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Planning board hears proposal to allow banquet facilities in Commercial Village; members raise parking and suitability concerns
Summary
An applicant sought a zoning text amendment to allow banquet facilities in the Commercial Village (CV) district by special use permit. Planning board members and staff debated parking requirements, definitions and whether CV is an appropriate district; the applicant asked the council to continue consideration for revisions.
The North Providence Planning Board reviewed a proposed zoning text amendment that would add “banquet facility” as a use permitted by special-use permit in the Commercial Village (CV) district and discussed whether the change is appropriate for village‑scale areas.
Applicant Samuel Alexander Jackson, represented by attorney John Mancini, said the petition would allow banquet facilities in CV zones subject to objective criteria and a special‑use process. At the meeting the petitioner agreed to lower a proposed maximum capacity from 300 to 200 persons and said he could commit to using underused rear parking on his site if necessary.
Board members and staff questioned whether the CV district — described in the comprehensive plan as an area for smaller, neighborhood‑serving establishments — is the right place for a venue that could draw patrons town‑ and region‑wide. Planning staff noted the proposed ordinance language would allow a banquet facility to count shared parking in an existing commercial complex toward its required spaces; some board members said that could be read to remove meaningful local parking requirements.
“When this first… became before the board, you had done a parking analysis. Wasn't it already over parked?” one board member asked staff, noting the practical difficulty of demonstrating compliance at the special‑use stage. Applicant Jackson said he had spoken to vendors that use the existing plaza and offered to dedicate rear parking for events. “No one ever parks in the back of the building,” Jackson said, adding that he would use the back lot as his primary customer parking for events.
The board debated whether to recommend approval as written, to recommend changes, or to oppose the ordinance. Several members said they were uneasy permitting a use that can draw large gatherings into every CV district across town without stronger, objective parking and scale controls. The applicant said he would modify his submittal and asked the council to continue the matter; planning staff will convey the request to the clerk and the council.
No zoning amendment was adopted or forwarded by the council at this meeting; the petition was continued for revision.
