Master Plan Approved for Reynolds Farm Development

The North Kingstown Planning Commission moved one step closer to approving a large-scale development on Post Road Tuesday, voting 5-0 to approve the master plan for a new project at Reynolds Farm.

The project aims to bring 574 residential units and 11,000 sq. ft. of commercial space to 98 acres of vacant land on Post Road near Camp Avenue. Pinnacle Partners, developers of the project, believe it could be the kick that Post Road needs.

“We think it’ll be a shot in the arm not just to Post Road but the town in general,” said Dennis DiPrete of DiPrete Engineering, the project’s engineering firm.

Though the development would bring a significant amount of residential to Post Road alongside commercial, architect Don Powers assured it wouldn’t “be anything as intense as South County Commons” and would be residential heavy with less retail.

The 11,000 sq. ft. of retail would be concentrated in the front of the complex along Post Road, ideally as a coffee shop or general store. Behind that would be duplexes, townhouses and live-work spaces, where residents can live in the upper level but run an office or business in the lower level. Developers hope the mixture of this housing, along with the retail at the top end of the development, would create a “chance for a little main street.”

The development would also feature senior housing along with affordable housing, senior housing and a cottage area (similar to Cottages on the Green in East Greenwich), followed by single-family homes scattered more sparsely further into the development.

“What we’re trying to do is create a neighborhood within a neighborhood,” said Powers.

The design of the neighborhood – complete with rustic-style bridges, wider sidewalks and common greens – also aims to “make the pedestrian the priority” and foster walkability, an area of improvement that has been .

The project has grown substantially since its inception in 2003. Initially, the development was gearing for 130 units. Following the and the creation of the Post Road Corridor zoning district, developers opted to expand the project.

Members of the commission praised developers, with Paul Dion calling it a “well-designed” project, but raised several concerns before approving the master plan. Plowing, sidewalk maintenance and road radius were main concerns for Public Works Director Phil Bergeron and his staff, who were worried about lawsuits stemming from the maintenance of the development and constraints on the town’s public works department. Developers offered that the development homeowners association would be responsible for clearing sidewalks.

During public comment, one resident raised the issue of water availability for the development. In past years, , most notably in the summer of 2005 when daily usage skyrocketed to 8.4 million gallons – 5.3 million gallons more than what is pumped from North Kingstown’s 11 gravel-packed groundwater wells.

Planning Director Jon Reiner explained that in 2005, the town began to put chlorine in its water, which stripped residue inside copper pipes and created pinhole leaks, causing water usage to skyrocket. With the , Reiner voiced his confidence that the town could handle the water needs of 574 housing units.

Another concern was the potential impact on the school system. Developers estimate the project would bring 156 to 210 students into the district when it is fully built out. The average number of bedrooms per unit for the development is 2.25, which developers anticipate would limit the burden on the school system but bring in more tax revenue for the town.

DiPrete expects to be before the commission again in a year with a more detailed plan and begin construction in 2013. Construction of the project would be carried out in phases over at least 10 years.