This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Public Workshops to Be Held across the State to Hear What Rhode Islanders have to Say about Preserving and Creating Great Places

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced that the Rhode Island Division of Planning’s Statewide Planning Program is sponsoring six public workshops during the month of January to get input from Rhode Islanders on if, how and where their communities should grow.     

The January gatherings represent Round Four (final round) of a four-part Great Places workshop series.  This effort is just one part of the ongoing RhodeMap RI planning process, a comprehensive statewide planning strategy that also includes plans for housing and economic development. The Great Places work includes the identification, mapping and intersection of Green Resources (water supply, farmland, cultural areas, historic sites, recreation and open space areas), Economic Resources (land use, transportation networks, water and sewer, power and communications), and Social Resources (community facilities, social services, public transportation, labor/workforce opportunities).  Over the first three rounds, participants worked with a series of regional, city and town maps showing those areas of the state where growth and revitalization makes the most sense, based on the location of roads and other infrastructure and the need to protect important natural and cultural resources.         

“These workshops are a great opportunity for everyone to participate and contribute to a vision for the future of Rhode Island”, stated Governor Chafee. “When we work together, our communities can strengthen and thrive.”

"The Great Places workshops are one part of RhodeMap RI's comprehensive effort to strengthen the state's economy, create vibrant neighborhoods, and prepare for future growth," stated Director of Administration Richard Licht.  "Input from participants will be critical to the development of the strategic plans the state is creating to address these issues."

The purpose of this final round of workshops is to bring together the entire analysis to provide a comprehensive look at priorities for conservation and development across the state.  Participants in the workshops will also have an opportunity to weigh in on some preliminary results from the Housing and Economic Development groups, and to get a first look at how everything is coming together.  The feedback from these workshops will be used to shape new state policies for economic development, housing, environmental protection, and land use as part of a broader, comprehensive statewide strategy.

Those who attend will participate in a fun, interactive session that will start with a look at the results of the Round Three Growth Centers Game, showing potential growth centers, key transportation networks, and Green networks.  Overlays will show what participants indicated was the economic role of each center and the amount of future growth that is appropriate. This is an important opportunity to see how potential growth centers in each city and town fit into the regional economy.  Participants will also discuss how local conservation priorities and hazards due to storms and potential flooding should shape future growth.  Finally, those who attend the final round of workshops will be able to discuss infrastructure grants and other incentives that may be needed to bring this shared vision to life. 

The feedback from these workshops will be used to shape new state policies for economic development, housing, environmental protection, and land use as part of a broader, comprehensive statewide strategy.

You do not need to register for these events.  The public can drop in any time to visit the open house and still give input and get information about RhodeMap RI throughout the duration of the workshop.  Each workshop will begin promptly at 5:00 pm with a brief presentation, followed by an interactive session for the remainder of the workshop. 

While each workshop will focus on a different region of the state, issues common to all communities will be discussed, so members of the public can pick the location most convenient for them.  The public workshops will be:

For more information, contact Melanie Jewett Army, AICP, Supervising Planner at Rhode Island Division of Planning, at melanie.army@doa.ri.gov or 401-222-6183.

About RhodeMap RI:

RhodeMap RI is one component of Governor Chafee's broader efforts to bring a coordinated and forward-looking approach to the State's efforts to make Rhode Island a better place to work and live.  Prior to Governor Chafee taking office, the State did not have a truly coordinated plan for economic development, housing, transportation, and land use.  To achieve this level of integration, the focus issues of the project will be broad, including investment in education, sound infrastructure, and workforce development and training.   Support for local communities and making the state and local tax bases strong will be a high priority for RhodeMap RI.  And we recognize that our success will require building on our economic assets to foster the growth of business at every scale. 

RhodeMap RI will build upon the work already completed by the Chafee Administration.  Rhode Island released the initial results of the project in February when it issued the Economy Rhode Island and An Equity Profile of Rhode Island reports, which analyze Rhode Island's demographics, business climate, and economic competitiveness. These reports can be viewed by visiting the RhodeMap RI website at www.rhodemapri.org.  The Department of Administration's Division of Planning expects to complete the planning process, which will include extensive public engagement, in 2014. The final year of the initiative will focus on implementation planning and capacity building for Rhode Island municipalities, state agencies, and community partners.  RhodeMap RI is funded with a Sustainable Communities Initiative Grant and Rhode Island is the only state in the nation that received this grant.

About the Sustainable Communities Initiative Grant:

The grant is one of several offered through the Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a collaboration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program supports metropolitan and multi-jurisdictional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of: (1) economic competitiveness and revitalization; (2) social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity; (3) energy use and climate change; and (4) public health and environmental impact. The Sustainable Communities Program is coordinated by HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, whose mission is to create strong, sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation, and helping to build a clean energy economy. Rhode Island will develop the comprehensive, integrated plan through an inclusive public process with an eye towards positive and equitable impacts for all Rhode Islanders. The grant consortium is composed of state agencies, business leaders, residents, municipal leaders and non-profit organizations.


We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?