200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-05-4.6

Current through December 3, 2024

Section 200-RICR-20-05-4.6 - Site Standards

4.6.1Site Ownership

A. The applicant shall own the site of an Approved Project or be in the process of acquiring or have a reasonable expectation of owning the site by the end of the Architectural Feasibility Study pursuant to §4.8.3 of this Part.

B. If the applicant is acquiring a new parcel of land for the project, the applicant shall provide in its Architectural Feasibility Study to RIDE a completed, signed, and sealed description of the plot plan of the land to be acquired showing:

1. Topographical and contour lines.

2. Adjacent properties indicating current land uses, access roads, deed restrictions, easements, protective covenants, right of ways, and environmentally sensitive areas such as waterways and wetlands.

3. The acreage and dimensions of the tract proposed for acquisition.

4. Anticipated footprint of the proposed school.

4.6.2Responsible School Site Selection

A. Protecting student health is the most important issue during site selection. These requirements are intended to eliminate sites containing pollutants known to be hazardous to student and staff health. A variety of factors, from hazardous materials in the soil to airborne pollutants from nearby sources, will be considered in the site review process.

1. Project sites must be at sufficient distances from facilities that might reasonably be anticipated to emit hazardous air emissions or to handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste. Applicants must demonstrate that the health and safety of students and staff are not jeopardized by the location of the site.

2. Project sites must have a minimum separation of five hundred (500) feet from 50-133kV power-lines, seven hundred fifty (750) feet from 220- 230kV power-lines, and one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet from 500-550kV power-lines; and one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet from railroad tracks, hazardous pipelines, and major highways.

3. Project sites may not be located in an area with moderate or high radon potential, or in an EPA radon zone, unless the school building project plan incorporates a radon mitigation strategy.

4. Sites shall be free from noxious pollution or contamination, and shall be selected to avoid flood plain, wetlands or other environmentally sensitive areas. A new school site must not be located within a one-mile radius of an active landfill. A landfill, as defined by the RI Department of Environmental Management's Hazardous Waste regulations, shall mean a disposal facility or part of a facility where hazardous waste is placed in or on land and which is not a land treatment facility, a surface impoundment, an injection well, a waste pile, or a corrective action management unit.

B. In addition, selected sites shall be sensitive to known and unidentified historic resources, including archaeological sites.

4.6.3Cross District Planning

When choosing a site for school construction projects, applicants shall consider cross Districting issues and possibilities in order to more efficiently and fairly serve the community and student population. Districts will be required to document that this was done as part of the school construction application pursuant to §4.9.2 of this Part.

4.6.4 Consolidation

A. Applicants must submit an analysis of the option of school consolidation and school District consolidation. This applicant shall provide this analysis in its Architectural Feasibility Study pursuant to §4.9.3 of this Part. Documentation shall include:

1. Current school capacity and enrollment by school and grade and anticipated five (5) year District growth by grade and school;

2. A map of the District showing the location of the site or sites under consideration and the location of existing school buildings in the District;

3. The attendance area to be served by the proposed school and the number of school-age children who reside within the attendance area and future demographic projections for the District and attendance area;

4. A map of the nearest adjacent District(s) showing their buildings and attendance areas;

5. Other potential non-school buildings evaluated for conversion, include information on age, location, size, nearby community services and buildings, cost, and needed modernization;

6. Information regarding any school buildings abandoned by the District or converted to other use by the community in the last ten years including a map of their location in the District;

7. A comparative analysis of the potential impact of building sites on student transportation and local traffic conditions including traffic impact, public transportation opportunities, times of transit by school transportation, and cost of any changes that would be required to roads or the transportation system; and

8. Documentation must also be provided demonstrating that a licensed professional engineer has examined soil conditions for structural integrity and drainage in order to determine the suitability or lack thereof of possible sites and identified the existence of soil conditions which may increase site development costs.

4.6.5Community Resources

A. R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-7-41.1 restricts payment of school housing aid for school facilities which are under the care and control of the school committee and located on school property. Facilities with combined school and municipal uses or facilities that are operated jointly with any other profit or non-profit entity also do not qualify for reimbursement. Nonetheless, it is often necessary to site schools near other existing community resources in order to provide a comprehensive educational program. This is especially true of small and urban Districts where land is at a premium. In this context, the site selected shall be chosen to meet the educational needs of the students who will be housed in the building, maximize the use of any available community resources, and minimize any possible adverse educational, social, environmental, or economic impact upon the community.

B. Consideration should be given to locating facilities in areas that are already served by existing or planned water, sewer, and other public infrastructure. When possible, the site selected should be in close proximity to other community resources such as libraries, museums, parks, natural resources, nature study areas, community centers, and businesses, so as to enhance the Design and Educational Program.

C. Sites should be located to efficiently and safely serve intended school populations and provide sufficient space for needed parking, bus turnarounds, delivery areas, required setbacks, and planned aesthetics.

4.6.6Smart Growth Planning

The site shall incorporate "smart growth" concepts where feasible with relation to educational facilities and the impact of suburban sprawl in developing and planning for new construction. Smart growth schools involve the community in school facility planning, make use of existing resources, such as historic school buildings, are located within neighborhoods and fit into the scale and design of the neighborhood, and are usually small in size. The National Trust for Historic Preservation's publication Historic Neighborhood Schools in the Age of Sprawl: Why Johnny Can't Walk to School made recommendations as to how Districts could avoid suburban sprawl.

4.6.7Transportation Impact

A. Whenever possible, sites shall be located close to public transportation. In order to reduce automobile-related pollution and conserve energy, designs shall incorporate the use of public transportation and carpooling by minimizing parking, creating bike facilities, providing safe walking/biking access, and other appropriate design elements.

B. Additionally, applicants shall consider the proximity of other services in the community, such as supermarkets, commercial office buildings, grocery stores, day cares, cleaners, fitness centers, hair care, hardware, laundry, medical/dental services, senior care facilities, public parks, pharmacies, post offices, banks, libraries, and community centers.

4.6.8Storm Water Pollution Prevention

The District must submit a Storm Water Pollution Prevention plan addressing erosion and sediment control that complies with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Exception: If land disturbance is less than one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet for the entire project as a whole, then the project is exempt from this prerequisite. However, all projects involving the protection of wetlands must meet this requirement.

4.6.9 Site and Building Layout

A. All proposed projects must:

1. Orient the building(s) to take advantage of maximum natural day lighting and plot shadow patterns from surrounding buildings and place buildings to optimize solar gain (for urban-infill sites).

2. Consider prevailing winds when determining the site and building layout. For example, consider how the shape of the building itself can create wind-sheltered spaces and consider prevailing winds when designing parking lots and driveways to help blow exhaust fumes away from the school.

3. Maximize use of existing land formations and vegetation to provide shelter from extreme weather or to deflect unwanted noise.

4. Plant or protect existing deciduous trees to block summer sun and allow winter solar gain. Plant or protect existing coniferous trees to block winter wind.

5. Minimize importation of non-native soils and exportation of native soils. Optimize Cut & Fill (ideally 1:1) during clearing and excavation.

6. Create physical connections to existing bike paths, natural features, or adjacent buildings and neighborhoods.

7. Design parking lots and driveways to limit student proximity to bus emissions. Design bus loading and unloading areas such that buses need not be lined up head to tail. Do not design bus loading and unloading areas such that bus exhaust is in proximity to any of the school's air intake vents.

8. Site the building to maximize opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation. For example, preserve or ensure availability of space for wood chip storage facilities for biomass heating, wind turbines (if wind resources are adequate), or other renewable energy sources.

9. Facilitate use of public transportation by locating the school within a one-mile radius of a public bus route.

200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-05-4.6