What is the Comprehensive Plan?
Every decade, the City of Providence updates its Comprehensive Plan, also referred to as the Comp Plan, the urban planning policy document that guides growth and development in Providence. The Comp Plan is both a broad vision for the City’s future and an detailed policy document that outlines how the City plans to use land to meet our goals around housing, economic development, environmental sustainability, transportation, and more!
The Comprehensive Plan update answers questions like:
- What do we envision sustainable growth over the next ten years to look like?
- How can we adapt to climate change, so that land is used with flooding and extreme heat in mind?
- How should our transportation system adapt to meet the needs of our growing city?
- How can we preserve what we love about Providence as it continues to grow?
The Comprehensive Plan is updated with input from a robust community engagement process and must be approved by the Providence City Plan Commission, Providence City Council, and the State of Rhode Island.
UPDATE: In late November 2024, Providence’s new Comprehensive Plan was approved by the City Council and signed by Mayor Smiley. The implementation of the Comprehensive Plan begins with a set of amendements to the Zoning Ordinance, which can be followed via the monthly meetings of the Providence City Plan Commission.