Condos next to library gain master plan ok

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 9/19/19

The city Planning Board has granted master plan approval for an eight-unit condominium development on a 1.19-acre wooded home site next to the Warwick Public Library on Sandy Lane.

Michael …

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Condos next to library gain master plan ok

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The city Planning Board has granted master plan approval for an eight-unit condominium development on a 1.19-acre wooded home site next to the Warwick Public Library on Sandy Lane.

Michael Primeau, president of the Sundown Corporation of North Kingstown, proposes to build four two-unit, single-story buildings in the rectangular lot running parallel to the secondary one-way entry to the library – the one with the outside return slot. One of the buildings would face Sandy Lane to blend in with other houses on Sandy Lane, while the remaining three would look out on a new road to be named Library Lane. The lane would provide a turnaround for emergency vehicles.

Primeau said the units would be about 1,000 square feet and include two bedrooms and two baths. They would sell for a price in the “high 200s.” He gave an estimate of $275,000 to $300,000.

Sundown proposes 20 parking spaces and landscape buffering to “insulate” the abutting neighbors and the project’s residents. Ashley Sweet, a professional planning consultant hired by Sundown, provided the Planning Board with a report in which she concluded the development is consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and “will not impact the character of the surrounding neighborhood in a negative way.”

She writes: “The applicant has proposed a reasonable use of the property that will supply the City with needed affordable forms of housing.” She notes that the site was previously home to an abandoned house, which has been demolished, “that was causing problems for the city and the neighborhood.”

With master plan approval, Primeau said he is turning his attention to the City Council for a zone change from residential to planned development residential in the next couple of months. The next step will be completion of project design to address Planning Department recommendations, including a stormwater management system, an operations and management plan, receipt of state permits and a landscape plan showing a 6-foot fence on the southern property line, as well as the location of a dumpster and a 10-foot wide evergreen hedge along the western and southern property lines. Those plans will be presented when Sundown returns before the board for consideration of preliminary plan approval.

Sundown Corporation is no stranger to Warwick. In addition to building a number of single-family homes, Primeau built 40 homes on Lillian Court off Maine Avenue and Mia Court off Spooner Avenue.

He said yesterday that assuming all approvals are granted, he would hope to start construction in the spring. He estimated the cost of the development at $1.5 million.

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