Land Use And Natural Resources
The Land Use and Natural Resources Section is responsible for a range of diverse planning activities. The primary tasks consist of maintaining and updating 8 of the 16 State Guide Plan Elements, issuing findings on various programs or funding applications for consistency with the State Guide Plan as required by State Law, and providing technical planning assistance to various federal, state, and regional organizations. Staff of the Land Use team also focuses on implementation of the state land use plan, State Guide Plan Element 121, Land Use 2025.
Other land use related planning topics for the team include agriculture, energy, forest resources, outdoor recreation, open space, conservation development, legislation, and water resources. The Section works in partnership with municipalities, other State departments, federal agencies and programs, various state boards, committees and councils, the RI American Planning Association and non-profit entities on all of these topics.
Land Use and Education Team
Rhode Island Local Officials Training Program
Program Description – the Land Use and Education Team continues to deliver a standardized curriculum of training detailing land use and transportation responsibilities for local officials (volunteer members) of local historic, planning and zoning boards and commissions as mandated by R.I. General Law §45‐70. The training is developed with the assistance of the Advisory Committee for Education. The schedule of workshops and other educational items is generally set at the beginning of each month and workshops are conducted subject to the workload of the Team and the staff availability.
Partner Agencies
- State Planning Council Advisory Committee for Education (ACE)
- University of Rhode Island Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials (URI NEMO)
- University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center (URI CRC)
- Department of Environmental Management – Narragansett Bay Research Reserve, and (DEM NBRR)
- Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission (RIHPHC)
Outreach - Direct emails are sent to local planning staff for distribution to their boards and commissions for upcoming workshops.
See "What's New" on our homepage for the most updated information.
Program Contacts: Nancy Hess, Paul Gonsalves, Isabelle Gillibrand