staff is working on this item, and if anybody has further commentary for that, uh please send it to our department. Um otherwise probably to have a more inclusive draft free wall to review uh in Debbie probably by July. Okay, thanks Amanda. Um the last item on the administrative matters is the comprehensive plan update, voting board stakeholder appointment. I can take that one. Yeah, would you please? Sure. So the town is updating its comprehensive plan and um we are asking all boards that um may be considered a stakeholder um for one of the elements, one of the required elements of the conference plan um to attend. We're asking each board to assign a person who could attend a stakeholder meeting, and then they can report back to you. So uh moving for someone from the zoning board who may want to participate as a stakeholder in uh one or more of the stakeholder meetings we have about six of them. If they might not all be relevant, but just didn't know if you wanted to appoint someone, it you say missing a few folks, but um got a good idea. We should appoint someone who's not here. Oh yeah, you could probably do that. I think it drafted. Does anyone here want to vote? John I can I I think I could move to appoint John if he wants to do it. If he wants to do it. If John wants to do it, and then if for some reason, so what I was gonna say, Mr. Chairman, is you can certainly appoint someone and then if at a later date you want to for some reason you have to switch it up. You can switch it up too. Okay, well I would uh like to appoint John Ball to rule everyone. Okay with that. Yes. Great idea. All right, very good. Um there's a few continuances just for the sake of anyone who's here uh for them. Let me just announce those because you might want to not spend the rest of your evening here. Is that correct? Yes, Mr. Chairman, it'll be continued to July 25th, 2026. And then uh there's one other matter, uh D4 Brook Flat L lot 112, 39 major on the road.
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