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Record of Proceedings

North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting Summary – September 2, 2025

Planning Commission — Tuesday, September 2, 2025
BodyNorth Kingstown, Rhode Island
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, September 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:59:50

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

C the notice of this meeting has been posted to the Secretary of State's website.

0:07

Nicole, if anyone is here for 3F, that has been asked to be moved to the September 16th meeting, correct?

0:17

So we won't be hearing that tonight.

0:21

And with that, we'll move to 3A, comprehensive permit and land development project master plan checklist waiver request.

0:29

Franklin Commons LLP for a major land development project consisting of 66 dwelling units on property located off post road at assessors plat 136, lot 170, zoned post road.

0:46

I can give a quick overview.

0:48

So this is a request to um waive three items that are either on the land development project checklist or on the comprehensive permit application checklist because there's two different checklists that they have to submit for a comprehensive permit.

1:01

Um you can see on the back of page one, it's for the um to not submit the fiscal impact statement, um the letter of eligibility from the state, and then the water modeling.

1:11

And you've had similar requests in the past at the master plan stage to wait it again.

1:17

We've even discussed the potential of moving the water modeling for sure to the preliminary stage.

1:22

Um so I don't think um that would be it's it's not inconsistent with our philosophy on um when we get the water modeling anyway, they have to get the water modeling at preliminary to advance anyway.

1:33

So we support the three waiver requests, and again, it's just from the checklist requirement.

1:38

We see they still have to go through the full review process and come back to you later.

1:43

Any questions for staff so just to clarify each of these three items will come back to us at a later application state?

1:53

They'll have to submit a preliminary okay.

1:55

Thank you.

1:56

Do they have to take action to that effect, Nicole, or is it just granting it based on the fact that they yep and then it has to come back at preliminary?

2:04

Okay.

2:06

So I had to entertain a motion to waive the three items as requested.

2:12

I'll make that motion.

2:14

I'll second all in favor?

2:17

Aye.

2:19

Moving on to 3B, unified development plan review and dimensional variance requests, application of National Sign Corporation.

2:29

Care of Heather Dudco to install ground mounted and warm-mounted signs on site improvements to be located at 5945 post road.

2:39

Assessors plat 177 lot eight, zone post road, and in the groundwater wellhead overlay district.

2:48

And 3C, which is unified development for the same applicant, same address.

2:58

Good evening.

2:58

I'm not sure if anyone you're here for it.

3:00

If you want to come up, in case they have any questions.

3:02

Either one.

3:03

You can go to the table or the microphone, whatever works.

3:06

Um, as Rich mentioned, this is this is actually a pretty simple application.

3:11

It it has to be development plan review because it's located in the groundwater overlay, and it's actually really more of a variance request and more than uh a site plan review application.

3:22

So they're looking to install ground mounted and well mounted signs on site.

3:25

It's the citizens bank in the um I call it the job lot plaza, right?

3:30

Where Job La is not the one across the street.

3:33

Um there's an existing 14-foot tall ground-mounted sign that's going to be removed.

3:38

The applicant is proposing a new 12-foot tall ground-mounted sign in a similar location.

3:43

The sign, ground modern signs that are solid with no space between the primary supports, and they can't exceed five feet in height, but this proposed site is 12 feet in height, so that's why they're here for that dimensional variance.

3:57

Hold on a second.

4:02

They are also looking for a 6.46 square foot dimensional variance for the 16.46 square foot wall-mounted sign on the east elevation of the structure.

4:14

Um, this is where signs can be no more than 10 square feet.

4:18

So the 6.46 is because they're over that 10 square feet.

4:23

Um, and for that same sign, it's a dimensional variance on the storefront canopy for the same size sound, same size sign for the same requirement, right?

4:33

The well-mounted signs that can be used in any number, but they they can't exceed that 10 square feet.

4:39

Um we have no issues with the application as presented.

4:43

This is uh a pretty minor improvement to the site.

4:46

Again, if this were not in the groundwater, you would not be seeing it, would be going to the zoning board only because it's in the groundwater triggers your review.

4:54

Um you have to make a decision because it's unified on the zoning first before you decide on the development plan review.

5:01

So at the I there's no cheat sheet for this one.

5:03

At the end of your staff report, there are the different findings you need to make.

5:07

Those are on pages five, starts with the unified development and tells you how to go through that process.

5:14

And then the findings are on pages six and seven.

5:17

Um the applicant is here.

5:19

I don't know how if you have anything more to add or have any questions for her as part of this.

5:25

Uh any questions for Nicole first.

5:28

No.

5:31

Okay.

5:32

Um good evening.

5:33

My name is Heather Dudhill.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Ordinance█████████████████████████████████████████████70%
Water And Wastewater Management████████13%
Public Engagement████6%
Procedural███5%
Environmental Protection███5%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Summary of Proceedings

North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting Summary – September 2, 2025

The North Kingstown Planning Commission met at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Town Hall, 80 Boston Neck Road, North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The commission considered waiver requests, two unified development review public hearings, zoning ordinance text amendments, a proposed meeting-time change, and administrative matters.

Franklin Commons LLP – Comprehensive Permit Checklist Waiver Request

  • Staff recommended granting three checklist waivers for a proposed 66-unit major land development off Post Road at Assessors Plat 136, Lot 170, zoned Post Road: waiver of the fiscal impact statement, the state letter of eligibility, and the water modeling requirement at the master plan stage.
  • The board voted unanimously to grant the three waivers, with those items required at the preliminary plan stage.

National Sign Corporation / Citizens Bank – 5945 Post Road

  • The commission held a combined public hearing on the unified development review and dimensional variance request for new ground- and wall-mounted signs at the Citizens Bank site.
  • The proposal replaces an existing ground sign, described at different points in the transcript as 14 or 15 feet tall, with a 12-foot sign. The zoning code limits solid ground-mounted signs to 5 feet in height, so a height variance was requested.
  • The applicant also requested variances for two wall-mounted signs, each proposed at 16.46 square feet, exceeding the 10-square-foot limit by 6.46 square feet. Applicant representative Heather Dudko said the site is being rebranded to Citizens Bank's current sign design and that the building's setback required visible signage.
  • Commissioner Steve Borowick noted the site plan appeared to show shrubbery removed; a plan note said landscaping would be re-evaluated and renovated.
  • The board approved the requested zoning variances and the unified development plan review, with the combined preliminary/final approval conditioned on the zoning approval.

AdCare Rhode Island – 10 Additional Beds, 1950 Tower Hill Road

  • The commission held a combined public hearing on AdCare Rhode Island's request to increase its existing convalescent care campus from 70 to 80 beds at Assessors Plat 036, Lot 005, in the Rural Residential zone and the groundwater recharge and scenic overlay districts.
  • The applicant sought a special use permit and a dimensional variance. The 80-bed standard requires 800,000 square feet of suitable land; the site has 789,742.8 square feet, so a 10,257.2-square-foot dimensional variance was requested.
  • Applicant representatives Richard Pastor and Alan Bianchini testified about the on-site membrane wastewater treatment system, a no-fertilizer landscaping contract, private ambulance contracts, the Department of Health's awareness of the 80-bed plan, and the need for additional beds to treat substance-use patients.
  • Several commissioners expressed concern that prior approval conditions, including no-fertilizer signage and annual septic-system reporting, had not been fulfilled. The board discussed adding conditions requiring the applicant to coordinate with town engineering on nitrogen-loading inputs, submit monitoring reports, keep fertilizer off site, restore required signage, and continue private ambulance service.
  • Board members indicated general support, but because the decision was lengthy, the public hearing was closed and the matter was continued to October 7, 2025 for formal approval of the decision.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ricky Thompson of 194 Plain Road asked during the AdCare hearing why quarterly wastewater/septic reports would not be submitted to the town if they already exist, rather than waiting for an annual submission. He said he would want to know about a problem sooner rather than later.
  • No other public comments were made during the public hearings.

Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments and Other Discussion Items

  • Item 3.f, the A&B Holdings LLC application to amend the zoning ordinance to allow multifamily use in the Neighborhood Business District by right and add related development standards, was continued to the September 16, 2025 meeting at the applicant's request.
  • The commission recommended to the Town Council amendments to Article X signs related to signs on awnings. Discussion focused on a proposed 30-percent awning-area sign limit and how signs on multi-tenant awnings would be allocated.
  • The commission also recommended to the Town Council amendments to Sections 21:333 and 21:335 to allow administrative approvals for Historic District Commission matters, adopting the required zoning-purpose findings and comprehensive-plan consistency statement.
  • The board discussed moving its meeting start time to 6:00 PM. Staff could not start at 6:00, but could start at 6:30. After discussion, the board decided to keep the 7:00 PM start time and revisit the issue later if schedules change.

Administrative Actions and Minutes

  • There were no administrative actions to report.
  • The minutes of the August 5, 2025 meeting were approved, with one member recusing.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimously granted the Franklin Commons LLP comprehensive permit checklist waiver request.
  • Approved the Citizens Bank/National Sign Corporation zoning variances and unified development plan review.
  • Closed the AdCare public hearing and continued the formal decision to October 7, 2025.
  • Continued the A&B Holdings zoning text amendment to September 16, 2025.
  • Recommended the awning-sign ordinance amendments and the Sections 21:333 and 21:335 administrative-approval amendments to the Town Council.
  • Retained the 7:00 PM Planning Commission start time.
  • Approved the August 5, 2025 meeting minutes.

Meeting Transcript

C the notice of this meeting has been posted to the Secretary of State's website. Nicole, if anyone is here for 3F, that has been asked to be moved to the September 16th meeting, correct? So we won't be hearing that tonight. And with that, we'll move to 3A, comprehensive permit and land development project master plan checklist waiver request. Franklin Commons LLP for a major land development project consisting of 66 dwelling units on property located off post road at assessors plat 136, lot 170, zoned post road. I can give a quick overview. So this is a request to um waive three items that are either on the land development project checklist or on the comprehensive permit application checklist because there's two different checklists that they have to submit for a comprehensive permit. Um you can see on the back of page one, it's for the um to not submit the fiscal impact statement, um the letter of eligibility from the state, and then the water modeling. And you've had similar requests in the past at the master plan stage to wait it again. We've even discussed the potential of moving the water modeling for sure to the preliminary stage. Um so I don't think um that would be it's it's not inconsistent with our philosophy on um when we get the water modeling anyway, they have to get the water modeling at preliminary to advance anyway. So we support the three waiver requests, and again, it's just from the checklist requirement. We see they still have to go through the full review process and come back to you later. Any questions for staff so just to clarify each of these three items will come back to us at a later application state? They'll have to submit a preliminary okay. Thank you. Do they have to take action to that effect, Nicole, or is it just granting it based on the fact that they yep and then it has to come back at preliminary? Okay. So I had to entertain a motion to waive the three items as requested. I'll make that motion. I'll second all in favor? Aye. Moving on to 3B, unified development plan review and dimensional variance requests, application of National Sign Corporation. Care of Heather Dudco to install ground mounted and warm-mounted signs on site improvements to be located at 5945 post road. Assessors plat 177 lot eight, zone post road, and in the groundwater wellhead overlay district. And 3C, which is unified development for the same applicant, same address. Good evening. I'm not sure if anyone you're here for it. If you want to come up, in case they have any questions. Either one. You can go to the table or the microphone, whatever works. Um, as Rich mentioned, this is this is actually a pretty simple application. It it has to be development plan review because it's located in the groundwater overlay, and it's actually really more of a variance request and more than uh a site plan review application. So they're looking to install ground mounted and well mounted signs on site. It's the citizens bank in the um I call it the job lot plaza, right? Where Job La is not the one across the street. Um there's an existing 14-foot tall ground-mounted sign that's going to be removed. The applicant is proposing a new 12-foot tall ground-mounted sign in a similar location. The sign, ground modern signs that are solid with no space between the primary supports, and they can't exceed five feet in height, but this proposed site is 12 feet in height, so that's why they're here for that dimensional variance. Hold on a second. They are also looking for a 6.46 square foot dimensional variance for the 16.46 square foot wall-mounted sign on the east elevation of the structure. Um, this is where signs can be no more than 10 square feet. So the 6.46 is because they're over that 10 square feet. Um, and for that same sign, it's a dimensional variance on the storefront canopy for the same size sound, same size sign for the same requirement, right? The well-mounted signs that can be used in any number, but they they can't exceed that 10 square feet. Um we have no issues with the application as presented. This is uh a pretty minor improvement to the site. Again, if this were not in the groundwater, you would not be seeing it, would be going to the zoning board only because it's in the groundwater triggers your review. Um you have to make a decision because it's unified on the zoning first before you decide on the development plan review. So at the I there's no cheat sheet for this one.

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