Albion

1. Confirm Albion village parcel zoning under Lincoln Chapter 260 (~3d)
   Verify Albion-village lot zoning (typically RA or RS residential, with the Albion mill core in mixed business/residential overlay). Lincoln Chapter 260 Article XV controls accessory family dwelling unit standards as updated by Ord. 2023-12. Albion's typical 50x100 mill-village lots may not accommodate the 5-foot side and 10-foot rear setbacks of a detached unit; conversion of existing accessory structures (carriage houses, detached garages) is the more common pathway.
2. Pre-application meeting with Lincoln Planning Department (~7d)
   Recommended in-person or phone meeting at Lincoln Town Hall, 100 Old River Road, with Planning Department staff. Strongly recommended for any work in the Albion Mill Historic District (NRHP-listed) or for any project requiring a dimensional variance.
3. Submit building permit application via permits.ri.gov (~1d)
   Lincoln onboarded to the RI Statewide E-Permitting Portal (permits.ri.gov) on 2017-10-23. Albion-village applicants submit through the state portal rather than at the Town Hall counter. Building Official Russell Hervieux (rhervieux@lincolnri.org / 401-333-8430) issues all Albion-village permits.
4. Pawtucket Water Supply Board (PWSB) tap-fee verification (~14d)
   Albion is in PWSB's water-service territory. Any new tap or service upsize is processed by PWSB at 401-729-5000. Separate water meter is not required for an ADU on the same parcel.
5. Sewer-versus-septic determination (~21d)
   Much of Albion north of the Blackstone River is on private septic regulated by RIDEM ISDS rules. An additional bedroom (which an ADU adds) requires a RIDEM-certified septic designer and an OWTS permit. The portion of Albion served by Lincoln town sewer requires Lincoln DPW signoff.
6. Plan review by Lincoln Building Official (~18d)
   Combined building/electrical/plumbing/mechanical plan review by Building Official Russell Hervieux against IRC 2018 with RI amendments. RI removed the IRC R313 residential sprinkler mandate, so detached ADUs do not need NFPA 13D.
7. Albion Historic District Commission review (if applicable) (~30d)
   Properties within or adjacent to the Albion Mill Historic District (NRHP-listed) require Lincoln HDC review for exterior changes visible from the public way. The HDC cannot categorically prohibit ADUs but may condition approval on materials, fenestration, and massing compatible with the village character.
8. Required inspections
   Footing, foundation, framing, MEP rough, insulation, and final inspections are scheduled directly with the Lincoln Building Inspector via permits.ri.gov.
9. Certificate of Occupancy (~5d)
   Issued by Lincoln Building Official Russell Hervieux upon final inspection pass. Standard CO fee $75.

• Long-term rental: yes Long-term rental of an Albion-village ADU is permitted as of right under Lincoln Chapter 260 conforming to RIGL 45-24-37(j). RI owner-occupancy preemption (where applicable) makes the ADU eligible for full landlord-tenant treatment.
• Short-term rental: with-restrictions STR rules vary by Lincoln town ordinance. Albion-village STRs are subject to the Town of Lincoln short-term rental ordinance and any private covenants on the parcel.
• Office rental: with-restrictions Detached commercial office rental requires home occupation permit or rezoning under Lincoln Chapter 260.
• Home office: yes Home occupation permitted under Lincoln Chapter 260 with restrictions on signage, customer traffic, and percentage of dwelling unit used.
• Studio / workshop: yes Personal artist or workshop studio is a permitted accessory residential use in Lincoln residential districts.
• Agriculture: with-restrictions Limited urban agriculture permitted in Lincoln residential districts; livestock varies by district. Albion's mill-village density limits practical agriculture to garden-scale uses.
• Relative support: yes Family-occupancy ADU explicitly permitted under Lincoln Chapter 260; this was the original use case in pre-2024 RI ADU practice.

• Water: Pawtucket Water Supply Board (PWSB) - water service throughout Lincoln including Albion village · 21d connect · $4,500
• Sewer: Lincoln Town DPW (limited Albion-area sewer envelope) or RIDEM ISDS septic for parcels outside the sewer envelope · 30d connect · $6,500
• Electric: Rhode Island Energy · 14d connect · $1,800
• Gas: Rhode Island Energy (gas) · 21d connect · $1,500

Realistic total: best 7mo · typical 11mo · worst 17mo

State ADU loans:

• RIHousing ADU 203(k) financing
• Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing

RIGL 45-24-73 voids HOA, condominium-association, or similar private-covenant restrictions on ADUs that conflict with the statute's ADU minimums. Albion's housing stock is dominated by 19th-century mill-worker housing with relatively few modern HOA-controlled subdivisions.

• flood-zone
  Portions of Albion-village along the Blackstone River corridor are in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas; elevation certificates and flood-resistant construction required for SFHA parcels per FIRM panels for Lincoln, RI.
• historic-district
  Albion Mill Historic District (NRHP-listed) covers the village mill core. Lincoln Historic District Commission review required for exterior changes; ADU massing/materials may be conditioned but not categorically denied.