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City of Providence
City of Providence Zoning Ordinance
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§ 1100

PURPOSE STATEMENTS

1100 PURPOSE STATEMENTS

A. Reserved

  • B. DD Downcity District Overlay District The DD Downcity District Overlay District is intended to regulate the design of buildings and open spaces in the historic core of Downtown Providence, and by fostering preservation of historic structures, to ensure that: new development is compatible with the existing historic building fabric and the historic character of downtown; historic structures are preserved, and design alterations are in keeping with historic character; development relates to the pedestrian; development promotes the arts, entertainment and housing; and, the goals of the Comprehensive Plan are achieved.

  • C. ES East Side I-195 Overlay District The ES East Side 1-195 Overlay District is intended to regulate future land use and development of East Side surplus land made available through the relocation of Interstate 195. The regulations provided in the overlay district will ensure that future development establishes an urban block structure, creates continuous building frontages, and promotes urban vibrancy. Furthermore, the regulations will foster development that is context-sensitive, pedestrian-friendly, and mixed-use, and improves pedestrian and vehicular accessibility in the Fox Point neighborhood and along the Providence Riverfront.

  • D. HD Historic District Overlay District The HD Historic District Overlay District covers designated districts or individual structures in the City of Providence. The purpose of historic districts is to safeguard the heritage of the city by preserving designated districts and individual structures of historic or architectural value which reflect elements of Providence's cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history; to stabilize and improve property values in such districts or designated structures; to maintain and foster civic beauty; to strengthen the economy; and to promote the use of designated districts and structures for the education, pleasure and welfare of the citizens. Historic districts may include properties associated with broad patterns, events, and/or people significant in local, state or national history; which embody the distinctive characteristics of a broad range of building types and architectural styles and which may possess high artistic value and/or represent the work of a master builder, architect, landscape architect or other designer; and which lack individual distinction but which add to the historic district zone's status as a significant and distinguishable socio-cultural entity.

  • E. TOD Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District The TOD Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District is intended to encourage the location of uses and forms of development that maximizes access to transit and encourages transit ridership. The TOD Overlay District is intended to promote new, well-integrated residential and commercial development around existing and potential future transit stations. The TOD Overlay District standards ensure that new development occurs in the form of compatible, higher density, transit-friendly design in close proximity to transit systems, encourage a pedestrian-orientation in new development, decrease reliance on automobiles, and encourage multi-modal mobility.

  • F. I-3E Educational Institutional Overlay District The I-3E Educational Institutional Overlay District is intended to encourage development in Downtown and along the City’s commercial corridors by permitting higher education institutional uses, student housing, and practicums in addition to a variety of commercial, entertainment, residential, public, and other uses in select areas. Compatible and appropriate mixed-uses are encouraged to promote pedestrian activity at street levels while encouraging full and varied use on the upper floors. This district is intended to encourage the development of educational uses while preserving and fostering the economic vitality of the Downtown and the City’s commercial corridors.

  • G. I-3H Health Care Institutional Overlay District The I-3H Health Care Institutional Overlay District is intended to encourage development in Downtown and along the City’s commercial corridors by permitting health care institutional uses including related uses such as research and development facilities and offices, in addition to a variety of commercial, entertainment, residential, public, and other uses in select areas. Compatible and appropriate mixed-uses are encouraged to promote pedestrian activity at street levels while encouraging full and varied use on the upper floors. This district is intended to encourage the development of health care uses while preserving and fostering the economic vitality of the Downtown and the City’s commercial corridors.