About
This citizen board is charged with developing the city’s plans for preservation, revitalization and growth of the city. Working with the citizens of Providence and the staff of the Department of Planning and Development, the commission develops the city’s Comprehensive Plan and ensure that all planning documents are based on the goals and policies of the plan. The Commission also works to insure that development in the city is consistent with the city’s plan by reviewing all land development projects, applications for zone change and requests for street abandonment.
Duties & Responsibilities
The City Plan Commission is responsible for planning activities in the city, including but not limited to:
- Preparing and adopting a Comprehensive Plan, including any amendments, for the City of Providence.
- Providing advisory opinions to the City Council on all amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, including map changes.
- Providing advisory opinions to the City Council on all amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, including map changes.
- Providing advisory opinions on any other matters referred by the City Council or Mayor, including requests for abandonment of city streets and creation of easements across city rights-of-way. Reviewing Redevelopment Plans for consistency with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
- Reviewing and approving all proposed subdivisions and land development projects.
- Reviewing and approving the annual Capital Improvement Program and Budget.
- Reviewing Institutional Master Plans for health care and higher educational institutions.
Other responsibilities as identified in Rhode Island General Law, the Providence Zoning Ordinance and Home Rule Charter.
The Providence Zoning Ordinance is Chapter 27 of the City’s Code of Ordinances. The link above will take you to a searchable version of the entire code of ordinances, you can select Chapter 27 from the expandable menu on the left side of the screen.
Review Process
The Commission is responsible for reviewing several different types of development:
- Capital Improvement Program Budget
- Comprehensive Permits
- Comprehensive Plan
- Creation of easements
- Development in RP- Residential Professional Districts
- Institutional Master Plans
- Land Development Projects
- Redevelopment Projects
- Street Abandonments
- Subdivision of Land
- Zoning Ordinance Amendments
Membership
The City Plan Commission (CPC), as established by Section 1013 of the Providence Home Rule Charter, is a board consisting of seven volunteer members who are city residents. Five of the members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council in accordance with the following requirements:
- Experience in real estate, development or finance (one member)
- Experience in city planning, architecture or urban design (one member)
- Experience in human services or environmental sciences (one member)
- Representation of general citizenry of the city (two members)
The Mayor and the Council President or their designees serve as ex-officio members.
City Plan Commission Current Members:
- Michael Gazdacko, Chair
- Nicole Verdi, Vice Chair
- Noel Sanchez
- Miguel Quezada
- Will Sherry
- Charlotte Lipschitz
- Dave Caldwell
Regulations
- Subdivision and Development Review Regulations – Effective January 1, 2024
- Zoning Ordinance
Application Forms
- Major Land Development Project application
- Minor Land Development Project application
- Major Subdivision application
- Minor Subdivision application
- Administrative Subdivision application
- Development Plan Review application
- Unified Development Review application
Meetings, Agendas, and Documents
Click here for agendas and minutes of the City Plan Commission
View past meetings on the CPC’s Youtube channel
Examine documents and materials from previous meetings in the CPC Archive