As Cranston’s comprehensive plan update moves forward, calls for better public engagement are growing louder.

The City Council unanimously approved updates to its comprehensive plan, a blueprint that will guide the city’s growth and development for the next two decades. The long-overdue updates mark the first such changes in nearly 15 years.

The process, however, is far from over. As the city moves into a new “public engagement-heavy” phase of planning, the hard work lies ahead and residents are calling for better public engagement.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A comprehensive plan serves as the city’s roadmap for future development. It covers key areas like housing, transportation, natural resources, and economic development, helping shape decisions about where new housing should be built. Cranston’s current plan had been based on outdated data, much of which was from the 2000 census, and expired in 2017, leaving the city behind in its long-term planning efforts.

Why Has It Taken So Long?

The process of updating Cranston’s plan has been the subject of frustration for years.

“We've been asking questions about getting it renewed pretty much my whole time as a city councilor,” said John Donegan, who was elected to the Cranston City Council in 2018, just months after the city’s comprehensive plan expired.

Updating the plan has been derailed for a variety of reasons, depending on who you ask: the pandemic, funding issues, staff turnover within Cranston’s planning department, and political inertia. It wasn’t until a new state law mandated changes that city planning picked up the pace.

What’s in the updated plan?

The new comprehensive plan includes refreshed demographic data and sections that align with updated state regulations. The final plan is nearly 300 pages long, covering everything from housing to transportation to energy, climate resilience and cultural preservation.

The plan, however, isn’t quite finalized. The plan still requires the signature of Mayor Kenneth Hopkins to become official, which is expected to happen next week, according to Cranston Planning Director Jason Pezzullo.

Phase 2: Public Engagement and Zoning Map Updates

While the City Council’s approval clears a major hurdle, much of the hard work lies ahead. The city’s planning department is gearing up for Phase 2 of the process, which is expected to begin in early 2025. This phase will focus on updating the city’s zoning map and ensuring that Cranston’s policies align with the goals outlined in the comprehensive plan.

“In a lot of ways, this process has been about housekeeping,” said Karen Rosenberg, chair of Cranston Forward, an advocacy organization that has sparred with the Hopkins administration over its handling of Budlong Pool. “The main act has not occurred.” 

In his presentation of the plan to council members last week, Pezzullo said much of the work will have to be around rezoning. He said there are 1,500 land parcels that are mis-zoned.

Public engagement has been a major point of concern. Last year, the city hosted a “charrette-style” public workshop to gather feedback from residents on what they wanted to see improved in Cranston. Roughly 100 people attended, but advocates argue that more needs to be done to involve the community in future decisions. Local groups like Cranston Forward, a political advocacy organization that supports progressive candidates for offices, have been vocal about the need for more meaningful resident input as the process moves forward.

What’s Next?

While the city has made progress, no major actions are expected until 2025 due to the upcoming mayoral and presidential elections. In the meantime, the planning department will continue organizing public workshops and discussions to gather feedback.

City planners are optimistic that Cranston is finally on the right track, but the real test will come in the next phase, when new policies and zoning changes are developed.

As the city moves forward, residents are encouraged to stay informed and participate in future public meetings. The next round of engagement is expected to ramp up in early 2025, offering an opportunity for Cranstonians to have a say in shaping the city’s future. For more information and updates on the process, visit Plan Cranston’s website at www.plancranston.com/maps.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Decker is a Cranston resident and regular contributor to the Cranston Herald. Contact Geoff at geoffreydecker@gmail.com.