A. 
In any residential zoning district, unless licensed as a vehicle-related business, no unregistered, unserviceable, discarded, or junk vehicles or trailers of any kind or type, or bodies, engines, tires, parts or accessories thereof shall be parked/stored on any property other than in a completely enclosed building or carport with the following exceptions:
(1) 
Land classified by the Town of North Smithfield Assessor as farmland under the Rhode Island Farm, Forest and Open Space Act[1] may store unregistered serviceable vehicles, trailers, farm machinery and engines kept for spare parts as long as they are not within a 100-foot setback from the property line.
[1]
See R.I.G.L. § 44-27-1 et seq.
(2) 
Land classified by the Town of North Smithfield Assessor as forestland under the Rhode Island Farm, Forest and Open Space Act may store unregistered serviceable vehicles, trailers and machinery as long as they are not within 100-foot setback from the property line. The unregistered serviceable vehicles, trailers and machinery, may be parked temporarily within the 100-foot setback if they are being actively used during the daytime for forestry work.
B. 
In any residence district, the parking or storage of all commercial vehicles and construction equipment of over five tons gross vehicle weight shall not be permitted except where such parking or storage is directly related to and is accessory to a permitted use or legal nonconforming use on the premises. All commercial vehicles and construction equipment shall be screened as in § 340-4.19B(8). The numbers of commercial vehicles limited to each lot are as follows:
(1) 
RS and RU: 1.
(2) 
RA and REA: 2.
The parking and storage of recreational vehicles, boats and equipment in a residential district as an accessory use to a permitted residential use, is permitted in enclosed buildings and carports. Except as provided in Subsection E, open storage of only one of the above is permitted on a residential lot, provided:
A. 
That such equipment is in condition for safe and effective performance of the function for which it was intended.
B. 
No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.
C. 
That storage of such vehicles, boats and equipment shall be prohibited in the front yard and shall be limited to the side and the rear yards of the residence.
D. 
That it not be stored within 20 feet of a side and/or rear lot line.
E. 
One recreational vehicle shall be allowed to be parked on lots of 65,000 square feet or less. Two recreational vehicles shall be allowed on lots greater than 65,000 square feet.
A. 
Any structure erected or use established after the date of passage of this chapter shall provide off-street parking in accordance with the following minimum requirements:
Use
Off-Street Parking Required
Residential Uses
Single-family and two-family dwellings
2 parking spaces per dwelling unit
Multifamily dwellings
1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit
Multifamily dwellings for elderly and assisted living
0.5 parking space per dwelling unit
Transient Lodging
Bed-and-breakfast
1 parking space per guest room or suite
Hotels, motels and transient lodging
1 parking space per bedroom, plus 1 parking space per 1,000 square feet of non-guest room area, plus 1 parking space per 5 employees
Commercial Uses
Retail and service business less than 20,000 square feet
2 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of use floor area
Retail and service business 20,000 square feet or more
3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of use floor area
Industrial, corporate offices, research, development, and warehouse use
2 parking spaces per 3 employees based on largest shift
Office uses, including medical and outpatient
3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of use floor area
Public Assembly
Restaurants, theaters, churches and other places of public assembly
1 space per 4 seats or 4 persons allowed at maximum legal capacity
Institutions
Educational institutions
5 spaces per preschool, primary or middle school classroom; 1 space per 5 high school students; 1 space per 3 college or adult education students
Hospitals
3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of use floor area
Nursing homes
1 parking space per 3 beds
Mixed use
Combined total of all uses
Other
All other uses, 1 parking space per 250 square feet of floor area
B. 
Plans and specifications for the required parking and its access drives other than single-family or two-family dwellings shall be submitted at the time of application for a building permit and/or the zoning certificate for the main use.
(1) 
In allocating space for off-street parking, each car space shall have a minimum width of nine feet and a minimum length of 18 feet and shall be served by suitable aisle widths listed in the table below.
Angle
Aisle Widths
(feet)
90°
24 (12' for each direction of travel)
60°
16
45°
12
(parallel parking)
12
(2) 
All parking areas provided under this section must be constructed on the same lot as the principal use.
(3) 
All parking lots shall have a paved surface, shall be provided with bumper guards where needed and shall provide adequate space for the removal and stockpiling of snow.
(4) 
All parking lots shall provide a continuous landscaped buffer strip at least 10 feet wide adjacent to any public road, except for approved access drives. Said buffer shall be planted with grass, shrubs and shade trees with a minimum three-inch caliper diameter, minimum height of 15 feet planted at least every 30 feet along the road frontage, said trees should be staked securely for a period of two years from date of planting. The lowest branch should be at least 80 inches above finished grade to meet ADA standard.
(5) 
All parking lots shall include one raised landscaped island at least five feet wide and nine feet long for every five spaces with one shade tree for every two islands.
(6) 
No tree, large shrub or plant shall be planted under the overhead lines or over underground utilities if its growth might interfere with the installation or maintenance of any public utilities.
(7) 
Parking areas shall be separated from buildings by a raised walkway or planting strip at least five feet wide. Parking areas directly abutting a building shall not be considered acceptable.
(8) 
Where a nonresidential parking area adjoins or lies within a residential district or abuts a property on which a residential use is located, there shall be required a 10-foot landscaped buffer adjoining the residential use or district. Said 10-foot buffer shall be appropriately landscaped with natural vegetation and shall include an opaque fence not less than six feet nor more than eight feet in height, or a compact evergreen screen not less than four feet in height to be installed and maintained between such area and the adjoining residential use or district.
(9) 
Lighting fixtures used to illuminate the parking area shall reflect away from adjoining property and away from adjacent roadways.
(10) 
Required off-street parking areas for three or more automobiles shall have individual spaces marked and shall be designed, maintained, and regulated so that no parking or maneuvering incidental to parking shall be on any public street, walk, or alley, and so that any automobile may be parked and unparked without moving another.
A. 
All commercial and industrial structures erected subsequent to the adoption of this chapter shall provide off-street loading facilities.
B. 
Loading areas shall not be in front of buildings and shall be located to the rear or sides of buildings and screened as appropriate. Areas adjacent to residential properties should be free of service circulation and shall be screened in accordance with § 340-4.19B(8).
C. 
Plans and specifications for such loading facilities shall be submitted to the Building/Zoning Official at the time of application for the zoning certificate and/or building permit for the principal use. Where a loading facility is abutting a residential district, the restrictions contained in § 340-4.19 concerning surfacing, screening and lighting shall apply. Such loading facility shall be sufficient in size to eliminate the projection of vehicles beyond any lot line and so not to interfere with vehicular access, circulation and parking on the subject parcel.