Rep. Costa announces response to controversial RhodeMap RI plan

1/8/2015

News

State House – Representative Doreen Costa (District 31, North Kingstown, Exeter) announced today that legislation will be submitted to prevent RhodeMap RI, now an official part of Rhode Island’s State Guide Plan, from having to be incorporated into every city and town’s local comprehensive plan.

Representative Costa said, “Folks in Rhode Island want to retain local authority regarding their land use and zoning ordinances. Rather than being forced by RI statute to maintain consistency with the official State Guide Plan, as a current general law on the books currently requires, our legislation will provide localities with a choice rather than a legal mandate.”

“Choice is really important, especially because RhodeMap RI is considered by a lot of folks to be controversial, particularly as it relates to its roots with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. There’s a real concern that the mission and many of the plan’s goals, now incorporated into our State Guide Plan, shifts land use and development decisions from local planning and zoning officials to an arm of the feds.”

“RhodeMap RI is not old news. It is very much on the radar screen of my constituents. I expect that our legislation will receive full support this session. Folks across RI will rest easy that their local authority has not been inadvertently usurped by our official Statewide Planning Council.”

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For more information, contact:
Lisa Blais, House Minority Office
State House Room 106
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2259

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