§ 42-64.9-5 - Building certification process.
SECTION 42-64.9-5
§ 42-64.9-5 Building certificationprocess. – (a) No later than December 1, 2000, a municipality shall submit to theenterprise zone council a list of industrial mill structures located within themunicipality for consideration by the council as to whether any of thesestructures qualify as certifiable buildings. The council will notify themunicipality as to which structures qualify as certifiable buildings.
(b) On or before May 1, 2001, any building designated by theenterprise zone council as a certifiable building may then be submitted by themunicipality to the council for preliminary designation as a certifiedbuilding; provided, that the municipality has given notice to the council:
(1) That the building conforms to the area restriction setforth in square feet in subsection (d) of this section; and
(2) That within six (6) months of this designation, themunicipality agrees to:
(i) Promulgate local regulations and ordinances providingfavorable local property tax treatment for certified industrial mill buildingswhich are substantially rehabilitated;
(ii) Promulgate local regulations and ordinances to expeditethe building permit review and approval process required in the municipalityfor the rehabilitation of certified buildings;
(iii) Promulgate local regulations and ordinances waiving allbuilding permit fees of the municipality for the rehabilitation of certifiedbuildings;
(iv) Promulgate local regulations and ordinances adoptingdesign standards in the municipality which encourage historic preservation ofcertified buildings, or alternatively, adopt design standards developed andrecommended by the Rhode Island historic preservation commission;
(v) Promulgate local regulations and ordinances requiringthat the advice of the Rhode Island historic preservation commission will beobtained for the rehabilitation of any certified building in the municipality;and
(vi) Establish a program for eligible businesses whichcoordinates the economic development activities of state and local businessassistance programs and agencies, including, but not limited to, the OceanState business development authority, the Rhode Island small businessdevelopment center, the Rhode Island export assistance center, the applicableprivate industry council, and the applicable chamber of commerce.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary containedherein, the council's preliminary designation of certified buildings within anymunicipality shall be limited in accordance with the following:
(1) One certified building per municipality having apopulation according to the most recent federal census of less than twenty-fivethousand (25,000); provided, however, that in the event one or more enterprisezones have been designated in the municipality, it may be permitted two (2)certified buildings, in which event, at least one of the certified buildingsshall be located within the municipality's boundaries of an enterprise zone;
(2) Two (2) certified buildings per municipality having apopulation according to the most recent federal census of between twenty-fivethousand and one (25,001) and seventy-five thousand (75,000); provided,however, that in the event one or more enterprise zones have been designated inthe municipality it may be permitted three (3) certified buildings, in whichevent, at least one of the certified buildings shall be located within theboundaries of an enterprise zone; and
(3) Four (4) certified buildings per municipality having apopulation according to the most recent federal census in excess ofseventy-five thousand and one (75,001); provided, however, that in the eventone or more enterprise zones have been designated in the municipality, it maybe permitted six (6) certified buildings, in which event, at least two (2) ofthe certified buildings shall be located within the boundaries of an enterprisezone.
(d) The aggregate square footage of all certified buildingswithin any municipality shall not exceed the average of three hundred thousand(300,000) gross square feet per certified building.