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Newport Planning Board grants variances, approves preliminary subdivision for St. Peter's Church at 525 Broadway
Summary
After testimony that the church typically uses about 20–25 parking spaces, the Newport Planning Board granted dimensional variances that will remove 17 spaces but leave 42 on the St. Peter's Church property, and then approved the preliminary minor subdivision.
The Newport Planning Board voted to grant dimensional variances and unanimously approved a preliminary minor subdivision for St. Peter's Church at 525 Broadway.
Chair Margaret moved that the board adopt findings that the application met the dimensional-variance standards in the Newport Zoning Code and grant the variances contingent on approval of the final subdivision plan; the motion passed 5–1. Jay Russell Jackson, attorney for the applicant, told the board the lot-line redraw would result in the loss of 17 parking spaces and said "the remaining spaces, which I believe will be 42 spaces, are more than sufficient to meet the needs of the church as they exist now and have existed for some time." Craig Sampson, president of the church's congregational council, testified the parcels date to around 1959–1960 and said, "Any given Sunday, we probably use 20 to 25 spaces at most."
Opposition centered on whether the application met statutory hardship standards for a dimensional variance. Board member Adam Moore said he would not vote in favor because he believed the relief was being sought for financial reasons and that the application did not meet the required standard of review: "I will not be voting to approve this ... I don't think that it meets the standard of review." Staff reported that the lot reconfiguration would create two more uniform lots from two historically irregular parcels and recommended the findings. Counsel for the applicant argued the hardship derives from the long-standing irregular parcel shapes rather than prior action by the applicant.
Following the variance vote, the board considered whether the preliminary subdivision complied with the city's Subdivision Regulations and referenced state enabling provisions read into the record; the board then approved the preliminary subdivision for 525 Broadway (TAP 6, Lots 1 and 352) by unanimous vote. The board also heard brief liaison reports from commissions, including an Energy & Environment Commission presentation on an all-electric building at Rogers. The meeting adjourned at about 7:13–7:15 p.m.
