Local events company seeking approval to construct new headquarters

Exquisite Events went before the planning board proposing a “combined master plan and preliminary Major Land Development Project” in order to quickly move forward with the creation of a one-story building that will cover 9,000 square feet at 597 South County Trail. Exquisite Events also requested that DEM permits be presented at the final plan, instead of including them in the preliminary plan submission. These include wetlands permits and Rhode Island Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (RIPDES) permits. Richard Marcello, speaking on behalf of Exquisite Events, expressed that “it takes a lot more time following the regular process” due to delays in the DEM office. Exquisite Events is eager to open their business and get to work.

The development would include a parking lot that can accommodate 35 vehicles and the 9000 square foot building would have a 3000 square foot mezzanine for business offices. There will also be a showroom floor where the company is able to display products they have available to rent for events such as weddings. Products would include furnishings, lighting, fixtures, and supplies for hosting off-site events. Richard Marcello informed the board and public that no events will be held on site and the building is not open to the public nor will there be any catering services operating out of the business.

William DePasquale, the town planner, recommended in his memorandum that “additional screening or landscaping” be added between “larger evergreens, such as plantings or opaque fencing” and expressed that “additional screening…is required along the detention basin that runs parallel to Pine View Apartments.”

DePasquale also expressed his concern regarding the lighting plan for the project, “all lighting must be equipped with shielding to prevent off-site…spillage… and should be approved… as dark sky compliant.”

Marcello advised that the lighting will be affixed to the building and will be dark sky compliant. The hours of operation will be from 8:30am to 4pm Monday through Friday and 8am to 12pm on Saturday, making it unnecessary to illuminate the driveway to the building as there will be no operations after sunset.

Marcello spoke to the screening concerns by stating that “Pine View Apartments did not follow their landscape screening plan… no one looked after they were done.” He went on to say, “I’m all in favor of screening off Pine View, but not at my expense” and that he didn’t see “the point” in putting all these plans in if no one was going to oversee them.

The spokesperson for the Women’s Development Corporation, who operates Pine View Apartments, expressed that they believe they followed their approved plans and would correct their landscaping if truly needed. They do have “concerns around how the properties relate to one another as…12 families will be looking right at the [proposed] building.” As the apartments will also be facing the parking lot for the facility, the Women’s Development Corporation is also concerned about the flow of traffic and if employees will be loitering in the parking lot after hours. They did request that the parking lot be moved to the front of the building out of view of the apartment’s residents, but most businesses in Exeter have their parking lots behind their buildings to keep in line with the town’s rural character. Most parking lots cannot be viewed from the main road. The layout of the building and parking were drafted with this in mind.

Marcello addressed the traffic concerns and fear of trailer truck traffic by advising that most traffic will only be employees, 6 to 8 each day, and box trucks transporting the rentals to and from the event sites. He described Exquisite Events as a “low key business” and pointed out that they host high scale events, including events at the Newport Mansions, where employees are expected to act with a certain decorum and not party in parking lots.

Scott Millar, planning board chair, made a motion to provide waivers until the final plan and to combine the preliminary and master plan with conditional approval.