Woonsocket Radio News Room

House approves Chairman Craven’s bills to make developing housing easier

Legislation is part of Speaker Shekarchi’s legislative package addressing the housing crisis in Rhode Island

 

            STATE HOUSE – The House of Representatives today passed two bills sponsored by Rep. Robert E. Craven, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, that relate to zoning standards and subdivision and land developments in order to spur more housing development in the state.

            Both bills are part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 14-bill package of legislation to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.

            “These bills will make is easier for vital housing developments to become a reality through clarifying and simplifying the processes relating to zoning standards and subdivision and land development permits.  Our state cannot afford to wait any longer when it comes to building more housing and I commend Speaker Shekarchi for tackling the daunting problem of the state’s housing crisis this legislative session.  These important bills will have a meaningful and significant impact on the lives of all Rhode Islanders and their need for proper and affordable housing,” said Chairman Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).

            The first bill (2023-H 6059A) would amend zoning standards and make changes to dimensional variance standards. The legislation further emphasizes the current requirement that each special use permit is required to have specific criteria for each allowed use, and clarifies and adjusts the process for the application and granting of administrative zoning approvals. This legislation does not change the process or permitting by municipalities and it adds a provision that allows municipalities, if they choose, to consider requests for relief for uses established by variance or permit. The legislation would be effective January 1, 2024.

            The second bill (2023-H 6061Aaa) would amend subdivision and land development permits and processes to provide more predictability and to standardize processes throughout the state.  The legislation provides clarification on the review process and categories of record and allows certain approvals to be done administratively under certain limited circumstances.  Municipal approval of all projects would still be required under the legislation.  It would be effective January 1, 2024.

            Both bills now head to the Senate for consideration.

A new poll shows President Biden and former President Trump currently in a dead heat in the upcoming presidential race. Quinnipiac University's latest national poll found registered voters evenly split in their choice for president in 2024, with 46 percent supporting President Biden and 46 percent supporting former President Trump. In a five-way matchup including independent and Green Party candidates, Biden and Trump are still tied with 37 percent support apiece, while independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. drew 16 percent support.        More pro-Palestinian protests are breaking out on U.S. campuses. Texas state troopers on horseback are at the University of Texas at Austin campus today as the "Palestine Solidarity Committee" says it wants to establish a foot hole at the UT Austin campus. The school says the protesters will not be allowed to set up any camps.        Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial resumes Thursday. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is expected to continue testifying for a third day, after explaining to the court how he paid people for the rights to negative stories about Trump only to never publish them in order to protect the presidential candidate. He's also expected to be questioned about Stormy Daniels, the adult film star whose alleged affair with Trump is at the heart of the criminal case.       Millions of salaried workers in the U.S. will soon qualify for overtime pay thanks to a new rule from the Biden administration. The rule announced Tuesday by the Department of Labor changes the threshold under which salaried employees become eligible for overtime. The department estimates that an extra four-million workers will qualify for overtime once the rule is implemented in January.        Ohio is allowing breastfeeding mothers to be excused from jury duty. The law says that if a prospective juror can provide documentation to the judge that they're currently breastfeeding their one-year-old or younger child, they can be excused. The State Senate passed it unanimously in September and Governor Mike DeWine signed the bill into law Tuesday.       The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs features three games tonight. In the East, the Boston Bruins will head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs for game three. In the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights will face off against the Stars in Dallas for game two of their series, and the Los Angeles Kings will play the Oilers in Edmonton in game two.        

Old News Archives