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Charlestown board reauthorizes on-site wastewater treatment permit for Rim Island property
Summary
The Zoning Board reapproved Application 1646 on Oct. 24, renewing a special-use permit to install a hydrokinetic on-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) in a flood-hazard area for a single-family dwelling on Lot 536 Rim Island Road; approvals from CRMC and DEM were cited.
The Town of Charlestown Zoning Board of Review on Oct. 24 reauthorized a special-use permit for an on-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) to serve a single-family dwelling at Lot 536 Rim Island Road.
Shari Jackson, the surveyor and engineer representing the Raymond F. Goldschmidt Revocable Trust, said the application had previously received a special-use permit in May 2023 but the approval lapsed before a building permit was pulled. Jackson said the applicant obtained required state approvals (CRMC and DEM) and sought reapproval because the time period to pull a building permit had expired.
Jackson described the proposed hydrokinetic/concrete OWTS as heavier and more structurally robust than older fiberglass tanks, with anti-flotation flanges and watertight components; she said buoyancy calculations were submitted to Rhode Island DEM with a safety factor of three. She told the board that the system includes a sand filter pretreatment that she believes is better protected in flood conditions than alternative shallow systems and that control electronics would be elevated to meet code.
Board members asked about setback changes in state law and parking/driveway configuration; Jackson said the building footprint had not changed, but state setback requirements had shifted from 12 feet to 7.66 feet since the prior application. The board also noted required site-plan updates would be provided at building-permit review.
A motion to approve Application 1646 under Article 13 §2-18-78A(4) was moved and seconded; the board voted 5–0 to approve the permit. The board recorded Yes votes from Mister Abbott, Mister Lamontagne, Mister Pangborn, Mister Reddick and Miss Andrew.
Jackson and the board exchanged procedural clarifications about site plans and building-permit review; staff advised class 1 site plans and plan-review steps would be enforced as part of the building permit process.
