As staff to the Planning Board, the Planning Department assists property owners and developers through the subdivision and land development review process.  All subdivisions and land development projects are governed by the Town of South Kingstown Zoning Ordinance and the Town of South Kingstown Subdivision and Land Development Regulations.

There are three general categories of review undertaken by the Planning Board: subdivisions, land development projects, and development plan review.  Staff of the Planning Department is available to assist in determining the review process and requirements for your project.  Please call us at (401) 789-9331 x1244 to set up an appointment.

Subdivisions

Subdivisions involve changes to property lines, including moving existing property lines, merging lots, and splitting parcels to create additional lots for development.  There are three types of subdivision: Administrative, Minor, and Major.  Subdivisions relate to property lines rather than use, and therefore can be performed in all zoning districts if the requirements of the South Kingstown Zoning Ordinance are followed.

Land Development Projects

Land Development Projects are a type of development project in which multiple uses, buildings, or properties are proposed to be developed or redeveloped as a coordinated site.  There are two types of Land Development Project, Minor and Major.

Development Plan Review

Development Plan Review is conducted for certain non-residential developments as explained in the Zoning Ordinance.  Generally, new developments meeting the following criteria require Development Plan Review:

• Development requiring or providing five or more parking spaces
• Development requiring a parking and/or loading area exceeding 2,500 square feet of paved area
• Development having a drive-up or drive-through window
• Development for which transition yards are required (defined by Article 12 of the Zoning Ordinance)
• Development for which landscaping is required (by Subsection 505.7 of the Zoning Ordinance)
• Development within the Kingstown Road Special Management District
• Residential homes with property frontage on Ministerial Road

Also, the following specific uses require Development Plan Review:

• Bed and Breakfasts
• Farms seeking to include retail sales and/or to host events
• Marijuana cultivation facilities
• Cellular communication facilities
• Veterinary hospitals
• Special needs schools
• Boat storage and retail trade of marine products
• Wholesale trade of seafood products
• Golf courses
• Transient residential facilities

Existing uses meeting the above criteria which are to undergo redevelopment require Development Plan Review for any of the following modifications:

• Enlargement of an off-street parking or loading facility
• Enlargement of a principal building in such a way as to increase the area of the lot covered by buildings by more than 500 square feet or 25%, whichever is less
• Change of the existing use within a building or upon a lot from one Use Code Category to another Use Code Category, except within a shopping center

Click here to see a flow chart outlining the Development Plan Review process.