The North Kingstown Planning Commission met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Town Hall, 80 Boston Neck Rd., to conduct a series of public hearings and decisions on major land development projects, including the new middle school, two Post Road multi-family developments, and the Overlook project, as well as a discussion on zoning amendments for data centers. The meeting lasted approximately 3.5 hours and included votes on the middle school project and data center recommendations, while other hearings were continued to future dates.
Welcome to the Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 meeting of the North Kingstown Planning Commission. Pursuant to RIGL 4246-6C. Notice of the meeting has been posted on the Secretary of State's website. General Business, we have items 3A and 3B, which will be taken in that order. Is the decision of public hearing unified development review of the zoning relief application of the North Kingstown School for a major land development project for the construction of a middle school and associated improvements to be located at 250 Tower Hill Road, Assessors Plat 116, Lot 73, Zone Public, and located in the Scenic Overlay District. You have a draft of the decision in front of you. I think there was one in your pocket as well, or email to you. The normal review it, whether you go page by page, whatever you need to do. Everyone have a chance to read the email and any comments, concerns, corrections or changes. Joe? Tracy? No. No. Steve, no? All right. I will read just the findings of facts, James, and any conditions in, and then we can vote. Based upon the application and documentation presented with the consideration that the application is at a preliminary plan stage and is subject to slight changes and revisions, the North Kingstown Planning Commission makes the following findings of fact and reaches the following decision. Zoning relief. The applicant is seeking a variance from Section 21-27, plan requirements, and specific standards, landscaping for buffers, parking lots, and loading areas. Where a property is zoned or used as a business, commercial, or institutional use, abuts of property which is zoned or used as residential, educational, recreational, or religious use. A 25-foot-wide buffer strip shall be required on the property zoned or used for business, commercial, mixed use, or institutional use. This requirement shall not apply to development in the post road, neighborhood business, or Wickford village districts. The Planning Commission would grant the zoning relief based on the following findings of fact. The hardship from which the applicant seeks relief is due to the unique characteristics of the subject land or structure and not the general characteristics of the surrounding area, and is not due to a physical or economic disability of the applicant. Testimony and plans have shown that this is an existing site that was originally developed in the 1930s. There is a varied topo topography and retaining wall will be necessary to accommodate the site improvements. The use will remain the same and proposed vegetation will be improved to the site. Two, the hardship is not a result of any prior action of the applicant. The property has been used as a school since the 1930s and the use is not changing. Three, the granting of the requested variants will not alter the general character of the surrounding area or impair the intent or purpose of this chapter or the comprehensive plan upon which this chapter is based. The site is zoned public and will continue to be used as a public school. The applicant is improving the site with new fencing, buffers, and traffic circulation. Four, in granting a dimensional variance, the hardships suffered by the owner of the subject property. If the dimensional variance is not granted amounts to more than a mere inconvenience, meaning that relief sought is minimal to a reasonable enjoyment of the permitted use to which the property is proposed to be devoted. The fact that the use be more profitable or that a structure made me more valuable after the relief is granted, shall not be grounds for relief. This is not a not-for-profit project, so the economic portion is not applicable. The required 25-foot buffer would be would constrict the site and reduce the historic character of Phillips Street in conflict with the scenic overlay district. Conditions one, all construction is to be done in strict accordance with the materials reviewed and testimony provided at the June 16, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. Unless minor modifications are approved administratively by the planning department. Landscaping shall be completed in conformance with the percentages depicted on the landscape planting buffer variance plan dated April 24th, 2026. Revised May 12, 2026, and reviewed at the June 16, 2026 Planning Commission meetings. Any changes to the percentages as depicted in the landscape buffer legend shall come before the planning commission for review. Do I have a motion to approve the zoning for the Wickford Middle School? I'll make that motion. Do we have a second? All in favor? Aye. Aye. All opposed? The ayes have it.