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Sec. 9-1. - Control of town buildings.#
The general care, custody and control of town buildings and properties, except as it is otherwise delegated by Charter or ordinance, shall be under the jurisdiction of the town administrator, subject to general rules and regulations as may be established by ordinance.
(Code 1972, § 6-1)
Sec. 9-2. - Work on town buildings and properties.#
Modifications, changes to, treatment of, or work on town buildings, interior or exterior, cannot be done until the procedure set forth below is followed. This includes, but is not limited to, such work as painting, sandblasting, cladding, trimming or other general maintenance and repair work. Before such work can be done, the following must be satisfied: (1)
All such work requires the written assent of the town administrator;
(2)
All such work shall be done only within budget appropriations or special appropriations approved by the town council;
(3)
All new construction, of small or large magnitude, and additions or coverings, also requires approval of the town council. Request to the town council shall include plans and recommendations of an architect, the town engineer and the town administrator;
(4)
All work costing more than $25,000.00 in the aggregate shall also require the advance approval of the town council.
(Code 1972, § 6-2)
Sec. 9-3. - Emergency information to be furnished by owners of multifamily dwellings.#
(a)
All owners of multifamily dwellings shall list with the police and fire departments the name, address, and telephone number of a person authorized to give access information as is necessary to enable municipal police, fire and rescue personnel to gain entrance to render emergency aid.
(b)
All owners of multifamily dwellings shall post a notice, visible from the exterior of the building, that in case of emergency, entrance to the building may be made by calling the police or fire departments for assistance, which notice shall also furnish the telephone numbers of the departments, and the location of at least two public telephones in the vicinity.
(c)
The building inspector of the town shall be charged with the authority and power to enforce compliance by multifamily dwelling owners. In the event of such noncompliance, the building inspector shall have the authority to revoke or cancel the building permit.
(Code 1972, § 6-15)
Sec. 9-4. - Outdoor lighting restricted.#
Because lighting, by intensity and frequency, can be a safety hazard, and lighting which varies in intensity, whether intermittent or constant, can be a public nuisance, the following shall apply: All exterior lighting shall be so shaded, shielded or directed, or shall be maintained at a sufficiently low level of intensity and brightness, that it will not adversely affect neighboring premises nor the safe vision of operators of vehicles moving on public roads and highways. Such light shall be so shaded, shielded or directed that it does not reflect or shine on or into residential structures to an extent that would adversely affect the residents therein. The electrical inspector shall make determinations as to whether exterior lighting complies with this section. The electrical inspector's determination may be appealed to the zoning board of review within ten days' written notice of the electrical inspector's decision.
(Ord. No. 1996-05, § 6-3, 2-28-96; Ord. No. 1997-11, 11-12-97)
Sec. 9-5. - Drainage requirements.#
(a)
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish drainage requirements for both new and redeveloped sites in order to minimize damage to public and private property; to reduce local flooding and erosion problems; and to prevent hazardous conditions on public roads and sidewalks, such as ice or flooding.
(b)
Applicability. This section is only applicable in the following areas of special concern:
(1)
Where the slopes in the area of land disturbance are greater than four percent as mapped on the U.S.G.S. Topographic Maps.
(2)
Floodplain and flood hazard area as mapped on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map, as amended.
(3)
Where the proposed finished grade on a lot will change the original grade by an average of two feet and/or alter the natural drainage pattern.
(4)
Where more than 50 percent of a lot is cleared of vegetation.
(c)
Exempt from applicability. The provisions of this section shall not apply where a drainage plan has been approved for a development project or a subdivision in accordance with the subdivision regulations unless the approved drainage is revised; however, individual lots within a subdivision that meet the criteria in subsection (b) must still apply for a drainage review (as explained in subsection (d)).
(d)
Application procedures. In accordance with section R 301.3.1 of the State Building Code, when an application is made for a building permit, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the building official that on-site drainage is addressed. Reference is made to the list of "Recommended Best Management Practices for Site Design" which is available for review in the office of the building official.
In accordance with section R-110 of the State Building Code, the building official may require submission of a site development drainage plan, prepared by a registered professional engineer. If such a plan is required, the building official has the discretion to set the scope for the plan contents which may include any or all of the following: (1)
Existing topographic conditions and proposed grading;
(2)
An estimate of the runoff prior to development with the assumption that the land is in good hydrologic condition with good cover regardless of the conditions existing at the time of computation;
(3)
An estimate of the post development runoff based on a ten-year storm; and,
(4)
A proposed drainage design so there is no net increase in runoff from the development, or as close to no net increase as reasonably feasible.
(5)
Location, size, and height of soil and/or fill storage piles, with date by which such pile shall be removed.
(6)
Method(s) to prevent soil erosion caused by wind and/or water (e.g. hay or tarp cover over all exposed soil, including piles; hay bales or silt fence around extent of site).
(e)
Appeals. An applicant may appeal a decision of the building official to the building code board of appeals.
(Ord. No. 1996-13, §§ 23-1—23-4, 9-18-96; Ord. No. 2000-08, 3-29-00)
Sec. 9-5.1. - Vertical clearance of basement floors.#
It is the intent that new construction be designed such that sump pumps are not necessary; and, if needed, designed and operated without adverse impacts to the town's streets or sanitary sewers.
Therefore, in all new construction, the bottom of the foundation or foundation footing shall be constructed at a minimum elevation of one vertical foot above the maximum seasonal high groundwater table.
The maximum seasonal high groundwater table shall be determined by a licensed Class IV soils evaluator in accordance with Section 25.00 of the Rules and Regulations Establishing Minimum Standards Relating to Location, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Individual Sewage Disposal Systems' in the State of Rhode Island.
The bottom of the foundation or footing shall be defined as "the underside of the foundation or footing at the lowest point of the structure".
An applicant for a building permit shall submit a plan indicating the maximum seasonal high groundwater elevation along with a foundation plan indicating the proposed elevation of the foundation or footing. If the foundation or footing will be below the seasonal high groundwater elevation, then the applicant must provide a plan to demonstrate how they will remove the groundwater from the basement, subject to the review and approval of the director of the DPW.
(Ord. No. 2008-13, 7-9-08)