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Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council (GCSC)

About

Streets and sidewalks carry not only people and goods, but also various utilities and stormwater runoff. City streets also represent a sizeable portion of the city’s overall land use, house many of its publicly managed trees, and serve as windows into the city for visitors and residents alike. City streets and sidewalks must serve people of all ages and abilities, while creating more mobility and independence for young people, seniors, and people with disabilities. They serve motorists, non-motorists, residents in wheelchairs, parents pushing strollers, kids biking and walking to school, and people who can’t afford to use, or prefer not to use motor vehicles.

The City of Providence will develop a safe, reliable, equitable, efficient, inviting, integrated and connected multimodal transportation system that will promote access, mobility and health for all users and abutters, while also improving environmental quality and reducing polluted stormwater runoff. The City will create a connected network of right-of-way facilities accommodating all modes of travel to the maximum practical extent. This network will promote walking and biking on city streets and sidewalks, provide access to public transportation, beautify and shade the City’s parks, schools, healthy food retail establishments, and reduce and treat polluted stormwater.

The Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council was created by ordinance in July 2021. Its responsibilities are to:

  • Review projects during their development for compliance with Code of Ordinances Section 1. Chapter 23 Article VII – Green and Complete Streets and make recommendations as necessary
  • Review applications for waivers or exceptions from the Ordinance
  • Review and recommend traffic calming on any streets that are not automatically approved for traffic calming as described in the Ordinance
  • Annually review City activities for compliance with the Ordinance and report to City Council  and Administration

The Advisory Council replaces the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission and the Traffic Calming Advisory Group, which both previously met to oversee scopes now completed by the Advisory Council.

The Department of Planning and Development provides administrative support to the Advisory Council.

Membership

Membership of the Advisory Council is described in the Ordinance as:

  • The Director of Public Works or his/her designee who shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member,
  • the Director of Planning and Development or his/her designee who shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member,
  • the Commissioner of Public Safety or his/her designee who shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member,
  • the Director of the Office of Sustainability or his/her designee who shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member,
  • the City Forester or his/her designee who shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member,
  • three members appointed by the Mayor, and
  • four members appointed by the City Council.

Current members of the Advisory Council are:

  • Alex Ellis, Principal Planner (Planning ex-officio)
  • Liza Farr, Curbside Administrator (DPW ex-officio)
  • Capt. Luis SanLucas (Public Safety ex-officio)
  • Emily Koo (Sustainability ex-officio)
  • Doug Still (City Forester ex-officio)
  • Rosie Jaswal (Council appointee, Chair)
  • Kathleen Gannon (Mayoral appointee, Vice Chair)
  • Dina Quezada (Mayoral appointee)
  • Denise Greenidge (Mayoral appointee)
  • Alana Deluty (Council appointee)
  • Will Cornwall (Council appointee)
  • Doug Johnson (Council appointee)

Meetings + Agendas

The Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council usually meets on the third Monday of every month at 4:00 PM at 444 Westminster Street in the 1st-floor conference room.

Click here for the 2022 meeting schedule of the Green and Complete Street Advisory Council.

Click here for agendas & minutes of the Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council.

April 18, 2022

March 24, 2022

Contacts

Alex Ellis, Principal Planner
401.680.8522

Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council
Department of Planning and Development
444 Westminster Street, Suite 3A
Providence, RI 02903-3215

Fax: 401.680.8400

Office Hours:
January-June and September-December: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
July-August: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday