2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 45 - Towns and cities
CHAPTER 45-24 - Zoning Ordinances
§ 45-24-37 - General provisions – Permitted uses.

SECTION 45-24-37

   § 45-24-37  General provisions – Permitted uses. – (a) The zoning ordinance provides a listing of all land uses and/or performance standards for uses which are permitted within the zoning use districts of the municipality.

   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the following uses are permitted uses within all residential zoning use districts of a municipality and all industrial and commercial zoning use districts except where residential use is prohibited for public health or safety reasons:

   (1) Households;

   (2) Community residences;

   (3) Family day care homes.

   (c) Any time a building or other structure used for residential purposes, or a portion of a building containing residential units, is rendered uninhabitable by virtue of a casualty such as fire or flood, the owner of the property is allowed to park, temporarily, mobile and manufactured home or homes, as the need may be, elsewhere upon the land, for use and occupancy of the former occupants for a period of up to twelve (12) months, or until the building or structure is rehabilitated and otherwise made fit for occupancy. The property owner, or a properly designated agent of the owner, is only allowed to cause the mobile and manufactured home or homes to remain temporarily upon the land by making timely application to the local building official for the purposes of obtaining the necessary permits to repair or rebuild the structure.

   (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, appropriate access for people with disabilities to residential structures is allowed as a reasonable accommodation for any person(s) residing, or intending to reside, in the residential structure.

   (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an accessory family dwelling unit in an owner-occupied, single-family residence shall be permitted as a reasonable accommodation only for family members with disabilities. The appearance of the structure shall remain that of a single-family residence and there shall be an internal means of egress between the principal unit and the accessory family dwelling unit. If possible, no additional exterior entrances should be added. Where additional entrance is required, placement should generally be in the rear or side of the structure. When the structure is serviced by an individual sewage disposal system, the applicant shall have the existing or any new system approved by the department of environmental management. The zoning enforcement officer shall require that a declaration of the accessory family dwelling unit for the family member or members and its restrictions be recorded in the land evidence records and filed with the zoning enforcement officer and the building official. Once the family member or members with disabilities no longer resides in the premises on a permanent basis, or the title is transferred, the property owner shall notify the zoning official in writing, and the accessory family dwelling unit shall no longer be permitted, unless there is a subsequent, valid application.

   (f) When used in this section the terms "people with disabilities" or "member or members with disabilities" means a person(s) who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, as defined in § 34-37-3 of the general laws.