The Planning Board is taking both a near-term and long-term approach to rein in the size of new homes being built on Block Island with the realization that some changes may be easily achieved while others will require much more discussion. It’s a subject they’ve been discussing for a while, and on Tuesday, March 30, they held a special meeting to discuss proposed revisions to the zoning ordinances that they had drafted on March 3.
Town Planner Alison Ring said she “did take a look” at other housing currently in existence on the island to “try to get an idea of our figures versus what is on the ground.”
“I found there were five lots that had over 6,000 square feet of [total] living area,” said Ring. “I pulled 18 structures on the island that are above 4,500 square feet” for a living floor area.
Some sections of the zoning ordinances are more general, and some apply to specific zones. General prohibitions, (Section 111) do not allow a building footprint in excess of 5,000 square feet currently. That number would be reduced to 3,500 square feet if revised as proposed. Overall building volume allowed would be
