The text
ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL#
Secs. 51-1—51-20. - Reserved.#
ARTICLE II. - WARWICK STATION REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT#
Footnotes:
--- (1) --- Editor's note— Ord. No. 98-42, § 1, adopted Dec. 12, 1998, enacted provisions which pertained to the Warwick Station Redevelopment District and the agency therefor. Such provisions, designated as §§ 6-401—6-410, have been redesignated by the editors, with the concurrence of the city, as §§ 51-21—51-30 for purposes of classification.
Cross reference— Boards and commissions, § 6-1, et. seq.
Sec. 51-21. - Purpose.#
The purpose of the Warwick Station Redevelopment District (WSRD) and Warwick Station Redevelopment Agency (WSRA) is to encourage, guide and direct development in the district, to ensure that the character prescribed in the Warwick Station Redevelopment District Master Plan is maintained, that new development is compatible with the projected scale and building fabric, that architectural quality is maintained and that mixed uses provide for the health and growth of the district. The construction and design of buildings and open spaces shall be regulated and approved in accordance with the provisions of this article.
Specific components of this purpose include: (1)
To ensure that the district capitalizes on the recent $200 million public investment in the new terminal at T.F. Green Airport.
(2)
To ensure that the district capitalizes on the recent $25 million dollar authorization of Federal Funds for a new rail station and connection to the T. F. Green Airport in the Transportation Equity Act of 1988 (TEA-21).
(3)
To expand economic development opportunity within the district by encouraging private-sector investment based on extensive public improvements and capital investment in the district.
(4)
To encourage institutional cooperation between the major stakeholders in the district to facilitate the short and long term implementation of The Warwick Station Redevelopment District.
(5)
To provide for an orderly development process which places a premium on quality of design, function and in mitigating traffic impacts.
(Ord. No. O-98-42, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-98)
Sec. 51-22. - District boundries.#
The Warwick Station Redevelopment District is established as depicted on the "zoning plat" and labeled as the Warwick Station Intermodal and Gateway Districts as provided in section 303 of the City of Warwick Zoning Ordinance, and includes those areas established by the City Council through the enactment of amendments to the "zoning plat."
(Ord. No. O-98-42, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-98)
Sec. 51-23. - Warwick Station Redevelopment Agency (WSRA).#
(a)
Establishment. This article shall constitute the determination by the city council that a need no longer exists for a redevelopment agency pursuant to the requirements of G.L. § 45-31-10 and that the Warwick Station Redevelopment Agency is hereby abolished. This article also constitutes a determination and finding by the city council that the Warwick Station Redevelopment District is no longer an "arrested blighted area" as defined in G.L. § 45-31-8 and that the Warwick Station Redevelopment District is hereby abolished.
(Ord. No. O-98-42, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-98; Ord. No. O-12-5, § I, 1-19-12)
Secs. 51-24—51-50. - Reserved.#
Editor's note— Ord. No. O-12-5, § I, adopted January 19, 2012, repealed §§ 51-24—51-30, which pertained to powers, duties and application procedures of the WSRA; conduct of business; procedures for design approval; general regulations; design regulations for alterations or enlargements of existing buildings, parking areas and/or landscaping; design regulations for new construction, parking, landscaping, stormwater control, and signage; demotion and derived from Ord. No. O-98-42, § 1(Exh. A), 12-14-98.
ARTICLE III. - WARWICK LAND TRUST#
Sec. 51-51. - Establishment.#
Pursuant to Public Laws chapter 2000-060, the City of Warwick (hereafter called the city) is hereby authorized to establish and amend by ordinance the Warwick Land Trust (hereafter called the Trust), a body politic and corporate and a public instrumentality. The trust shall have the authority to acquire, hold, and manage real property and interests therein, including development rights and easements, situated in the city consisting of open, residential, agricultural, recreational, historical and littoral property, including existing and future well fields and aquifer recharge areas, fresh water marshes, water bodies, and adjoining uplands, wildlife habitats, land or buildings providing access to or views of water bodies, or for bicycling and hiking paths, or for future public recreational use, and land for agricultural use or air space thereof. With the exception of property acquired for public historical preservation, research and/or educational, public access or recreational purposes, the trust shall hold all property or development rights solely as open space or for agricultural uses or for water protection purposes or for public access or to prevent the accelerated residential or commercial development thereof in perpetuity, as the trustees may determine.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00)
Sec. 51-52. - Purpose.#
The purpose of the trust shall be to preserve open space, protect wetlands, water bodies, ground and surface water resources, farm lands, historical or cultural places of interest, scenic views, unusual, exceptional or exemplary natural habitats, provide opportunities for research and education on natural resources on land trust held properties and to secure for the city the goals and objectives established in the comprehensive plan.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00)
Sec. 51-53. - Appointment.#
The trust shall be administered by nine trustees to be appointed by the city council, with one trustee to be from each ward in the city. The trustees who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms of one one-year, two two-year, two three-year, two four-year and two five-year. Thereafter, trustees shall be appointed as aforesaid for a term of office of five years, except that all vacancies occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. The city council shall appoint persons to serve on the land trust, who are city residents, on a non-partisan basis. Said members shall serve without compensation. The planning director or his or her designee and the parks and recreation director or his or her designee shall serve as ex-officio nonvoting trustees. In addition to the nine council appointed trustees, the council appointed trustees may, by majority vote, nominate a maximum of four at-large trustees for appointment by the city council. Each ward is allowed a maximum of two at-large trustees to serve on the trust.
At-large trustees shall have the same voting and subcommittee rights and responsibilities as the council appointed trustees; however, at-large trustees shall not serve as the chairperson or vice-chairperson and shall not vote to elect officers nor vote to nominate at-large trustees. At-large trustees are appointed to a two-year term and are eligible for nomination and reappointment to the land trust.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00; Ord. No. O-16-14, § I, 6-8-16; Ord. No. O-19-9, § I, 5-10-19)
Sec. 51-54. - Officers.#
The trustees shall annually elect a chairman and vice chairman from their members and shall appoint a secretary who may either be a member or a non-member. At-large trustees shall not serve as the chairperson or vice-chairperson and shall not vote to elect officers. Copies of all meeting minutes shall be submitted to the mayor and city council and shall be filed with the city clerk and become a permanent record of the city upon request.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00; Ord. No. O-16-14, § I, 6-8-16)
Sec. 51-55. - Rules and regulations; voting; budget.#
The council appointed trustees shall adopt rules and regulations governing the conduct of trust affairs, including the acquisition and management of its holdings, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article. All rules and regulations of the trust are subject to the approval of the city council. Decisions of the trustees shall be by majority of those present and voting, except in decisions on the acquisition of land, easements, rights of way and other uses referred to in section I of this trust, which must be by majority vote of all trustees. The trustees shall prepare an operating budget to be sent to the mayor to be incorporated into the annual city budget for review and consideration as provided in the city charter. The operating budget shall include administrative expenses such as appraisals and environmental assessments as well as capital expenditures such as land purchases.
The funds authorized in this budget will be paid by the city treasurer in accordance with the accepted accounting procedures that are in place in the city at that time.
All funds that are expended for land acquisition referred to in this article, can only be expended after approval by resolution of the city council and the approval of the mayor.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00; Ord. No. O-16-14, § I, 6-8-16)
Sec. 51-56. - Powers and duties.#
The trust shall have the responsibility to recommend to the city council to: (1)
Purchase, receive by gift, or otherwise acquire fee simple or lesser interests in real property, including development rights as defined in section 42-82-2 of the General Laws, or any interest in real property consistent with the purposes of this Act, including other development rights or easements of any kind whatsoever;
(2)
Accept gifts, grants or loans of funds or resources or services from any source, public or private, and comply, subject to the provisions of this article, with any terms and conditions thereof;
(3)
Accept from state and/or federal agencies, loans or grants or resources for use in carrying out the trust's purposes and enter into agreement with such agencies respecting any such loans or grants;
(4)
Recommend possible uses for significant parcels of open space land owned or to be owned by the city, including but not limited to: Hunts River, Chipewanoxet, Dawley Farm, Barton Farm, and Confreda Farm; and review and comment on proposals by other departments, boards and commissions for such proposals;
(5)
Employ counsel, auditors, engineers, surveyors, appraisers, private consultants, advisors, secretaries or other personnel needed to perform its duties; provided, however, that expenditures authorized in the land trust budget which are less than $2,500.00 may be made in conformity with municipal and state purchasing laws and with the advice and consent of the planning director;
(6)
Administer and manage land and interests in land held by it in a manner which allows public use and enjoyment consistent with the natural and scenic resources thereof, including conveyance of any such land or interests in land to, and contracts with, nonprofit organizations, provided such land shall continue to be used in a manner consistent with the purposes of this article and with the terms of any grant or devise by which such land was acquired by the trust;
(7)
Dispose of all or any portion of its real property or interests therein held by it, whenever in the opinion of the trustees said lands or properties have become unsuitable or have ceased to be used for the purpose set forth in this article. Such disposition shall be made only by a vote of the trustees in which at least four members vote in favor of such a disposition. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the sale, lease or conveyance of lands or improvements held by the trust as part of a charitable trust or acquired by gift or devise for the public use, whether or not such gift of devise is subject to a condition subsequent or reverter;
(8)
Otherwise do all things necessary for the performance of its duties, the fulfillment of its obligations and the conduct of its business.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00; Ord. No. O-02-5, § I, 2-26-02)
Sec. 51-57. - Funding.#
All funds shall be authorized by the city council through the city's bonding authority or through appropriation to the land trust from the annual city budget for the purpose of financing the activities of the trust under this article. Additional monies or other liquid assets received as voluntary contributions, grants or loans, or proceeds from disposal of real property or interests shall also be available for the purpose of financing the activities of the trust. All operating expenses lawfully incurred by the trust in carrying out the provisions of this Act shall be evidenced by proper vouchers and shall be paid by the treasurer of the city only upon submission of invoices approved by the trust, by the finance director and by the city council in accordance with municipal and state purchasing laws. The treasurer of the city shall prudently invest available assets of the funds, and all income thereon shall accrue to the fund.
Private non-profit land trusts in the city, which were in existence at the time that this ordinance was enacted, shall also be eligible to receive city funds, whether by appropriation or from city bonds.
Dissolution of the trust shall require a public hearing by the city council. At the conclusion of the public hearing the city council shall vote on the matter. Dissolution shall be by enactment of an ordinance, shall require the two-thirds vote of the city council in the affirmative for passage and shall be subject to the veto provisions of the city charter.
Upon termination or dissolution of the trust, the title of all funds and other properties owned by the trust which remain after payment or making provision for payment of all bonds, notes and other obligations of the trust shall vest in the city.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00)
Sec. 51-58. - Tax exemption.#
The trust and all its revenues, income, and real and personal property used by the trust for furtherance of its public purposes shall be exempt from taxation and special assessments, and the trust shall not be required to pay any tax, excise or assessment to the state or any of its political subdivisions.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00)
Sec. 51-59. - Severability.#
The provisions of the Enabling Act and any ordinance adopted thereunder are severable, and if any provision thereof shall be held invalid in any circumstances such invalidity shall not affect any other provisions or circumstances. This Act and any ordinance thereunder shall be construed in all respects so as to meet all constitutional requirements. In carrying out the purposes and provisions of Enabling Act and any ordinance thereunder, all steps shall be taken which are necessary to meet constitutional requirements whether or not such steps are required by statute.
(Ord. No. O-00-26, § I, 8-8-00)
Secs. 51-60—51-79. - Reserved.#
ARTICLE IV. - MORATORIUMS#
Sec. 51-80. - Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installation Moratorium Ordinance.#
(a)
Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation means the use of a parcel of land for production and sale and/or distribution of electricity by collecting energy produced by the sun in ground mounted structures. Said structures shall be specifically designed to use ground-mounted supports upon which the solar collectors are mounted.
(b)
Findings. The Warwick City Council does hereby find that:
(1)
Pursuant to article II section 2-18 of the Warwick City Charter, the city council has the authority to enact ordinances for the preservation of the public peace, morals, health, safety, comfort and welfare of the inhabitants of the city and the for the protection of persons and property.
(2)
Areas of the city are under threat of excessive development pressure from commercial utility scale ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations, due to the amount of underdeveloped land and the demand for such ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations.
(3)
It is anticipated that the city may receive a number of applications for ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations in the near future that if approved, may be incompatible with residential and other land uses.
(4)
The city's existing ordinances and zoning regulations do not adequately regulate the development of ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations in the near future that if approved, may be incompatible with other land uses.
(5)
The potential unregulated/underregulated location of ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations in the city raises legitimate and substantial questions about the impact of such development on the city, including questions about the compatibility of the ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations with existing uses and development in open space, residential and other zoning districts, and the potential adverse health, safety and welfare effects of ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations on the residents of the city if not property regulated, including, without limitation, aesthetic impacts and potential impacts on residential and other property values.
(6)
Development of ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations could pose serious threats to the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city through the potential overdevelopment of areas of the city with such ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations without adequate provisions for issues of safety, land use compatibility, and preventing significant tree cutting because of the important water management, cooling and climate benefits that trees provide.
(7)
There is a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety and welfare to residents of the city if permits or entitlements for construction of ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations are issued and such permits or entitlements may result in ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations that would conflict with amendments to the Code of Ordinances of the City of Warwick and zoning regulations that may be adopted as a result of the study that is to be undertaken.
(8)
The city requires an opportunity to carefully review and consider its ordinances and zoning regulations to determine the implications of future proposed ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations and to develop reasonable ordinances and zoning regulations and/or amendments thereto governing the location and operations of such ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city.
(9)
The city's current ordinances and other applicable laws are not adequate to prevent serious public harm possible to be caused by the development of additional ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations in the city, thereby necessitating a temporary moratorium.
(10)
A moratorium on ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations is necessary to prevent an overburdening of municipal and natural resources and public facilities that is reasonably foreseeable as the result of ground mounted solar installations being located in the city during the current state of solar ordinance study, revision and consideration.
(11)
A moratorium of 180 days is necessary to provide the city adequate time to review and amend its ordinances, zoning standards, and regulations related to ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city.
(c)
Moratorium on ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations.
(1)
In accordance with the findings in this section, a ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations moratorium is hereby adopted imposing a moratorium on all ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations, which shall be effective immediately upon passage, and applicable to the maximum extent permitted by law and subject to the terms, severability clause and vesting provisions of this article. The ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation moratorium is applicable to all proceedings, applications and petitions not vested pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws § 45-24-44, and as stated in this article and/or pursuant to the City of Warwick Code of Ordinances, appendix A, section 1009 as of November 1, 2021, and on any new construction or use, requiring approval under the terms of the city's land-use ordinances and regulations for such, until the effective date of any duly adopted amendments to the land use ordinances or regulations or until April 30, 2022 or as may be otherwise provided by the city council by ordinance.
(2)
The planning board, zoning board of review, zoning board of appeal, all city agencies and all city employees shall neither accept, process, approve, deny, or in any way act upon any nonvested applications, plans, permits, licenses and/or fees for any construction or uses governed by this ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation moratorium ordinance for such ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations for said period of time.
(3)
Those provisions of the city's land use ordinances and land development and subdivision regulations that are inconsistent or conflicting with the provisions of this ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation moratorium ordinance, are hereby stayed to the extent that they are applicable for the duration of the ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation moratorium ordinance hereby ordained, but not otherwise.
(d)
Severability. To the extent any section, subsection or provision of this ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation moratorium ordinance is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration shall not invalidate any other section, subsection or provision of this article.
(e)
Public hearing; voting. Amendments to or enactment of a zoning ordinance regarding ground mounted solar photovoltaic installations shall be heard before a public hearing by the city council, and must be voted upon at a city council meeting or special city council meeting.
(f)
Vesting clause. Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, any proposal for ground mounted solar photovoltaic installation for which an applicant has submitted all required materials and has been certified as complete by the administrative official shall be considered vested and may proceed under the applicable regulations in effect at the time of certification of completeness.
(Ord. No. O-21-23, § I, 11-2-21)