North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting – February 17, 2026
North Kingstown Planning Commission Meeting – February 17, 2026
The North Kingstown Planning Commission met on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Town Hall. The meeting addressed three main items: cost estimates for the Wickford Junction Apartments (private development), a cost estimate reduction for Sanctuary Estates, and a public hearing for the Duck Cove Farm Conservation Development (a 3-lot minor subdivision). The public hearing included testimony from residents and detailed discussion on zoning variances and design waivers. The meeting concluded with approval of minutes and administrative actions.
Consent Calendar
- No consent calendar was used; each item was discussed individually and voted on.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Templeton Peck (133 Elm Drive): Expressed full support for the Duck Cove Farm project, noting he and his wife are "totally on board." He sought confirmation that the new driveway would use the existing access via Duck Cove Farm rather than Elm Drive, which was confirmed by the applicant's attorney.
- William Bennett (114 Elm Drive): Also supported the project but raised concerns about Elm Drive being used for utility installation. He requested that the road be restored after construction and asked about the duration and potential access disruption.
- Robert Hamlin (138 Elm Drive): Noted that the right-of-way (a gravel strip, historically a carriageway) is only 12 feet wide and single-lane. He expressed concern about overburdening this ancient right-of-way if the new home uses it regularly instead of Duck Cove Farm.
- Richard Welch (8 Arrow Lane): Questioned the open space lot: who owns it, who pays taxes, and whether the reduction in taxable land would shift taxes to others. He sought assurance that the tax base would not decrease.
Discussion Items
- Cost Estimate: Wickford Junction Apartments (Phase 1 & 2) – The Planning Technician explained the private development cost estimates: Phase 1 (first three condo buildings) at $302,371.82, Phase 2 (remaining apartment lot) at $150,754.24. The motion to accept both passed unanimously.
- Cost Estimate Reduction: Sanctuary Estates – The cost estimate was reduced to $60,495.82 (the last 10% of work remaining). The motion to recommend to the Town Council passed unanimously.
- Public Hearing: Duck Cove Farm Conservation Development – The commission reviewed both a zoning dimensional variance (20-foot frontage reduction to zero feet) and two design waivers (road width from 18 to 16 feet, peak runoff mitigation). The applicant’s attorney, Joelle Rocha, and engineer Chris Shea presented. The fire marshal approved the 16-foot road width; stormwater waiver was justified because runoff flows to Narragansett Bay (CRMC allows a slight increase). The commission discussed conditions including CRMC permits, pretreatment for septic (Conservation Commission recommendation), and ensuring construction does not block Elm Drive access. The commission indicated general support for the variance and waivers, finding the hardship unique to the subdivision pattern and the development consistent with the comprehensive plan.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the Wickford Junction Apartments cost estimate for both phases ($302,371.82 and $150,754.24) (unanimous).
- Approved the Sanctuary Estates cost estimate reduction to $60,495.82 (unanimous), recommending to the Town Council.
- Continued the public hearing for Duck Cove Farm to the March 17, 2026, Planning Commission meeting to allow time for a written decision (unanimous).
- Approved the minutes from February 3, 2026, and February 11, 2026 (site visit) with one correction (correcting "Lipsitz" spelling) and the administrative actions report (unanimous).
- Adjourned the meeting.
Meeting Transcript
2466C notice of the meeting has been posted on the Secretary of State's website. Item 3, General Business 3A, a cost estimate of Wickford Junction Apartments. Yep, so this one is a little bit unique because it's a private development. We're not we're doing them a little bit different than we have been based on state law and only being able to do the estimates for a public improvements. It's all private infrastructure. And so the way we met with the applicant and and the town engineer, and she prepared a two two phases for this one. So phase one is the first three apartment buildings and all the infrastructure that will be included with that. And then on the back of that page is phase two, um, which will be the lot that has the apartments. So the first three buildings are going to be actually condos, and then the um second phase is a I think it's 50 or 60, I can't remember units, um, and that will be the last remaining lot. So we'll um do this in two phases, and it's really just buttoning up and making sure the site is safe if the um developer walked away from the project. And obviously Allie's good with it. She did it. Yep, applicants okay. So there's two different ones, so just you know, front and back. Yep. You need a motion for us to accept both. Yep. All right. So I would entertain a motion to accept uh phase one of three hundred and two thousand three hundred and seventy-one dollars and eighty-two cents. I'm sorry, where do you get that? Were you getting that number? The grant oh on phase one back. Yep, yep, yep. On the other side, right? I was on the other side. Yep. And phase two of 150,754.24 cents. Yep. Okay. I'll make that motion. I have a second. I'll second. All in favor? Aye. Okay, moving on to three B, a cost estimate reduction for sanctuary estates on Sanctuary Lane. Yep. So again, it's pretty standard. This is more traditional cost estimate reduction. They haven't set the bond yet, so once they they're down to pretty much the last 10% at this point, most of the work has been completed. So this should be the last reduction, and then they can set, you know, give us the bond. And this is just a recommendation to we are reducing to 544,462. It's re it's reduced down to well, it depends on how you want to phrase it, but yes, they're reducing it by the 544 to 6495. 260,495 and 82 cents. Yep. Which represents what the 10, the 10 percent. Last yep, the last 10 percent. All right, so I would entertain a motion to accept or to recommend to the town council uh to reduce the cost estimate down to $60,494 and 82 cents. Actually, and this is just the cost estimate, actually, it's not the bond reduction. So it's just the cost estimate. Yep.
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