2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 45 - Towns and cities
CHAPTER 45-22.2 - Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act
§ 45-22.2-8 - Adoption of comprehensive plans.

SECTION 45-22.2-8

   § 45-22.2-8  Adoption of comprehensive plans. – (a) The preparation and adoption of a comprehensive plan shall be conducted according to the following provisions in addition to any other provision that may be required by law:

   (1) A single municipality shall establish and designate its planning board or commission as the agency having the sole responsibility for performing all those acts necessary to prepare a comprehensive plan for the municipality. Planning boards established under chapter 22 of this title shall continue to be governed by those provisions to the extent that those provisions do not conflict with the requirements of this chapter.

   (2) Municipalities which choose to conduct joint planning and regulatory programs pursuant to this section shall designate and establish a local planning committee which has responsibility for the comprehensive planning program.

   (3) The conduct of the comprehensive planning program for all municipalities shall include:

   (i) Conduct of public hearings and any other methods to solicit and strongly encourage citizen input into the comprehensive planning process; and

   (ii) Preparation of the comprehensive plan, including the implementation program component, and recommendations to the municipal legislative body regarding the adoption of the plan or amendment.

   (b) In order to encourage citizen participation in the comprehensive planning process, planning boards, commissions, or committees are directed to adopt comprehensive plans only after soliciting and considering public input. Public hearings by the planning board, commission, or committee, and the municipal legislative body are required to be held prior to the adoption of the comprehensive plan. Adoption of the comprehensive plan by a municipal legislative body is in the same manner provided for the adoption of ordinances in the manner provided for in the legislative or home rule charter of the municipality except that the plan need not be published in its entirety in a newspaper of general circulation. Any local comprehensive plan adopted as prescribed in this section before the effective date is deemed to have been adopted in accordance with this section.

   (c) A comprehensive plan is adopted, for the purpose of conforming municipal land use decisions and for the purpose being transmitted to the director for state review, when it has been enacted by the legislative body of the municipality pursuant to the manner provided for the adoption of ordinances in the municipality's legislative or home rule charter. All ordinances dealing with the adoption of or amendment to a municipal comprehensive plan shall contain language stating that the comprehensive plan ordinance or amendment shall not become effective for the purposes of guiding state agency actions until it is approved by the state of Rhode Island pursuant to the methods stated in this chapter, or pursuant to any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. The comprehensive plan of a municipality shall not take effect for purposes of guiding state agency actions until approved by the director, comprehensive plan appeals board, or the Rhode Island supreme court.

   (d) The intent of this section is to provide for the dissemination and discussion of proposals and alternatives to the proposed comprehensive plan by means of joint legislative and planning commission hearings which disseminate information to the public and which seek both written and oral comments from the public.