Sec. 5.5-4. - Farm-based light manufacturing.

Farm-based light manufacturing on any large farm as defined herein shall be allowed by issuance of a special-use permit in accordance with the requirements of Appendix A, Section 10, Special-use permits. The applicant for a special use permit to conduct farm-based light manufacturing shall be the principal party who will operate the farm-based light manufacturing operation. When the applicant is different from the individual, partnership or corporation that has filed the required U.S. Internal Revenue Form 1040 (Schedule F) with the Internal Revenue Service, has the State of Rhode Island farm tax number, and has earned at least ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) gross income on farm products in either of the two (2) preceding years, then both the applicant and the qualifying party as noted herein shall be present or represented at the hearing. Use may be made of a portion of a dwelling or of an accessory building as a place for the manufacture of items which may not be related to the operation of a farm such as crafts, cabinetry, tools and clothing, etc. Use may also be made of a portion of a dwelling or of an accessory building as a place for the display and sale of such items provided they were manufactured on the farm premises.

Farm-based light manufacturing operations shall meet the following criteria: (1)

There shall be no more than four (4) light manufacturing employees on the premises who are not members of the principal dwelling household or supplemental dwelling households. Two (2) additional light manufacturing employees from off the farm may be added for each additional fifty (50) acres of farm.

(2)

The external appearance and general aspect of any building used for light manufacturing shall be in conformity with the character of the neighborhood.

(3)

Machinery and materials used in the conduct of the light manufacturing operation, if stored outside, shall be hidden from public view, either by existing topography and or vegetation or by provision of new screening. Such screening shall, as a minimum, comply with the standards for screening of parking and loading areas from adjacent residential areas in Appendix A, Section 28, Off-street parking.

(4)

No vehicles used by the light manufacturing operation with gross vehicle weight greater than thirty thousand (30,000) pounds shall be stored or used on the property unless otherwise stipulated by special use permit.

(5)

Hours of light manufacturing activity shall be restricted to 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise stipulated as part of the special use permit.

(Ch. 173, § IV, 9-2-03)