Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Text Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee OKs comprehensive zoning text updates; resident warns renters lack notice rights
Summary
City council committee approved broad zoning ordinance text amendments to align with state law and the comprehensive plan. A public commenter said current notice and objection rules exclude many renters; staff said state law limits who may object and changing that would require state action.
The Providence Committee on Ordinance approved a package of text amendments to the zoning ordinance intended to keep the city code consistent with recent changes to the state zoning enabling act, implement comprehensive plan goals, and make technical corrections.
Bob Azar of the Department of Planning and Development explained the amendments stem from multiple years of state‑level changes to the zoning enabling act and said the local updates are intended to reduce the need for variances by clarifying how land may be developed. The committee included two letters from the City Plan Commission addressing the proposal.
During public comment, Shandar Tsai raised concerns about notice provisions in the draft ordinance (citing sections on written notice to owners and neighborhood character‑based modifications). Tsai said the provisions notify property owners listed on tax assessment records but omit renters, leaving many residents without notice or the right to object: "...those ordinances exclude over 50% of the residents in Providence because they're renters... they don't receive any notification... it's not fair."
Azar and the chair responded that the language in the ordinance mirrors state law and that under the current zoning enabling act the state defines who is entitled to notice and who may file objections; expanding notice or objection rights would require changes at the state level.
Following comment, the committee closed the public hearing and approved the ordinance as amended (motion by Council member Varga; second by Councilwoman Harris). The vote was by voice and recorded as 'the ayes have it.' The transcript shows the committee entered CPC letters and other testimony into the record for Item 3.
