The city of East Providence undertook the drafting of this East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Plan (Waterfront District Plan) to articulate and frame a plan, vision and strategies to transform over 300 acres of the city's currently underutilized waterfront along the Providence and Seekonk Rivers to a mix of land uses, including: commercial; office; medium and high density residential; entertainment and hospitality; restaurants; marinas; civic, and recreational uses, particularly those oriented towards the water.
A fundamental goal of the plan is to ensure that the currently underutilized properties of the waterfront once again become vital economic resources for the state and city and that these revitalized properties remain sustainable over time. The following vision principles are intended to guide the city's decisions when considering the appropriate land uses for the waterfront, and in planning for the economic vitality of the city as a whole.
The Waterfront District is administered by the East ProvidenceWaterfront Special Development District Commission, a nineteen member body that is responsible for the implementation of the Waterfront Special Development District Plan. Commission appointments consist of five members appointed by the city council and five members appointed by the governor. A chair to the commission is jointly appointed by the city council and the governor. Additional non-voting ex-officio appointments include one appointment by the senate president and one appointment by the speaker of the house. The remaining non-voting ex-officio members include the city manager, city planning director, city public works director, the executive director of the RI Economic Development Corp., the director of the Department of Transportation and the director of the Department of Environmental Management. The acting executive director of the Waterfront District Commission is the director of planning and Urban Development, Jeanne Boyle.
James Moran is the economic planner for the city of East Providence.