Courtesy of Union Studio
A watercolor sketch of the proposed Palmer Pointe development, as it appeared in February.
BARRINGTON, R.I. -- The Planning Board voted 7-0 Tuesday night to approve a master plan for the Palmer Pointe affordable housing development on Sowams Road, but said they would scale back the number of new apartments in the approval from the 48 sought by the developer to 40.
Two existing houses on the property will be rehabilitated, bringing the total number of units to 42.
The development has attracted organized opposition, including a petition signed by more than 500 residents. Close to 20 residents attended the meeting at the town's senior center in the public library building. The public hearing process was concluded in July.
"The Planning Board has determined that local concerns... do not outweigh the state and local need for low- and moderate-income housing," the board's 11-page prepared motion to approve Palmer Pointe stated.
As one of its multiple conditions, the board said the developer must provide a minimum of 10 one-bedroom units, the same proportion as in the original proposal, which includes a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
In addition, the board wanted "some" of the remaining units to include first-floor master bedrooms, seen as a design feature that would make them accessible to elderly residents.