Town of Portsmouth, RI ZONING ORDINANCE (see Ordinance Page for Amendments)

PORTSMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE  --  TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article – Section                                      Page

ARTICLE I.     GENERAL PURPOSES

Section A. General Application of this Ordinance        I-1

Section B. Purposes                                     I-1

Section C. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan      I-2

Section D. Existing Buildings and Land Use              I-2

ARTICLE II.    DEFINITIONS                             II-1

Section A. Generally                                   II-1

Section B. Definition of Terms                         II-1  

ARTICLE III.   DIVISION INTO DISTRICTS 

Section A. Establishment of Districts                 III-1 

Section B. District Boundaries and Descriptions       III-1

Section C. Rules for Interpretation of

           Zoning Boundaries                          III-7  

Section D. Application of District Regulations        III-8

Section E. Open Space and Public Lands District       III-8

Section F. Flood Hazard Areas                         III-9

Section G. Traffic Sensitive Overlay District        III-16

Section H. Watershed Protection District             III-17

Section I. Water Resource Protection District, WRPD  III-24

ARTICLE IV.    DISTRICT INTENSITY REGULATIONS  

Section A. Land Space Requirements -- General          IV-1 

Section B. Land Space Requirements Table               IV-3 

Section C. Special Yard Requirements                   IV-3

Section D. Height and Yard Modifications               IV-4 

Section E. Density And Coverage

           In Multi-Use Situations                     IV-5

ARTICLE V.     USE REGULATIONS 

           General Regulations                          V-1

           Principle Use Districts

           A. Residential                               V-1

           B. Institutional,

              Recreational and Educational Uses         V-2

           C. Agriculture Uses                          V-3

           D. Office and Laboratory Uses                V-3

           E. Retail Business and Consumer

              Service Establishments                    V-4

           F. Automotive Service and

              Drive-In Retail Service                   V-6

           G. Industrial, Wholesale and

              Transportation Uses                       V-7

           H. Other Principle Uses                      V-8

           I. Accessory Uses                            V-8

ARTICLE VI.    NON-STANDARD DEVELOPMENT 

Section A. Substandard Lots of Record                  VI-1

Section B. Nonconforming Development                   VI-2

Section C. Alteration of Nonconforming Development     VI-2

Section D. Variances                                   VI-3

ARTICLE VII.   SPECIAL USE PERMITS 

Section A. General                                    VII-1

Section B. Procedures                                 VII-2

Section C. Apartments, Condominiums, Cluster

           or Town Houses                             VII-3

Section D. Motels and Hotels                          VII-8

Section E. Antennas                                   VII-9

Section F. Limited Light Industry                     VII-9

Section G. New Retail Business, Office or Consumer   VII-11

           Service Complex, Alteration or Substantial        

           Improvement 

ARTICLE VIII.  LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS  

Section A. Applicability                             VIII-1

Section B. Procedure                                 VIII-1

Section C. Residential Open Space Development        VIII-1

Section D. Planned Unit Developments (PUD)          VIII-12

ARTICLE IX.    SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS  

Section A. Off-Street Parking and Loading              IX-1

Section B. Signs                                       IX-9

Section C. Vision Clearance                           IX-16

Section D. Design Review Standards                    IX-16 

ARTICLE X.     SPECIAL CONDITIONS  

Section A. General                                      X-1

ARTICLE XI.    DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW                 XI-1

ARTICLE XII.   ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF ZONING ORDINANCE 

Section A. Maintenance of the Zoning Ordinance        XII-1

Section B. Application Procedure                      XII-2

Section C. Pre-application Conference                 XII-2

Section D. Fees                                       XII-3

ARTICLE XIII.  ZONING BOARD OF REVIEW  

Section A. Establishment and Procedures              XIII-1

Section B. Application Procedures                    XIII-2

Section C. Powers and Duties of Zoning

           Board of Review                           XIII-3

Section D. Decisions and Records of Zoning

           Board of Review                           XIII-4

Section E. Participation in Zoning Hearings          XIII-5

ARTICLE XIV.   APPEALS TO THE ZONING BOARD OF REVIEW 

Section A. Right of Appeal                            XIV-1

Section B. Appeals to Zoning Board of Review          XIV-1

Section C. Stay of Proceedings                        XIV-1

Section D. Public Hearing by Zoning Board of Review   XIV-1

Section E. Decisions and Records of the

           Zoning Board of Review                     XIV-2

ARTICLE XV.    ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AND AMENDMENTS 

Section A. Power of Council to Adopt                   XV-1

Section B. Procedure for Adoption or Amendment         XV-1

Section C. Review by Planning Board                    XV-2

Section D. Notice and Hearing Requirements             XV-2

Section E. Conditions Set on Zone Changes              XV-3

Section F. Creation of Vested Rights                   XV-4

ARTICLE XVI.   VIOLATIONS                             XVI-1

ARTICLE XVII.  APPEALS TO SUPERIOR COURT 

Section A. Appeals to a Decision of the

           Zoning Board of Review                    XVII-1

Section B. Judicial Aid in Enforcement               XVII-2

Section C. Appeal of enactment or of amendment       XVII-2

           to Zoning Ordinance  

ARTICLE XVIII. VALIDITY AND SEVERABILITY            XVIII-1

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