City of Woonsocket wins 2016 Smart Growth Award for Downtown Overlay District Plan
Posted on: June 21, 2016 - 10:27am
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2016
Contact: Blake Collins, bcollins@woonsocketri.org, office: (401) 762-6400 ex: 2963, cell: (508) 838-3371
City of Woonsocket wins 2016 Smart Growth Award for Downtown
Overlay District Plan
WOONSOCKET, RI: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt is pleased to announce that The City of Woonsocket is the recipient of an Outstanding Smart Growth Policy Award from Grow Smart Rhode Island in recognition of their recently implemented Downtown Overlay District Plan. Mayor Baldelli-Hunt, Councilman Garrett Mancieri, and members of the Woonsocket Planning Department were on-hand to receive the award during an afternoon ceremony at this year’s Power of Place Summit, hosted by Grow Smart RI at the Rhode Island Convention Center.
“It is a great honor to be recognized by Grow Smart Rhode Island, for the work we are doing to promote economic growth in our community,” said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. “The City of Woonsocket is in a stronger position to succeed economically through the
implementation of our Downtown Overlay District. I would like to recognize the members of the Woonsocket Planning Department whose hard work has earned them this great distinction.”
The Woonsocket Downtown Overlay District was recently implemented in December 2015, and encourages development throughout the heart of the City’s historic downtown. Key changes to City zoning ordinances within the District were made to
promote residential development by easing residential parking requirements, allow for interim uses of currently vacant commercial space, and create specific zoning targeted towards artists and art galleries.
"Grow Smart RI salutes the leaders of the City of Woonsocket for having the vision to institute a Downtown Overlay District that should make it easier to attract new private investment and visitors to Downtown Woonsocket and accelerate this historic
neighborhood's revitalization," said Scott Wolf, Executive Director of Grow Smart Rhode Island.
Since the Overlay District took effect late last calendar year, the current administration has introduced a Tax Stabilization Agreement, specific to the District, which further incentivizes development. Please visit: www.ci.woonsocket.ri.us/econdev to view The Woonsocket Downtown Overlay District Plan and the Tax Stabilization Program for the Woonsocket Downtown Redevelopment Area.
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