Local Initiatives 



Types of residential districts vary broadly. Rural residential districts may allow only 

 large-lot single family homes, while mixed-use districts permit multi-family housing and 

 business use in addition to single-family structures. In commercial districts, a wider 

 variety of business and residential uses may be combined in an area. On the other hand, in 

 industrial districts, manufacturing and warehousing may be provided for while residential 

 use is prohibited. Unrestricted or general districts set no restriction on use. 



Recently, towns have established special purpose districts to allow more 

 precise defmition of development goals, and to control development patterns in 

 such a way as to protect public health and welfare. Special purpose districts may be used 

 to protect traditional land uses, preserve amenities, maintain community character, and to 

 meet otiier community needs. Such districts include village commercial, agricultural, open 

 space, marine/waterfront, aquifer protection, drainage control, and flood hazard 

 management districts. Rural residential and agricultural districts frequentiy allow single 

 low-density dwellings, farms, and home occupations, while open space districts are 

 generally reserved for public use. Village or neighborhood districts are established in an 

 effort to permit a concentrated mixture of residential and small business use, thereby 

 encouraging the development of definable village centers, while discouraging cosdy 

 exurban sprawl. 



Other recent zoning initiatives which can enable towns to address non- 

 point source issues include use of zoning by-laws to allow clustering or 

 planned unit development (in which reduced lot sizes are allowed in 

 exchange for open space set-asides) and establishment of marine, 

 waterfront, or harbor districts, providing for exclusive water-dependent 

 use. 



Given the fact that zoning regulations enable municipalities to consider land use 

 suitability and compatibility of use, districting may be used to preserve certain uses or 

 aspects of community character (e.g. historical areas, fishing villages), to reserve areas for 

 a potential use (such as water supply), or to prevent irreversible trends which eliminate 

 further public consideration (waterfront development). Temporary building moratoria may 

 be imposed while consideration is given to the long term objectives of zoning policy and 

 proper implementation methods. 



Zoning ordinances and by-laws can address non-point source issues by 

 defining allowed land usage, setting minimum lot sizes, and by specifying 

 allowable percentage of lot coverage. In terms of non-point source 

 impacts, development density is related to aquifer recharge potential, 

 flooding hazard, stormwater runoff contamination, lawn-care related 

 pollutant loading, and rate of ISDS effluent discharge to receiving waters. 

 Minimum lot sizes in the Rhode Island portion of the Bay basin range from 3000 sq. ft. for 

 a single family dwelling in Newport to 5 acres for farming-residential districts in 

 Burrillville, Exeter, and West Greenwich. Selected large lot and open space zoning 

 controls in place in Rhode Island are listed in Table 3.1. The Table also shows smallest 

 currentiy permitted lot sizes. 



Because roughly two thirds of Rhode Island communities depend upon 

 groundwater to a significant degree as a source of potable water supply, 

 groundwater resource protection has increasingly been recognized as an 

 important local government function. The state's principal groundwater aquifers 



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