North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting - April 1, 2025

The North Kingstown Planning Commission met on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at Town Hall, 80 Boston Neck Rd., North Kingstown, RI, beginning at 7:00 PM. The Commission unanimously approved a development plan review waiver for outdoor seating at Caffè Milano and a surety reduction for the Preserve at Rolling Greens, and addressed administrative matters. Chair James Grundy presided; members present included Patrick Roach, Steven Borowick, Tracey McCue, Margaret Kerr, and Richard Lipsitz.

Development Plan Review Waiver Request – Caffè Milano

• The Commission considered a request from Tampella Restaurant Enterprises, D.B.A. Caffè Milano (Emanuele Tampella) to waive development plan review for adding outdoor seating at Assessor's Plat 125, Lot 7, 4001 Quaker Lane, North Kingstown, zoned General Business (GB) and located in the Groundwater Recharge area.
• Staff explained the waiver was brought to the Planning Commission because the property lies in the groundwater recharge zone; no significant construction or surface alteration was proposed. The applicant planned to place tables and chairs on the existing surface and use portable toilets to handle additional wastewater. The applicant still must follow normal licensing and change-of-tenancy processes, including liquor license expansion before the Town Council.
• The applicant, Emanuele Tampella, arrived during the discussion and clarified that he had removed trees and dug out roots to make the area flat, planned about ten tables, and would not build a patio or conduct construction. A commissioner noted a portion of the area appeared paved, with another hard-packed/dirt section.
• Staff recommended three conditions: (1) outdoor seating customers shall exclusively use the portable toilets, not indoor facilities; (2) signage in the outdoor seating area shall direct customers to the portable bathrooms; and (3) any future deck, patio, or similar improvements requiring development plan review must come back to the Commission.
• The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the waiver with those three conditions.

Surety Reduction – Preserve at Rolling Greens

• Staff presented a memo dated March 26, 2025, from Ali Spock, PE, Deputy Director of Public Works/Town Engineer, recommending a surety reduction for the Preserve at Rolling Greens.
• The proposed reduction would lower the original bond amount of $5,279,602.43 to a remaining guarantee of $2,347,360.67.
• The Commission voted 5-0 to accept the recommendation.

Administrative Actions Report

• The Chair reported signing an administrative subdivision approval for 135 Scrabble Town Road.
• The Commission discussed scheduling additional work sessions, with the goal of holding them before regular meetings to review materials; members discussed starting at 5:00 PM, potential scheduling conflicts, having food delivered, and using digital packets. Staff noted they attend nine or ten meetings a month.
• No formal action was taken on the administrative report.

Minutes Approval

• The Commission approved the March 18, 2025 meeting minutes as amended. Corrections included a typo on the last page and a gender pronoun change in a paragraph concerning the applicant's attorney.
• The motion to approve the minutes as amended passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the Caffè Milano development plan review waiver with three conditions (5-0).
• Approved the Preserve at Rolling Greens surety reduction (5-0).
• Approved the March 18, 2025 minutes as amended (5-0).
• Meeting adjourned by unanimous consent; exact adjournment time not specified in the transcript.