2017 -- H 6367

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LC002952

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AND PROJECTS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Messier, Coughlin, Johnston, Tobon, and Barros

     Date Introduced: June 27, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-31-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-31 entitled

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"Redevelopment Agencies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-31-8. Definitions.

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     The following definitions and general provisions govern the construction of chapters 31 -

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- 33 of this title:

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     (1) "Agency" means a redevelopment agency created by this chapter.

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     (2) "Arrested blighted area" means any area which, by reason of the existence of physical

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conditions including, but not by way of limitation, the existence of unsuitable soil conditions, the

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existence of dumping or other unsanitary or unsafe conditions, the existence of ledge or rock, the

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necessity of unduly expensive excavation, fill or grading, or the necessity of undertaking unduly

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expensive measures for the drainage of the area or for the prevention of flooding or for making

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the area appropriate for sound development, or by reason of obsolete, inappropriate, or otherwise

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faulty platting or subdivision, deterioration of site improvements, inadequacy of utilities, diversity

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of ownership of plots, or tax delinquencies, or by reason of any combination of any of the

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foregoing conditions, is unduly costly to develop soundly through the ordinary operations of

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private enterprise and impairs the sound growth of the community.

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     (3) "Blighted and substandard area" includes a "slum blighted area", a "deteriorated

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blighted area", or an "arrested blighted area", or any combination of these areas. "Blighted and

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substandard area" shall also include those areas where the presence of hazardous materials, as

 

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defined in § 23-19.14-2, impairs the use, reuse, or redevelopment of impacted sites.

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     (4) "Bonds of agency" means any bonds, notes, interim certificates, debentures, or other

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obligations issued by an agency pursuant to §§ 45-33-5 -- 45-33-15.

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     (5) "Community" means a city or town.

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     (6) "Deteriorated blighted area" means any area in which there exist buildings or

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improvements, either used or intended to be used for living, commercial, industrial, or other

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purposes, or any combination of these uses, which by reason of:

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     (i) Dilapidation, deterioration, age, or obsolescence;

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     (ii) Inadequate provision for ventilation, light, sanitation, open spaces, and recreation

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facilities;

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     (iii) High density of population and overcrowding,

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     (iv) Defective design or unsanitary or unsafe character or conditions of physical

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construction;

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     (v) Defective or inadequate street and lot layout; and

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     (vi) Mixed character, shifting, or deterioration of uses to which they are put, or any

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combination of these factors and characteristics, are conducive to the further deterioration and

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decline of the area to the point where it may become a slum blighted area as defined in

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subdivision (18), and are detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of the

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inhabitants of the community and of the state generally. A deteriorated blighted area need not be

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restricted to, or consist entirely of, lands, buildings, or improvements which of themselves are

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detrimental or inimical to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare, but may consist of an area

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in which these conditions exist and injuriously affect the entire area.

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     (7) "Federal government" means the United States of America or any agency or

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instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States of America.

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     (8) "Legislative body" means the city council or town council.

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     (9) "Obligee of the agency" or "obligee" include any bondholder, trustee or trustees for

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any bondholder, or lessor demising to the agency property used in connection with a

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redevelopment project or any assignee or assignees of that lessor, and the federal government.

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     (10) "Planning commission" or "commission" means a planning commission or other

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planning agency established under any state law or created by or pursuant to the charter of the

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community.

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     (11) "Project area" means all or any portion of a redevelopment area. A project area may

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include lands, buildings, or improvements which of themselves are not detrimental or inimical to

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the public health, safety, morals, or welfare, but whose inclusion is necessary, with or without

 

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change in their conditions or ownership, for the effective redevelopment of the area of which they

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are a part.

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     (12) "Public hearing" means a hearing before a legislative body or before any committee

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of the legislative body to which the matter to be heard has been referred.

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     (13) "Real property" means lands, including lands underwater and waterfront property,

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buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements to the lands, and every estate, interest, privilege,

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easement, franchise and right, legal or equitable, including rights of way, terms for years and

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liens, charges or encumbrances by way of judgment, attachment, mortgage, or otherwise, and the

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indebtedness secured by liens.

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     (14) "Redevelopment" means the elimination and prevention of the spread of blighted

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and substandard areas. Redevelopment may include the planning, replanning, acquisition,

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construction, rehabilitation, improvement, furnishing, equipping, clearance, sale, lease, or other

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disposition, or any combination of these, of land, buildings, or other improvements (even though

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such land, buildings or other improvements are not blighted or substandard, provided that such

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land, buildings or other improvements are in a redevelopment area) for residential, recreational,

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commercial, industrial, institutional, public, or other purposes, including the provision of streets,

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utilities, recreational areas, and other infrastructure and other open spaces consistent with the

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needs of sound community growth in accordance with the community's general plan and carrying

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out plans for a program of voluntary repair and rehabilitation of buildings or other improvements,

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and may include such other acts within a redevelopment area permitted pursuant to chapters 31

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through 33, inclusive, of this title as determined by the legislative body to be consistent with the

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purposes of chapters 31 through 33, inclusive, of this title.

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     (15) "Redevelopment area" means any area of a community which its legislative body

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finds is a blighted and substandard an area whose redevelopment is necessary to effectuate the

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public purposes declared in this chapter.

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     (16) "Redevelopment plan" means a plan, as it exists from time to time, for a

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redevelopment project, which:

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     (i) Conforms to the general plan for the community as a whole; and

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     (ii) Is sufficiently complete to indicate land acquisition, demolition and removal of

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structures, redevelopment, improvements, and rehabilitation as may be proposed to be carried out

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in the project area, zoning and planning changes, if any, land uses, maximum densities, building

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requirements, and the plan's relationship to definite local objectives, respecting appropriate land

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uses, improved traffic, public transportation, public utilities, recreational and community

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facilities, and other public improvements.

 

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     (17) "Redevelopment project" means any work or undertaking of an agency pursuant to

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chapters 31 -- 33 of this title.

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     (18) "Slum blighted area" means any area in which there is a predominance of buildings

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or improvements, either used or intended to be used for living, commercial, industrial, or other

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purposes, or any combination of these uses, which by reason of: (i) dilapidation, deterioration,

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age, or obsolescence; (ii) inadequate provision for ventilation, light, sanitation, open spaces, and

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recreation facilities; (iii) high density of population and overcrowding; (iv) defective design or

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unsanitary or unsafe character or condition of physical construction; (v) defective or inadequate

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street and lot layout; and (vi) mixed character or shifting of uses to which they are put, or any

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combination of these factors and characteristics, are conducive to ill health, transmission of

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disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, and crime; injuriously affect the entire area and

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constitute a menace to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of the inhabitants of the

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community and of the state generally. A slum blighted area need not be restricted to, or consist

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entirely of, lands, buildings, or improvements which of themselves are detrimental or inimical to

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the public health, safety, morals, or welfare, but may consist of an area in which these conditions

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predominate and injuriously affect the entire area.

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     (19) "State government" means the state of Rhode Island, or any agency or

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instrumentality of the state, corporate or otherwise.

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     (20) "State public body" means the state, or any city or town or any other subdivision or

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public body of the state or of any city or town.

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     SECTION 2. Section 45-32-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-32 entitled

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"Redevelopment Projects" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-32-5. Corporate powers of agencies.

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     (a) Each redevelopment agency constitutes a public body, corporate and politic,

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exercising public and essential governmental functions, and has all the powers necessary and

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convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of chapters 31 -- 33 of this

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title, including the powers enumerated in this section in addition to others granted by these

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chapters:

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     (1) To sue and be sued; to borrow money; to compromise and settle claims; to have a

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seal; and to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the

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exercise of its powers.

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     (2) To make, and, from time to time, amend and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations,

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consistent with chapters 31 -- 33 of this title, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of these

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chapters.

 

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     (3) To select and appoint officers, agents, counsel, and employees, permanent and

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temporary, as it may require, and determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation.

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     (4) Within the redevelopment area or for purposes of redevelopment: to purchase, lease,

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obtain an option upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any real or personal

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property, or any estate or interest in it, together with any improvements on it; to acquire by the

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exercise of the power of eminent domain any real property or any estate or interest in it, although

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temporarily not required to achieve the purposes of chapters 31 -- 33 of this title; to clear,

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demolish, or remove any and all buildings, structures, or other improvements from any real

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property so acquired; to rehabilitate or otherwise improve any or all substandard buildings,

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structures, or other improvements; to insure or provide for the insurance of any real or personal

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property or operations of the agency against risk or hazard; and to rent, maintain, rehabilitate,

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improve, manage, operate, repair, and clear the property.

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     (5) To develop as a building site or sites any real property owned or acquired by it.

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     (6) To cause streets and highways to be laid out and graded, and pavements or other road

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surfacing, sidewalks, and curbs, public utilities of every kind, parks, playgrounds, and other

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recreational areas, off street parking areas and other public improvements to be constructed and

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installed.

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     (7) To prepare or have prepared all plans necessary for the redevelopment of blighted and

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substandard areas; with the consent and approval of the community planning commission, to

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carry on and perform, for and on behalf of the commission, all or any part of the planning

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activities and functions within the community; to undertake and perform, for the community,

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industrial, commercial, and family relocation services; to obtain appraisals and title searches; to

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make investigations, studies, and surveys of physical, economic, and social conditions and trends

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pertaining to a community; to develop, test, and report methods and techniques and carry out

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research and other activities for the prevention and the elimination of blighted and substandard

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conditions and to apply for, accept, and utilize grants of funds from the federal government and

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other sources for those purposes; and to enter upon any building or property in any

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redevelopment area in order to make investigations, studies, and surveys, and, in the event entry

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is denied or resisted, an agency may petition the superior court in and for the county in which the

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land lies for an order for this purpose. Upon the filing of a petition, due notice of it shall be served

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on the person denying or resisting entry, and after a hearing on the petition, the court shall enter

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an order granting or denying the petition.

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     (8) To undertake technical assistance to property owners and other private persons to

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encourage, implement, and facilitate voluntary improvement of real property.

 

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     (9) To undertake and carry out code enforcement projects pursuant to the provisions of

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appropriate federal legislation.

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     (10) To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds or any funds not required for

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immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest

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funds subject to their control; and to purchase its bonds at a price not more than the principal

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amount and accrued interest, all bonds so purchased to be cancelled.

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     (11) To lend money, and to sell, lease, exchange, subdivide, transfer, assign, pledge,

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encumber (by mortgage, deed of trust, or otherwise), or otherwise dispose of any real or personal

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property or any estate or interest in it acquired under the provisions of chapters 31 -- 33 of this

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title, to the United States, the state government, any state public body, or any private corporation,

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firm, or individual at its fair value for uses in accordance with the redevelopment plan,

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irrespective of the cost of acquiring and preparing the property for redevelopment. In determining

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the fair value of the property for uses in accordance with the redevelopment plan, the agency shall

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take into account, and give consideration to, the uses and purposes required by the plan, the

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restrictions upon, and the obligations assumed by the purchaser or lessee of the property, and the

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objectives of the redevelopment plan for the prevention of the recurrence of blighted and

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substandard conditions. Any lease or sale of the property may be made without public bidding

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provided, that no sale or lease is made until at least ten (10) days after the legislative body of the

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community has received from the agency a report concerning the proposed sale or lease.

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     (12) To obligate the purchaser or lessee of any real or personal property or any estate or

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interest in it to:

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     (i) Use the property only for the purpose and in the manner stated in the redevelopment

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plan;

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     (ii) Begin and complete the construction or rehabilitation of any structure or improvement

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within a period of time which the agency fixes as reasonable; and

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     (iii) Comply with other conditions that in the opinion of the agency are necessary to

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prevent the recurrence of blighted and substandard conditions and otherwise to carry out the

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purposes of chapters 31 -- 33 of this title. The agency, by contractual provisions, may make any

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of the purchasers' or lessees' obligations, covenants, or conditions running with the land, and may

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provide that, upon breach thereof, the fee reverts to the agency.

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     (13) To exercise all or any part or combination of the powers granted in this chapter.

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     (b)(14) Nothing contained in this chapter authorizes an agency to To construct any new

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buildings for residential, recreational, commercial, or industrial, institutional, public or other uses

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contemplated by the redevelopment plan.

 

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     (15) To grant or loan any redevelopment project revenues, or other revenues, including

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the proceeds of any issue of bonds or notes issued pursuant to this chapter to an individual or any

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nonprofit organization or governmental or quasi-governmental entity or private enterprise, in

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order to finance the cost of any portion of a redevelopment project authorized pursuant to

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chapters 31 through 33 of this title, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the

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cost of acquiring land for, and constructing or rehabilitating, furnishing and equipping residential,

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commercial, industrial, institutional, public, or recreational facilities, within a redevelopment

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area, or to loan bond or note proceeds in order to refinance any such loans.

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     (c)(b) Nothing contained in this chapter authorizes an agency to retain for a period in

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excess of five (5) years from the date of acquisition, or within another additional period of time

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that the legislative body fixes as reasonable, the fee or any estate or interest in it to any building,

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structure, or other improvement, not demolished or otherwise removed, which has been acquired

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by the agency in accordance with the redevelopment plan.

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     SECTION 3. The provisions of this act are severable, and if any of its provisions are held

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unconstitutional or invalid for any reason by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of

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the court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions.

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     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AND PROJECTS

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     This act would permit redevelopment agencies to finance the construction of projects for

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residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, institutional, public, or other purposes

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contemplated by a redevelopment plan.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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