Allows the town of North Providence to determine its density bonuses based upon its underlying zoning.

What This Bill Does

This bill gives the town of North Providence special authority to set its own rules about "density bonuses" — a tool that allows housing developers to build more homes or units on a piece of land than the standard rules would normally allow. Under current state law, density bonus calculations follow a statewide formula. This bill would let North Providence base those calculations on its own local zoning rules instead.

Who It Affects

This bill primarily affects the town of North Providence, its local government officials, and anyone looking to develop housing in the town. Developers who want to take advantage of density bonuses would need to follow North Providence's locally determined rules rather than the standard state formula. It could also indirectly affect current and future residents, since density bonuses influence how many housing units get built in a given area.

Where It Stands

The bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further votes take place. It is specifically limited to North Providence and does not change density bonus rules for any other Rhode Island city or town.