Article 7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT REGULATIONS

Section 7.1 District Established and Boundaries

There is hereby established a Research and Development Overlay District within the City of Fall River. Said district is bounded and described as follows:

Beginning at a point at the intersection of the centerline of Interstate 195 and the Fall River/Westport boundary line; thence southerly along said Boundary line to the northerly line of the South Watuppa Pond; thence westerly by the northerly line of the South Watuppa Pond to the centerline of Brayton Avenue Extension; thence westerly by the centerline of Brayton Avenue Extension to the centerline of Route 24; thence northerly by the centerline of Route 24 to the centerline of Interstate 195; thence easterly by the centerline of Interstate 195 to the Fall River/Westport boundary line and the point of beginning.

Section 7.2 Purpose

The purposes of the establishment of the research and development overlay district are to:

7.2.1 Allow for greater flexibility and creativity in the development of industrial and commercial sites.

7.2.3 Encourage compatible development within the entire overlay district.

Section 7.3 Permitted Uses

The research and development overlay district shall be considered as overlaying and shall overlay all other zoning districts within its boundaries. Any uses permitted in the district, or portion thereof so overlaid shall be permitted subject to all provisions applicable to the district as hereinafter set forth. In addition, buildings within the district may be constructed, altered, enlarged or reconstructed for one (1) or more of the following specified single or mixed uses and uses customarily accessory to such uses:

Educational.
Manufacturing.
Assembling.
Packaging.
Industrial research and development.
Bio-technology
Processing.
Fabrication.
Warehousing.
Wholesaling.
Public or commercial parking lot.

Section 7.4 District Regulations

In addition to the requirements of the overlay district, the following regulations shall apply:

7.4.1 There will be a minimum open space requirement of 20 percent, not including parking lots and drives located in order to maintain view corridors from Martine Street to South Watuppa Pond, maintain adequate light and air circulation, and to preserve open space.

7.4.2 No building or structure shall be constructed, altered, reconstructed, raised up or moved so as to contain more than three and half (3.5) stores, or so as to exceed in any part a height of fifty-five (55) feet, except in the case of chimneys, ventilators, tanks, bulkheads, and other accessory features required above roofs, and also in the case of towers, spires domes and ornamental features of churches and other non-residential buildings.

7.4.3 No building shall be constructed, enlarged, or reconstructed within thirty (30) feet of any street line and at least twenty (20) feet from any side or rear lot line.

7.4.4 Banks, restaurants, and service and retail uses shall be permitted but shall be limited to an area which is five (5) percent of the gross floor space, or 1,000 sq. ft., whichever is less, unless otherwise permitted by the board of appeals under the provisions of Article 2, Division 2 of this chapter.

7.4.5 In the overlay district, the maximum number of residential units shall be limited to five (5) units.
In the overlay district the following regulations shall apply:
Minimum lot frontage - 100 feet
Minimum lot area - 10,000 s.f.

7.4.6 No business activities shall be carried on in the overlay district that are injurious, obnoxious or offensive to the neighborhood by reason of noise, vibration, smoke, cinders, odor, gas, fumes, dust, chemical, radio frequencies, explosive, and hazardous materials or other objectionable features.

7.4.7 Adequate provision is made for the off-street parking provision of all vehicles including those of employers, employees, and visitors.

7.4.8 All the provisions of Section ______ for Site Plan Review shall apply.

Section 7.5 Special Permits

Subject to the restrictions of this section as herein before and herein after set forth, the provisions of Section 86-55 with respect to special permits shall apply. In a specific case the Board of Appeals shall, after a public hearing, grant a permit for the following uses unless in the opinion of Board, such use would be detrimental to the Research and Development Overlay District and would not be in the best interest of the city.

7.5.1 To locate a display sign in a location or of a type different from those allowed in the underlying district.

7.5.2 To waive the dimensional requirements of the overlay district or the underlying district.