Sec. 2-172. - Powers and duties of board.

(a)

The planning board shall make careful studies of the construction, resources, possibilities and needs of the city with reference to its future and progressive development, and particularly shall investigate and consider any present or pending civic problems involving the physical construction, arrangement or equipment of the city. The board shall also study the causes and prevention of congestion of population, habitation or travel in the city, study the causes and prevention of slum districts and the improvements of any districts in the city which are run down or decreasing in value and study the public health or sanitary condition or public means and facilities for promoting the public health, comfort or welfare of the city.

(b)

It shall be the function and duty of the planning board to make and recommend to the city council for adoption a comprehensive plan for the physical development of the municipality which shall fulfill the requirements of G.L. 1956, § 45-22.2-1 et seq., and cover the following areas: Economic development, land use, housing, natural resources, circulation, cultural and natural resources, and services and facilities.

(c)

The planning board may make reports and recommendations relating to the comprehensive plan and development of the city to public officials and agencies, public utility companies, civic, educational, professional and other organizations and citizens.

(d)

It shall be a function of the planning board to adopt, modify and amend regulations and rules governing land development, development plan review, unified development review, and subdivision projects within the city and to control land development, development plan review, unified development review, and subdivision projects pursuant to these regulations and rules. These regulations and amendments thereto, shall be adopted after a public hearing in accordance with G.L. 1956, § 45-23-25 et seq. Printed copies of the regulations shall be available to the general public and shall be revised to include amendments. Any appendices shall also be available. A reasonable charge may be made for copies.

(e)

It shall recommend to the mayor, for inclusion by the mayor in his or her annual budget, a capital program of proposed capital projects for the five fiscal years next succeeding the budget year, the proposed projects to be arranged in order to preference with recommendations as to which projects should be constructed and in which year. The program of financing the capital projects shall also be presented. All public officials shall upon request furnish to the board, within a reasonable time, such available information as it may require for its work.

(f)

The board shall have authority and be required to perform the following functions:

(1)

Prepare plans for the clearance and rebuilding of slum districts in blighted areas within the city;

(2)

Promote public interest in the understanding of the board's planning, zoning, slum clearance and all other phases of the comprehensive plan;

(3)

Meet at least once each month and more often if necessary to accomplish its purposes and objectives;

(4)

Request additional assistance for special survey work from the mayor who may, at this discretion, assign to any department or direct such department to make such special studies as the board may request;

(5)

Make and recommend plans for the planning, improving and redeveloping of neighborhoods within the city;

(6)

Make and recommend plans for the replanning, reconstruction and redeveloping of any district which may be destroyed in whole or in part or seriously damaged by fire, earthquake, flood or other disaster;

(7)

Receive and review all applications for change of zoning made to the city council and consider the applications for recommendation to the council.

(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 2-172; Ch. 742, § I, 8-20-19; Ch. 944, § I(Att.), 9-2-25)