This coming year is an important milestone in the city's planning efforts. East Providence is currently in the process of developing its new 20 year comprehensive plan. The comprehensive planning process is extensive and far-reaching. It is intended to cultivate a 20 year road map for the city that addresses a myriad of topics that affect the future development patterns of the city and the overall well-being of the community as a whole. As one would expect, the plan deals with policies associated with present and future land use development patterns, but it is much more than that. The plan also includes elements that ascribe goals and objectives for promoting and improving economic development, municipal infrastructure, circulation/transportation, and recreation and housing development in the city. Elements also include natural resources and open space, historical and cultural preservation and sustainability.
Unlike the city's 2010-2015 update, the city's current plan is a completely new document that seeks to lay a framework that is centered on the realities of current development trends for land use in the 21st century. The details of the new plan are still in the very early stages of preparation, but it is anticipated that the plan will promote greater flexibility in land use that will seek to permit more mixed use development along our commercial corridors and promotes greater economic opportunity and more cohesive downtown districts that encouragement a healthy coexisting mix of commercial and residential uses. The plan also includes an element that will focus on goals and objectives for the redevelopment and management of our waterfront, an important economic development focus for East Providence whose future development shows the potential to create thousands of new high paying jobs and new residential living opportunities.
The new comprehensive plan will require approximately one year to complete and the city anticipates significant public input and participation from the residential and business community as we formulate the plan. Once complete, the plan will serve to promote a stronger, more resilient community that will ensure a high quality of life for our residents and a better climate for economic expansion and prosperity.
Developers and other parties who are interested in learning more about the city's efforts in preparing its comprehensive plan and other economic development activities occurring in East Providence are encouraged to visit the city's website at www.eastprovidence.com or the city's Waterfront District website at www.eastprovidencewaterfront.com.
James Moran is the economic planner for East Providence, R.I.