Planning board backs adaptive-reuse zoning amendment with 15-unit cap and parking limit

The North Smithfield Planning Board voted Sept. 12 to forward a positive recommendation to the Town Council on an amendment to the zoning ordinance that would permit adaptive reuse of nonresidential buildings for housing.

Supriya Kielkar of Innis Associates told the board the 2023 state land-use legislation required local updates and that the draft text would allow "existing commercial buildings to be repurposed for residential developments." The draft would trigger the adaptive‑reuse rules when a developer converts at least 50% of a building’s floor area to residential uses and would allow that conversion by right.

Consultant testimony noted the statute sets a baseline density tied to 15 units per acre. The board’s draft text, as presented, sets 15 units per acre as the local maximum for such converted projects. The proposal also exempts conversions from typical off‑street parking requirements to a maximum of one space per dwelling unit; the consultant said developers may request more but the ordinance limits residential off‑street parking to one space per unit.

Board members asked for clarification about how the provision would apply across zones. The consultant said the provision is designed to apply to any nonresidential structure regardless of the underlying zone — examples cited included vacant retail buildings such as a Walgreens on Route 146 — and that any remainder of a structure used for nonresidential purposes would still need to meet district parking and landscaping rules.

A motion "to send a positive recommendation to the Town Council to adopt this [adaptive‑reuse] amendment to our zoning code," made in support of the planning department findings, passed on a roll‑call vote: Benoit — yes; Roberts — yes; Menard — yes; vice chair — yes.

The board’s recommendation will go to the Town Council for final consideration under the town’s adoption process.