Next Stop: Making Transit-Oriented Development Work for RI

GrowSmartRI Forum

Cities and towns across our region and the nation are seizing on the public-private partnership opportunities to build stronger, more vibrant and sustainable communities through transit-oriented development.

With major transit projects currently in the works, increased demand for housing in walkable urban neighborhoods and job sites with convenient access to transit, Rhode Island is poised to take advantage of these trends to grow smart with transit.

For more information and reservations

Is there enough affordable housing in your town?

By PBN Staff -
May 6, 2018 12:15 am

The 2017 Housing Fact Book from HousingWorks RI at Roger Williams University notes that households earning the state’s median income of $56,852 in 2016 could afford the median-priced single-family home in only four of Rhode Island’s ­municipalities. For affordable housing advocates, that is not enough to meet the needs of the state’s families. They argue that more affordable housing needs to be built across the state, in every community. What do you think about the state of housing where you live?

PBN Survey

Death By Chain? New England's endangered local retail and small businesses

Thursday, October 20 | 5:00 to 8:00pm

 Aurora Providence
 276 Westminster Street
 Providence, Rhode Island

CNU New England is proud to partner with R Street, The American Conservative, and Brown University Urban Studies to address the barriers to nurturing small business and creating vibrant retail in New England towns and cities. CNU-NE is proud to announce a new addition to the panel, Anne Haynes, Director of Transformative Development for MassDevelopment. The dialogue features additional panelists Cliff Wood, Executive Director of Downtown Providence Parks Commission, Kip Bergstrom, former Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and Margaret Bodell, a Connecticut-based art center consultant with experience repurposing storefronts. Moderated by Jonathan Coppage of R Street. 

To Register

PawSox owners to present stadium plan to Jewelry District Association – May 12, 2015

Presentation on Proposed PawSox Stadium – James Skeffington
Monthly JDA Meetings are open to the public

You’re invited to attend.
Next meeting: Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Meeting time: promptly at 4:00 pm to approximately 5:30 pm.

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month. Each meeting offers updates on local issues and reports of JDA action, as well as occasional guests from city government departments, businesses, universities and others whose ideas and/or actions are important to the Jewelry District.

Meeting Location:

Brown University Continuing Education Department
200 Dyer Street, Providence

http://www.gcpvd.org/2015/05/11/pawsox-owners-to-present-stadium-plan-to-jewelry-district-association-may-12-2015/

PawSox Consultants Overestimated URI Ryan Center Attendance by Millions

Friday, April 17, 2015
Kate Nagle, GoLocal Prov Contributor

The consulting group hired by the new ownership group of the Pawtucket Red Sox was the same one retained by the state to conduct the business plan for the University of Rhode Island's Ryan Center in 2000 -- and furnished attendance projections for the Center which proved to be overinflated by nearly 30% over the course of its first ten years.

Full Story

I-195 Redevelopment District Commission Meeting – April 6, 2015

A meeting of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission will be held at Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, 315 Iron Horse Way, Providence, Rhode Island, on MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015, beginning at 5 P.M.

Meeting includes: Discussion and Vote regarding Adoption of the 2014 City of Providence Zoning Ordinance.

http://www.gcpvd.org/2015/04/03/i-195-redevelopment-district-commission-meeting-april-6-2015/

Zoning Training Session

The City of Providence Department of Planning and Development invites interested members of the public to attend a zoning training session on Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:00pm at 444 Westminster Street in the first floor cafeteria space.

City staff will provide an overview the general organization of the new Zoning Ordinance and provide guidance on how to use the Use Matrix, Use Standards, and Use Definitions. Changes to the City's zoning districts, and other hot topic items including parking, trees and landscaping, signs, and site development standards relating to lighting, accessory structures, accessory uses, and encroachments will also be discussed.

Please call 401-680-8400 for more information. No RSVP is required.

This event is open to all members of the public.

New Providence Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map

A new Providence Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map were officially adopted on November 24, 2014 and became effective on December 24, 2014. The new Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map are the product of a multi-year collaborative effort between residents, business owners, developers, institutions, numerous City departments, and other stakeholders.
 
A User's Manual is also available and provides a brief overview of the organization of the new Zoning Ordinance and general purpose of the various articles of the ordinance, and summarizes of some of the key ordinance sections-- including zoning districts, uses, parking standards, site development standards, and  administration. This manual is for informational purposes only.

The official zoning ordinance, zoning map, and User's Manual can be found on the City's website at the following link: http://www.providenceri.com/planning/zoning.

9 things to know about Providence’s new zoning ordinance

So what kind of changes can we expect from the new ordinance? Here’s an overview.

Greater City Providence - website

Greater City Providence promotes the growth and development of the Greater Providence region in as urban a pattern as possible. Special focus is placed on the development of more walkable, affordable, and vibrant neighborhoods that are served by more robust mass transit and fueled by greater economic opportunity. We hope to see the Providence of the future is an urban environment and not a city plagued by inconsistent, uninspired, automobile-centric, and suburban-style development.

http://www.gcpvd.org/

Re:Zoning Providence

The Final Draft of the proposed Providence Zoning Ordinance and Map are now available online for review. 

by rezoningpvd

The Final Draft of the proposed Zoning Ordinance and Map will be discussed at the August 19th meeting of the City Plan Commission at 444 Westminster Street. Those interested in commenting on the Final Draft may either attend the August 19th meeting or may submit their comments in writing prior to August 19th to Choyon Manjrekar via email at cmanjrekar@providenceri.com.

To view the Final Draft of the proposed Providence Zoning Ordinance please click here.

To view the Final Draft of the proposed Providence Zoning Base Map please click here.

To view the Final Draft of the proposed Providence Zoning Overlay Map please click here.

To view the Summary Spreadsheet of proposed map changes please click here.

To view the Zoning Map Footnotes please click here.

Re:Zoning Providence - Drafts and Public Meeting

The revised public release draft of the City of Providence Zoning Ordinance is now available for download. The public release draft of the City of Providence Zoning Map is also available for download. For more information regarding specific proposed zoning changes by Neighborhood, click here.

A Public Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 11th at 6:00pm (meeting location: 444 Westminster Street, first floor) where City of Providence staff and consultants will present the key changes proposed in the third draft of the proposed zoning text and zoning map. Following a presentation of the key changes, staff and consultants will be available to gather your feedback and comments, and respond to questions and concerns regarding the draft zoning ordinance.

Providence - Zoning, Brown Master Plan

Neighborhood email lists and newsletters are a good source of information.

A recent Wayland Square newsgroup email provided information about proposed changes to East Side zoning and Brown University's Institutional Master Plan.

Save the Date: June 11, REZONING PROVIDENCE public meeting‏

PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT‏

Rhode Map RI

Mark Your Calendars: During the first two weeks of May, there are 6 opportunities across the State to learn about and provide feedback on ideas for growing Rhode Island’s economy and providing for healthy homes, neighborhoods and communities.

See the attached flyer for the schedule of events.

ReZoning Providence: Public Meeting 5/6

Come view and discuss the proposed changes to the Zoning Map for
College Hill, Fox Point, Wayland, Mount Hope, Hope, and Blackstone
at our neighborhood public meeting on

 

Tuesday, May 6, 5:30-7:30 PM
at
Brown-RISD Hillel House, 80 Brown Street

Agenda:
  • Presentation of proposed key changes to the Zoning Ordinance
  • Presentation of proposed changes to the Zoning Map
  • Question and Answer Session
  • Open House
 
Come be a part of a comprehensive overhaul of the Zoning Ordinance,
and help us reshape the future of development in Providence. 

For more information on meetings in other neighborhoods, please visit the project website
at  http://www.rezoningprovidence.com
or call 401.680.8400.

City of Providence Zoning Ordinance Public Release Draft

The public release draft of the City of Providence Zoning Ordinance is now available for download. You can download it here.

http://rezoningprovidence.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/pvdzoningordinance_draft_march2014.pdf

RE:Zoning Providence, March 4

RE:Zoning Providence

A discussion of the key changes proposed in the draft of the new City of Providence Zoning Ordinance.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014
5:30pm – 7:30pm

Joseph A. Doorley Municipal Building, 444 Westminster Street, First Floor Cafeteria

PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA:

• Project overview by the City of Providence Department of Planning & Development followed by a presentation by the consultant team outlining the key changes proposed in the draft of the new City of Providence Zoning Ordinance
• Question & Answer period
• Open House – Department of Planning & Development staff and the consultant team will be available to talk with you about your issues and concerns.

Re:Zoning Providence will help us better preserve, strengthen, and protect the historic pattern of development that is central to the character of our City, as well as to revitalize and further develop the areas of our City that can accommodate additional economic growth.

For more information, please visit the project website atwww.rezoningprovidence.com, or contact:

Martina Haggerty at mhaggerty AT providenceri.com or 401.680.8528

What is the scope of the City of Providence Zoning Ordinance update?

What is the scope of the City of Providence Zoning Ordinance update?

Re-Zoning Providence

Presentation: Bob Azar, Providence Planning Department

Monday, November 18, 7pm

Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Ave, Providence

The presentation will summarize the Technical Review and Approaches Report for Re:Zoning Providence. (Report http://rezoningprovidence.com/presentations-reports/). Re:Zoning Providence will be a comprehensive overhaul of the City Zoning Ordinance. The staff is writing the first draft of that ordinance.

 From 2005 to 2012, an interim comprehensive plan was created and neighborhood charrettes and neighborhood plans were completed for each of Providence’s twenty‐five neighborhoods. In 2012, the comprehensive plan was updated to reflect those goals. The City’s comprehensive plan, Providence Tomorrow, http://www.providenceri.com/planning/planning-projects/comprehensive-planning and the neighborhood plans http://www.providenceri.com/planning/planning-projects/neighborhood-planning are now completed. The city seeks public input.

For more information, see www.rezoningprovidence.com.