The purpose of this chapter is to promote and protect public health, safety, general welfare and amenity. Effective site planning, development design, and landscaping can accomplish the following objectives:

A.

Promote the most desirable use of land and arrangement of development in the city to conserve the value of land and buildings and thereby protect the city's tax revenues;

B.

Improve the physical environment through the provision of amenities such as open space, street trees, and live vegetation;

C.

Preserve the character and scale of existing development and control new development in conformity with the existing character of the area;

D.

Provide a transition between and a reduction in the environmental, aesthetic, and other impacts of one type of land use upon another;

E.

Promote safe and efficient pedestrian and traffic circulation patterns;

F.

Lessen the transmission of noise, dust, pollution and glare from one lot to another;

G.

Improve air quality through production of oxygen and reduction of dangerous carbon monoxide;

H.

Through shading, provide cooling of air and land to offset radiational heating;

I.

Minimize the negative impacts of stormwater runoff to enhance and protect surface and groundwater quality; and promote effective flood management;

J.

Control damaging impacts of sheet runoff and resultant surface water contamination;

K.

Through vegetation root systems, stabilize ground water tables and play an important and effective part in soil conservation, erosion control, flood control, and absorption of pollutants.

(Ord. 2000-4 (part), 2000: Ord. 65-94 (part), 1994: prior code § 1264.01 (part))

The following performance standards shall apply to all uses of land, buildings and other structures wherever located:

A.

Dust, Dirt, Fly Ash and Smoke. No dust, dirt, fly ash, smoke, spray, or other emissions shall be emitted into the air so as to endanger safety, value, and enjoyment of other property or to constitute a critical source of air pollution.

B.

Odors, Gases and Fumes. No offensive odors or noxious, toxic or corrosive fumes or gases shall be emitted into the air except for the odors connected with the spreading of manure or fertilizer.

C.

Noise. With the exception of farm implements and farm animals, time signals, fire, police or ambulance sirens, burglar alarms, refrigerator system alarms and the noise customarily involved in the construction or demolition of buildings and other structures, no noise shall be permitted which is objectionable due to volume, intermittence, beat frequency or shrillness, including noise which results in one or more convictions for a noise disturbance as defined in Chapter 8.12 and occurring on premises on which the owner does not reside, which is transmitted outside the property on which it originates. The owner of premises on which a noise disturbance, as defined in Chapter 8.12 results in a conviction, may assert as a defense, reasonable efforts to take action against the perpetrators of the violation of the noise ordinance, including the initiation of eviction proceedings pursuant to the Rhode Island General Laws.

D.

Wastes. No offensive waste shall be discharged into any ocean, river, stream, or other body of water including wetlands.

E.

Vibrations. With the exception of vibration necessarily involved in the construction or demolition of buildings and other structures, no vibration shall be transmitted outside the property on which it originates.

F.

Danger. No material which is dangerous due to explosion, extreme fire hazard or radioactivity shall be used, stored, manufactured or disposed of except in accordance with applicable codes and regulations of the city, the state and the federal government,

G.

Interference. No radio frequency interference shall be transmitted outside the property on which it originates.

H.

Outdoor Lighting. All external illumination shall be directed or shielded in such a manner that the illuminated areas are confined essentially to the property on which the illumination originates.

I.

Drainage. No structure shall be used, erected or expanded, and no land shall be graded or hard surfaced, unless provisions have been made for the proper control of drainage water and sedimentation, particularly from parking areas and driveways, from areas contiguous to property lines and from low areas which tend to collect water.

J.

Trash. No person shall allow or permit debris, mounds of dirt, soil, gravel or rock, rubbish, trash, junked automobiles, tin cans, broken glass, bottles, papers, filth and stagnant water to accumulate, or a dense growth of trees, vines, weeds, hedges, grass or underbrush to develop, on any lot, tract or parcel of land in the city to such an extent that it constitutes a menace to life, property or the public health, safety or welfare, or creates a fire hazard.

(Ord. 2000-4 (part), 2000: Ord. 65-94 (part), 1994: prior code § 1264.02)