The New Shoreham Planning Board on Wednesday set a public hearing for Nov. 12 to consider a development plan review under Section 3.20 for an outdoor classroom and accessory storage at Block Island School.

Tom Riesem, facility manager for the town of New Shoreham, told the board the project stems from a Learning Inside Out grant and that “we have to have shovel in the ground by the end of the calendar year, and that's, 2 and a half months away.” He and K–12 art teacher Lisa Robb presented drawings and a project narrative to the board and answered questions about the scope, materials and schedule.

The proposed classroom would sit between the south end of the second-, third- and fourth-grade wing and the adjacent hedgerow and dirt parking lot. Plans call for a stable paved surface with outdoor tables, benches and a small storage shed for furniture; a 3–4 inch broom-finish concrete pad over a rock base; continuation of the existing board fence along the street edge; and an accessible gap to the sidewalk for wheelchair access. Riesem said there will be “no water, no power, no nothing” — the project does not include utilities. Robb said the Learning Inside Out grant requires the space be available to the entire school and that the site was chosen to avoid blocking classroom windows and to minimize impact on future building renovations.

Board members and presenters discussed appearance and site security. One planning board member asked that the shed be finished to blend with the historic school building and recommended a nonreflective metal roof; another suggested a “barnyard red” or brick-colored finish for the shed to match existing materials. Presenters said the furniture is heavy — the picnic table alone required three people to move it — and that most tables will be stored inside the proposed shed when not in use. Board members also raised the possibility of vandalism and confirmed that existing hedgerow and a fence would limit visibility from the parking lot.

Planning staff and board members discussed whether the application could be handled administratively or required a full development plan review public hearing because the school is in a public education zone. Peter (staff member) and Jen (staff member) advised the board that, as written, the regulations for public education zones require the development plan review process with a public hearing; the board agreed to set the hearing and provide neighbors an opportunity to comment. The board then voted to schedule the hearing for Nov. 12; the motion carried.

If the board recommends approval at the public hearing and the town council does not override required steps, presenters said they will seek to expedite permitting and construction to meet the grant timeline. The Nov. 12 hearing will be the next formal step in the town's review process.