CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE CITY COUNCIL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the East Providence City Council at East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 6:30PM to amend the City Code of Ordinances – Chapter 2 Administration and Chapter 19 Zoning Ordinance. These changes are being made in order to conform to approved RI General Assembly bills 2024-H7026A, 2024-H7324A, 2024-H7382A, 2024-H7948A, 2024-H7949Aaa, 2024-H7950, 2024H7951A and 2024-H7980Aaa, which require municipalities to amend certain aspects of their Zoning Ordinances.
Changes to Chapter 2 Administration include the following:
• Amends Section 2-172 to add development plan review and unified development review to the responsibilities of the Planning Board as per state law.
Major changes to Chapter 19 Zoning Ordinance include the following:
• Amends, eliminates, and/or adds definitions to Article I, as per 2024-H7949Aaa, 2024H7980Aaa, 2024-H7324A and 2024-H7026A.
• Amends notice requirements for special use permit, variance, appeal and zoning amendments applications, Section 19-41 to 54, Section 19-72 to 74 and Section 19-477 as per 2024H7949Aaa.
• Amends Schedule of Use Regulations, Sec. 19-98, to require special use permits for duplexes and multifamily dwellings and creates special permit standards in Section 19-360.10 to .11. as per 2023-S1032A.
• Amends the manner in which dimensional requirements are calculated for undersized lots in Section 19-132 as per 2024-H7949Aaa • Amends standards for the City to determine lot mergers in Section 19-133 as per 2024H7949Aaa.
• Amends Section 19-134 to require a maximum floor area ratio of 3 as per 2024 H-7324A
• Amends Section 19-139 to allow more than one residential structure per lot in the R-5 district and to exempt Accessory Dwelling Units from the this section.
• Amends Section 19-181 to allow for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) as per 2024-H7062A. Minimum lot size of 7,500 square feet is proposed for either the construction of a detached ADU or the expansion of the footprint of an existing structure to accommodate an ADU. One additional off-street parking space shall be provided for any ADU that is greater than 1 bedroom in size, or that is located on a property that does not meet at least 50% of the minimum required parking standard for the existing use(s).
• Amends Section 19-216 to clarify language regarding density requirements for multifamily dwellings.
• Amends Division 11 – Off Street Parking Regulations, to eliminate requirements for zoning officer review in favor of other review processes including Development Plan Review and Land Development Project review.
• Amends the term “trailer” with “manufactured homes” in Article 1 and Division 14 per 2024H7980Aaa. Amends notice requirements for Wireless Telephone Communication Towers and Antennas in Division 17 to be consistent with 2024-H7949Aaa.
• Amends Article V and Article VIII to enable zoning incentives as required per 2023 H-6059
Specifically, the following will be amended, altered, changed or created in Chapter 2 Administration:
• Division 7, Section 2-172
Specifically, the following will be amended, altered, changed, or created in Chapter 19 Zoning:
• Article I, Sections 19-1 • Article II, Sections 19-5 to 19-74 • Article III, Section 19-98
• Article IV, Section 19-132 to 19-360.11
• Article V, Section 19-361 to 19-364 • Article VIII, Section 19-449 to 19-450 • Article IX, Section 19-477 to 19-481
Anyone wishing to be heard on the proposed matter should be present at the aforementioned date and time. At the public hearing, opportunity shall be given to all persons interested to be heard upon the matter of the proposed amendments. The amendments in their entirety are available on the City’s website at https://eastprovidenceri.gov/departments/planning-economic-development. Amendments can also be requested by contacting the East Providence Planning Department at planning@eastprovidenceri.gov or (401) 654-4288 or at City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914 room 309. The proposed amendments may be altered or amended prior to the close of the public hearing without further advertising as a result of further study or because of the views expressed at the public hearing. Individuals requesting interpreter services for the hearing impaired or needing other special services must call (401) 435-7500 or (401) 431-1633 (v/tdd) forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting date.
Link to Public Notice: https://eastprovidenceri.gov/sites/default/files/field/files-docs/ep_post_9.2.25_council_zoning_hearing_legal_ad.pdf
