§ 17.4

Public Notice Requirements

The following public notice requirements shall be met before any adoption, amendment or repeal of the zoning ordinance enacted by the city council. Costs of any notice required under this subsection shall be borne in full by the applicant.

17.4-1 General Public Notice. The city council shall give notice of a public hearing to consider a proposal for adoption, amendment or repeal of the zoning ordinance or zoning map, or any portion thereof, by publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of Woonsocket at least once each week for three (3) successive weeks prior to the date of such hearing, which may include the week in which the hearing is to be held. The same notice shall be posted in the city clerk’s office and one other municipal building in the city and the city must make the notice accessible on he City’s home page of its website at least fourteen (14) days prior to the hearing. Such newspaper notice shall be published as a display advertisement, using a type size at least as large as the normal type size used by the newspaper in its news articles, and shall:

(1) Specify the place of said hearing and the date and time of its commencement;

(2) Indicate that adoption, amendment or repeal of a zoning ordinance, or part thereof, is under consideration;

(3) Contain a statement of the proposed amendments to the ordinance once in its entirety, or summarize or describe the matter under consideration;

(4) Advise those interested where and when a copy of the matter under consideration may be obtained or examined and copied; and

(5) State that the proposals shown thereon may be altered or amended prior to the close of the public hearing without further advertising, as a result of further study or because of the views expressed at the public hearing. Any such alteration or amendment must be presented for comment in the course of said hearing.

17.4-2. Reserved.

(Ch. 8558, Sec. 18, 3-3-2025)

17.4-3 Notice to Cities or Towns. At least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing, the city clerk shall send written notice, which may be a copy of said newspaper notice, by first class mail, to the hearing, to the city or town council of any city or town to which one (1) or more of the following pertain:

(1) Any portion of the city or town is located in or within not less than two hundred (200) feet of the perimeter of the area proposed for change; and/or
(2) There is a public or quasi-public water source, or private water source that is used or is suitable for use as a public water source by that city or town, within two thousand (2,000) feet of any real property that is the subject of a proposed zoning change regardless of municipal boundaries.

17.4-4 Notice to Water Department, Agency, District or Company. At least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing, the city clerk shall send written notice, which may be a copy of said newspaper notice, by first class mail, to the governing body of any state or municipal water department or agency, special water district, or private water company that has riparian rights to a surface water resource and/or surface watershed that is used or is suitable for use as a public water source and that is within two thousand (2,000) feet of any real property which is the subject of a proposed zoning change, provided however, that the governing body of said state or municipal water department or agency, special water district, or private water company has filed with the building inspector a map survey, which shall be kept as a public record, showing areas of surface water resources and/or watersheds and parcels of land within two thousand (2,000) feet thereof.

17.4-5 Notice of Specific Changes to Zoning Map. Where a proposed amendment to an existing ordinance includes a specific change in a zoning district map, but does not affect districts generally, public notice shall be given as required above, with the additional requirements that:

(1) Notice shall include one (1) or more maps showing existing and proposed zoning district boundaries, existing streets and roads including their names, and city and town boundaries where appropriate; and

(2) At least two (2) weeks prior to the hearing, written notice of the date, time, place, nature and purpose of the public hearing shall be sent to all owners of real property whose property is located in or within not less than two hundred (200) feet of the perimeter of the area proposed for change, whether within or outside of the city. Such notice shall be sent in accordance with the requirements of Rhode Island General Laws 45-24-53 to the last known address of such property owners as shown on the current real estate tax assessment records for the city or town in which the property is located.

17.4-6 Defect in Notice. No defect in the form of any notice required under subsection 7.4 shall render any ordinance or amendment invalid, unless such defect is found to be intentional or misleading.

17.4-7. Affidavit of Mailing. For any notice sent by first-class mail, the sender of the notice shall submit a notarized affidavit to attest to such mailing.

17.4-8. Defect in notice.

17.4-9. Costs. Costs of newspaper and mailing notices required under this section shall be borne by the applicant.

(Ch. 8558, Sec. 18, 3-3-2025)