§ 45-24.4-1 - Declaration of purpose.
SECTION 45-24.4-1
§ 45-24.4-1 Declaration of purpose. –(a) It is declared that there exist within the various cities of the state,including, but not limited to, Providence, numerous railroad or former railroadproperties and adjacent lands that are or may be the subject of railroadrelocation projects involving the coordination of federal, state, local, andprivate action. These areas represent or are contiguous with urban areas ofhistorical, aesthetic, social, cultural, and economic importance, and are animportant public asset.
(b) It is further declared that there is a statewide need forcoordinated attention to and supervision of the development of these areas forthe purpose of preserving for the education, enjoyment, and welfare of thegeneral public, important historical and aesthetic features, the promotion ofcommercial and economic development, the attraction to our urban centers ofappropriate business, industrial, and tourist trade, resources, and investment,the development of an attractive urban environment that fosters the socialwelfare and health of the public and is harmonious with the social, historic,and cultural environment that already exists, and the harmonious coordinationof the federal, state, local, and private action that influences the urbanrailroad relocation project.
(c) It is further declared that the developmental toolspresently available to cities in the state do not contain sufficientflexibility to address the unique problems arising from the urban railroadrelocation project and to govern comprehensive and coordinated development ofareas subject to these projects consistently with the previously-declaredpublic needs and purposes. Proper development of these areas, consistent withthe general welfare, may require designation of special land use districts andspecial land-use controls which may be more stringent or more flexible thanexisting zoning, planning, and other developmental tools, and may require theadoption, implementation, and administration of a plan that establishes aframework for development and sets out detailed design and developmentcriteria, regulations, and enforcement procedures.
(d) It is further declared that the most efficient andeffective method to further the previously-declared public policy of the stateto encourage the appropriate, comprehensive, and coordinated development ofrailroad or former railroad properties and adjacent lands that are or may bethe subject of railroad relocation projects involving federal, state, local,and private action, is to permit the creation of special development districtsin the cities of the state and the creation of special development districtcommissions to adopt, implement, and administer plans of development thatestablish and enforce design and development criteria and regulations for thedevelopment of these areas.