Date of Award
1972
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Community Planning (MCP)
Department
Community Planning and Area Development
Abstract
The three primary purposes of this study are: to identify and assess existing land development policies in Narragansett, Rhode Island, to determine any deficiencies in those development policies, and to suggest possible future actions to remedy those deficiencies. Since these policies are not isolated from the dynamics of a growing community, an analysis was also performed of such basic data as land use, population, and housing to predict the effect these variables would have on the town's future development. The interrelationship of these three variables with land use policy was demonstrated.
The major land use policies of the Town were represented by the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Community Plan, by the decisions of the Zoning and Platting Board of Review, by the existing zoning ordinance and its amendments, and by the proposed zoning ordinance. Accordingly, the Comprehensive Community Plan was reviewed in detail. The decisions of the Zoning and Platting Board of Review on variances from June of 1967 to March of 1972 were also studied in detail. An extensive review of the zoning ordinance and its amendments was undertaken from the time of adoption of the ordinance in August of 1930 to January of 1972. An evaluation was made of the development implications of the proposed zoning ordinance.
Since land use legislation is strongly influenced by forces on both the state and national level, an integral element of the study was to consider proposed land use legislation in Rhode Island, in certain selected states, and in the nation as a whole. Accordingly, Chapter II deals exclusively with three areas of Rhode Island's land use program – existing legislation, legislation currently under development, and future legislation. The concluding Chapter reviews statewide land use provisions in Hawaii, Vermont, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Maine, discusses the National Land Use Policy Act, identifies disadvantages of our current land use system, and posits future alternatives.
The major conclusions derived from this study are delineated below. The first six conclusions apply specifically to Narragansett, while the six remaining conclusions are of a more general nature.
(1) Both seasonal and year-round population will continue to increase steadily in Narragansett and will exert a strong demand for additional housing units.
(2) Narragansett will be fully developed
Recommended Citation
Fennessey, Thomas William, "Land Development Policy on the Local, State, and National Levels: A Case Study of Narragansett, Rhode Island" (1972). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 595.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/595
Terms of Use
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