Smithfield board approves preliminary plan for 86‑unit Rocky Hill Road project, declines town engineering peer review

The Smithfield Planning Board on April 16 approved the preliminary plan application for an 86‑unit mixed residential and small commercial project at 34 Rocky Hill Road (the "Residents at 295" comprehensive permit), adopting the findings required under Rhode Island General Laws 45‑53 and approving conditions in the staff memo dated April 10, 2026, but explicitly excluding a proposed town‑funded civil engineering peer review.

The approval followed a technical presentation by the applicant's engineering team and extended discussion among staff, consultants and board members about stormwater review, sewer easement ownership and whether a separate peer review was necessary. Joel Rotich, attorney for the applicant, told the board the project had been vetted at master plan stage and objected to what he characterized as an unnecessary peer review at preliminary: "We object to that peer review," he said, urging the board to focus on engineering details rather than re‑opening earlier approvals.

Why it matters: The project proposes a four‑story, 86‑unit building with a 25% low‑to‑moderate‑income component (22 units), plus roughly 8,000 square feet of flex commercial space. Engineers told the board the 3.6‑acre site would include stormwater infiltration measures tied to an existing private drain system and two private pump stations that would connect to a town gravity main on Harris Road. Staff and the town engineer told the board the town’s technical review remained incomplete and recommended a peer review of the civil/stormwater plans; the board voted to approve without the peer review requirement, leaving remaining technical approvals to be verified at final plan and through state permits.

Project details and technical concerns: Project engineer Joe Casali said the building would contain 72 one‑bedroom and 14 two‑bedroom units, with four ADA‑compatible apartments, and proposed 117 parking spaces where 103 are required. He confirmed DEM (Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management) stormwater and soil erosion permit applications were pending and had not yet produced comments. Casali described water service off an existing 12‑inch main on Rocky Hill Road with hydrant flow testing that showed strong residual pressures and flow; sewer service will rely on private pump stations and a private force main that will be tied to a town gravity main, a configuration whose ownership and maintenance implications the applicant said they would clarify at final.

Noise and design tradeoffs: Board members asked whether the applicant had retained an acoustical engineer because the site abuts Route 295. Architect Ed Wojcik said exterior sound studies are not required by the building code and that walls will perform well under current energy codes; he said windows are the typical weak point for exterior noise mitigation and that an acoustical engineer would mainly point to higher‑performance glazing. The applicant, Al Gizzarelli, told the board he intended to invest in mitigation measures as needed because he must rent units: "I'm definitely not going to take the cheapest route out," he said.

Peer review debate and vote: The town engineer recommended a limited peer review to complete the technical record; proponents said peer review can catch technical issues that a smaller municipal staff might miss, while opponents argued it could duplicate state reviews (DEM) and lengthen a process already subject to external permitting. After several members advocated narrowing any peer review to specific technical disciplines, the board voted to approve the preliminary plan subject to conditions in the staff memo of April 10, 2026, and to adopt section 7 findings, explicitly excluding peer review number 8 from the conditions. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote; no numerical roll‑call tally was given in the meeting transcript.

Next steps: Final approval was described as an administrative action pending required state permits (e.g., DEM stormwater approvals) and confirmation of utility easement/ownership details. The board asked staff to ensure final plans conform to the approved preliminary plans and recommended that any major changes return to the board. The project team will submit DEM permits and address any comments at the final stage.