It seems state planning officials are wisely looking to better organize the state’s overall approach to development — most importantly, the long term economic, environmental and social impacts of that development.
The “Governor’s Growth Planning Council,” established about a year ago, has issued its first report. Parts of it are alarming.
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For example, the report suggests that continued development in the Ocean State could result in “substantial liabilities for the state and its municipalities.”
The council used a wide range of sources in putting together its report, including the highly regarded non-profit organization, Grow Smart Rhode Island. One study found that over the past 40 years, land in Rhode Island has been developed at a rate nine times its population — developing more land over that period than in the previous 325 years of settlement.
That development is becoming a potentially thorny issue should not come as a surprise. States are dealing with it all across the country. What is so important is that Rhode Island be as proactive as possible in planning for its future.
There have been encouraging signs that we our state is being somewhat proactive, including the emergence of an organization of Grow Smart Rhode Island and the respect it has been gained.
This Growth Planning Council appears to be further evidence. We hope that some of the ideas being bandied about — such as the increased use of a Mill Revitalization Program and Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund — will not only be studied, but also acted upon.
The report also calls for the establishment of a Planning Institute, which would aid in improving planning capacity on the state and local levels by bringing public and private sector resources to develop and offer training, technical assistance, and information management.
Grow Smart Rhode Island’s Scott Wolf calls the Planning Institute idea a good one. It is a significant step, he said, in an effective source of guidelines and ideas for planning officials.
