Tuesday, January 28, 2014 – 4:45pm
444 Westminster Street, First Floor[/alert] [box type=”note”]See also: The suburbanization of Olneyville[/alert]
Opening Session
- Call to Order
- Roll Call
- Approval of minutes from the December 17th meeting – for action
- Election of officers for the 2014 calendar year – for action
- Director’s Report
City Council Referral
1. City Council Referral: Petition to amend the Providence Zoning Ordinance The petitioner is requesting that Article 3 and appendix A of the zoning ordinance – pertaining to certain dimensional and use regulations in W-3 and M-2 zones – be amended – for action
Major Land Development Project
2. Case No. 13-039MA – 48-54 Plainfield Street and 4-14 The applicant is seeking master plan approval to construct a free standing fast food restaurant with a drive through and a free standing retail department store on a vacant commercial lot. The applicant is seeking dimensional relief for front yard setbacks and a special use permit for a drive through use. A total of 56 parking spaces are proposed for the development, which measures approximately 64,295 SF – for action (AP 105 Lots
46, 47, 66, 98, 99, 100, Olneyville)
Re: Zoning Providence
3. Update on Re: Zoning Providence Presentation detailing progress on the zoning ordinance revision process and proposed zoning changes developed by the project consultants – for discussion
So what did we learn from this?
We learned that the short term creation of jobs is more important than the long term benefits of protecting the built environment of Providence that make it unique and attractive.
We learned that the city of Providence does not enforce nuisance ordinances that could have maintained this lot better and bought more time to wait for a better designed proposal.
We learned that the Planning Department does not have the guts to enforce the comprehensive plan that it helped to create when sufficient political force is applied.
You know, I have heard people ask why no one spoke out before now about this property or other simlar developments that were built elsewhere. Well I thougt we had. I thought Providence Tomorrow was a sufficient, shared vision that all Providence residents held that would create a built environment based more on people. Now I’m starting to think that’s not true. Maybe it was a vision for a small group of participants and not representative of the whole city. I have to admit, I’m confused.
I’m trying to be optimistic, but I don’t see any developers coming to Providence with a plan for a modern version of 19th century Olneyville Square or Atwells Avenue or Fox Point. I wish there were. Right now, it seems that the only value developers see is where they can lay asphalt to park cars.