2019 -- H 5693

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LC001792

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS

     

     Introduced By: Representative Joseph J. Solomon

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Corporations

     (Dept. of Administration)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 37-6-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 37-6 entitled "Acquisition of

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Land" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     37-6-2. Rules, regulations, and procedures of committee.

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     (a) The state properties committee is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt and

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prescribe rules of procedure and regulations, and from time to time amend, change, and eliminate

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rules and regulations, and make such orders and perform such actions as it may deem necessary

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to the proper administration of this chapter and §§ 37-7-1 -- 37-7-9. In the performance of the

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commission's duties hereunder, the commission may in any particular case prescribe a variation

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in procedure or regulation when it shall deem it necessary in view of the exigencies of the case

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and the importance of speedy action in order to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter

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and §§ 37-7-1 -- 37-7-9. The commission shall file written notice thereof in the office of the

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secretary of state. All filings shall be available for public inspection.

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     (b) The following siting criteria shall be utilized whenever current existing leases expire

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or additional office space is needed:

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     (1) A preference shall be given to sites designated as enterprise zone census tracts

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pursuant to chapter 64.3 of title 42, or in blighted and/or substandard areas pursuant to § 45-31-8,

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or in downtown commercial areas where it can be shown the facilities would make a significant

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impact on the economic vitality of the community's central business district;

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     (2) Consideration should be given to adequate access via public transportation for both

 

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employees as well as the public being served, and, where appropriate, adequate parking; and

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     (3) A site must be consistent with the respective community's local comprehensive plan;

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and.

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     (4) The division of planning within the department of administration shall be included in

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the evaluation of all future lease proposals.

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     (c) The state properties committee shall explain, in writing, how each site selected by the

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committee for a state facility meets the criteria described in subsection (b) of this section.

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     (d) For any lease, rental agreement or extension of an existing rental agreement for leased

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office and operating space which carries a term of five (5) years or longer, including any options

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or extensions that bring the total term to five (5) years or longer, where the state is the tenant and

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the aggregate rent of the terms exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) the state

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properties committee shall request approval of the general assembly prior to entering into any

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new agreements or signing any extensions with existing landlords. The state properties

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committee, in the form of a resolution, shall provide information relating to the purpose of the

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lease or rental agreement, the agency's current lease or rental costs, the expiration date of any

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present lease or rental agreement, the range of costs of a new lease or rental agreement, the

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proposed term of a new agreement, and the location and owner of the desired property.

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     SECTION 2. Sections 45-23-53 and 45-23-54 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-23

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entitled "Subdivision of Land" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-23-53. Local regulations -- Public hearing and notice requirements.

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     (a) No local regulations shall be adopted, repealed, or amended until after a public

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hearing has been held upon the question before the city or town planning board. The city or town

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planning board shall first give notice of the public hearing by publication of notice in a newspaper

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of general circulation within the municipality at least once each week for three (3) successive

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weeks prior to the date of the hearing, which may include the week in which the hearing is to be

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held. At this hearing, opportunity shall be given to all persons interested on being heard upon the

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matter of the proposed regulations. Written notice, which may be a copy of the newspaper notice,

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shall be mailed to the statewide planning program of the Rhode Island department of

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administration at least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing. The newspaper notice shall be

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published as a display advertisement, using a type size at least as large as the normal type size

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used by the newspaper in its news articles, and shall:

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     (1) Specify the place of the hearing and the date and time of its commencement;

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     (2) Indicate that adoption, amendment, or repeal of local regulations is under

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consideration;

 

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     (3) Contain a statement of the proposed amendments to the regulations that may be

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printed once in its entirety, or may summarize or describe the matter under consideration as long

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as the intent and effect of the proposed regulation is expressly written in that notice;

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     (4) Advise those interested where and when a copy of the matter under consideration may

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be obtained or examined and copied; and

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     (5) State that the proposals shown on the notice may be altered or amended prior to the

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close of the public hearing without further advertising as a result of further study or because of

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the views expressed at the public hearing. Any alteration or amendment must be presented for

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comment in the course of the hearing.

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     (b) Notice of the public hearing shall be sent by first class mail to the city or town

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planning board of any municipality where there is a public or quasi-public water source, or

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private water source that is used, or is suitable for use as a public water source, located within two

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thousand feet (2,000') of the municipal boundaries.

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     (c) Notice of a public hearing shall be sent to the governing body of any state or

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municipal water department or agency, special water district, or private water company that has

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riparian rights to a surface water resource and/or surface watershed that is used or is suitable for

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use as a public water source located within either the municipality or two thousand feet (2,000')

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of the municipal boundaries; provided, that a map survey has been filed with the building

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inspector as specified in § 45-24-53(f).

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     (d) Notwithstanding any of the requirements set forth in subsections (a) through (c)

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above, each municipality shall establish and maintain a public notice registry allowing any person

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or entity to register for electronic notice of any changes to the local regulations. Municipalities

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shall annually provide public notice of existence of said registry by a publication of notice in a

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newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. In addition, each municipality is hereby

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encouraged to provide public notice of the existence of the public notice registry in all of its

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current and future communications with the public, including, but not limited to, governmental

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websites, electronic newsletters, public bulletins, press releases, and all other means the

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municipality may use to impart information to the local community.

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     (1) Provided, however, notice pursuant to a public notice registry as per this section does

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not alone qualify a person or entity on the public notice registry as an "aggrieved party" under §

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45-24-31(4).

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     (e) No defect in the form of any notice under this section renders any regulations invalid,

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unless the defect is found to be intentional or misleading.

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     (f) The requirements in this section are to be construed as minimum requirements.

 

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     45-23-54. Local regulations -- Publication and availability.

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     (a) Printed copies of the local regulations are available to the general public and shall be

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revised to include all amendments. Any appendices are also available. A reasonable charge may

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be made for copies.

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     (b) Upon publication of local regulations and any amendments to the local regulations,

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the municipality shall send a copy to the department of administration's statewide planning

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program and to the state law library.

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     SECTION 3. Sections 45-24-45 and 45-24-53 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24

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entitled "Zoning Ordinances" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-24-45. General provisions -- Publication and availability of zoning ordinances.

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     (a) Printed copies of the zoning ordinance and map(s) of a city or town shall be available

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to the general public and revised to include all amendments. A reasonable charge may be made

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for copies to reflect printing and distribution costs.

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     (b) Upon publication of a zoning ordinance and map, and any amendments to them, the

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city or town clerk shall send a copy, without charge, to the statewide planning program of the

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department of administration and to the state law library.

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     45-24-53. Adoption -- Notice and hearing requirements.

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     (a) No zoning ordinance shall be adopted, repealed, or amended until after a public

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hearing has been held upon the question before the city or town council. The city or town council

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shall first give notice of the public hearing by publication of notice in a newspaper of general

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circulation within the city or town at least once each week for three (3) successive weeks prior to

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the date of the hearing, which may include the week in which the hearing is to be held, at which

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hearing opportunity shall be given to all persons interested to be heard upon the matter of the

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proposed ordinance. Written notice, which may be a copy of the newspaper notice, shall be

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mailed to the statewide planning program of the department of administration, and, where

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applicable, to the parties specified in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section, at least

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two (2) weeks prior to the hearing. The newspaper notice shall be published as a display

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advertisement, using a type size at least as large as the normal type size used by the newspaper in

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its news articles, and shall:

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     (1) Specify the place of the hearing and the date and time of its commencement;

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     (2) Indicate that adoption, amendment, or repeal of a zoning ordinance is under

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consideration;

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     (3) Contain a statement of the proposed amendments to the ordinance that may be printed

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once in its entirety, or summarize and describe the matter under consideration as long as the

 

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intent and effect of the proposed ordinance is expressly written in that notice;

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     (4) Advise those interested where and when a copy of the matter under consideration may

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be obtained or examined and copied; and

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     (5) State that the proposals shown on the ordinance may be altered or amended prior to

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the close of the public hearing without further advertising, as a result of further study or because

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of the views expressed at the public hearing. Any alteration or amendment must be presented for

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comment in the course of the hearing.

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     (b) Where a proposed general amendment to an existing zoning ordinance includes

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changes in an existing zoning map, public notice shall be given as required by subsection (a) of

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this section.

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     (c) Where a proposed text amendment to an existing zoning ordinance would cause a

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conforming lot of record to become nonconforming by lot area or frontage, written notice shall be

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given to all owners of the real property as shown on the current real estate tax assessment records

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of the city or town. The notice shall be given at least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing at which

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the text amendment is to be considered, with the content required by subsection (a). If the city or

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town zoning ordinance contains an existing merger clause to which the nonconforming lots would

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be subject, the notice shall include reference to the merger clause and the impacts of common

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ownership of nonconforming lots. The sender of the notice shall utilize and obtain a United States

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Postal Service certificate of mailing, and the certificate or an electronic copy thereof shall be

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retained to demonstrate proof of the mailing.

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     (d) Where a proposed amendment to an existing ordinance includes a specific change in a

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zoning district map, but does not affect districts generally, public notice shall be given as required

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by subsection (a) of this section, with the additional requirements that:

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     (1) Notice shall include a map showing the existing and proposed boundaries, zoning

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district boundaries, existing streets and roads and their names, and city and town boundaries

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where appropriate; and

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     (2) Written notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing and the nature and

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purpose of the hearing shall be sent to all owners of real property whose property is located in or

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within not less than two hundred feet (200') of the perimeter of the area proposed for change,

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whether within the city or town or within an adjacent city or town. Notice shall also be sent to any

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individual or entity holding a recorded conservation or preservation restriction on the property

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that is the subject of the amendment. The notice shall be sent by registered, certified, or first-class

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mail to the last known address of the owners, as shown on the current real estate tax assessment

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records of the city or town in which the property is located; provided, for any notice sent by first-

 

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class mail, the sender of the notice shall utilize and obtain a United States Postal Service

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certificate of mailing, PS form 3817, or any applicable version thereof, to demonstrate proof of

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such mailing.

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     (e) Notice of a public hearing shall be sent by first-class mail to the city or town council

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of any city or town to which one or more of the following pertain:

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     (1) That is located in or within not less than two hundred feet (200') of the boundary of

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the area proposed for change; or

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     (2) Where there is a public or quasi-public water source, or private water source that is

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used, or is suitable for use, as a public water source, within two thousand feet (2,000') of any real

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property that is the subject of a proposed zoning change, regardless of municipal boundaries.

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     (f) Notice of a public hearing shall be sent to the governing body of any state or

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municipal water department or agency, special water district, or private water company that has

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riparian rights to a surface water resource or surface watershed that is used, or is suitable for use,

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as a public water source and that is within two thousand feet (2,000') of any real property that is

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the subject of a proposed zoning change; provided, that the governing body of any state or

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municipal water department or agency, special water district, or private water company has filed

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with the building inspector in the city or town a map survey, that shall be kept as a public record,

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showing areas of surface water resources and/or watersheds and parcels of land within two

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thousand feet (2,000') thereof.

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     (g) Notwithstanding any of the requirements set forth in subsections (a) through (e), each

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municipality shall establish and maintain a public notice registry allowing any person or entity to

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register for electronic notice of any changes to the zoning ordinance. The city or town shall

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provide public notice annually of the existence of the electronic registry by publication of notice

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in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or town. In addition, each municipality is

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hereby encouraged to provide public notice of the existence of the public notice registry in all of

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its current and future communications with the public, including, but not limited to, governmental

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websites, electronic newsletters, public bulletins, press releases, and all other means the

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municipality may use to impart information to the local community.

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     (1) Provided, however, notice pursuant to a public notice registry as per this section does

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not alone qualify a person or entity on the public notice registry as an "aggrieved party" under §

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45-24-31(4).

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     (h) No defect in the form of any notice under this section shall render any ordinance or

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amendment invalid, unless the defect is found to be intentional or misleading.

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     (i) Costs of any notice required under this section shall be borne by the applicant.

 

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     (j) In granting a zoning ordinance amendment, notwithstanding the provisions of § 45-24-

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37, the town or city council may limit the change to one of the permitted uses in the zone to

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which the subject land is rezoned and impose limitations, conditions, and restrictions, including,

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without limitation: (1) Requiring the petitioner to obtain a permit or approval from any and all

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state or local governmental agencies or instrumentalities having jurisdiction over the land and use

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that are the subject of the zoning change; (2) Those relating to the effectiveness or continued

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effectiveness of the zoning change; and/or (3) Those relating to the use of the land as it deems

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necessary. The responsible town or city official shall cause the limitations and conditions so

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imposed to be clearly noted on the zoning map and recorded in the land evidence records;

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provided, that in the case of a conditional zone change, the limitations, restrictions, and

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conditions shall not be noted on the zoning map until the zone change has become effective. If the

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permitted use for which the land has been rezoned is abandoned or if the land is not used for the

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requested purpose for a period of two (2) years or more after the zone change becomes effective,

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the town or city council may, after a public hearing, change the land to its original zoning use

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before the petition was filed. If any limitation, condition, or restriction in an ordinance is held to

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be invalid by a court in any action, that holding shall not cause the remainder of the ordinance to

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be invalid.

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     (k) The above requirements are to be construed as minimum requirements.

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     SECTION 4. Section 46-23-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-23 entitled "Coastal

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Resources Management Council" is hereby repealed.

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     46-23-17. Annual progress report on rights-of-way.

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     Within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, the council shall submit a

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written progress report on the development of public rights-of-way to the tidal water areas of the

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state, to the state planning council, the department of environmental management, and the joint

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committee on the environment, for review, evaluation, and recommendation of the program's

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suitability, relevance to the recreation element of the state guide plan, and impact on the natural

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resources of the state. The report shall also provide detailed records of expenditures and a

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proposed schedule of future projects.

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     SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS

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     This act would eliminate the division of planning from the evaluation process of future

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lease proposals for state properties. The act would also eliminate the requirement that a copy of

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the notice for local planning board hearings and any zoning amendments be provided to the

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statewide planning program of the department of administration, and repeal the requirement for

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written progress reports on development of public rights-of-way to tidal water areas.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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