Cranston planning commission advances housing element for state review, debates density and parking guidance

At an Aug. 27 Planning Commission workshop, the commission’s chair and planning staff said they will submit Cranston’s revised housing element — including a draft inclusionary zoning bylaw as an appendix — to state reviewers so the city can seek statewide approval required under recent state housing rules.

The proposed submission is intended to make Cranston eligible for a range of state review outcomes tied to the new Housing 2030 guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Housing, staff said. The chair told the commission, “our comprehensive plan has not been approved by the state. We need to submit it to the state,” and framed the filing as necessary to make the city’s affordable-housing policies count under state review.

Commissioners, staff and members of the public debated how detailed the submission should be and whether the city should finalize implementing ordinances before the state completes its review. The chair and planning director said the draft inclusionary zoning text will be submitted as part of the package but that final city council adoption could wait until after statewide planning’s comments are received.

Commissioners…