Providence, RI – Last night, Mayor Brett Smiley threatened to veto the entire Comprehensive Plan if it includes the committee-approved amendment to prohibit new gas station development.

In response, Council President Rachel Miller released the following statement:

“The Comprehensive Plan guides our vision for growth over the next decade. The City and City Councilors have engaged hundreds of residents in thorough conversations, including countless community meetings, four public hearings, and hundreds of letters of testimony. Clear themes emerged around a vision of growth for Providence’s working families: housing development, affordability, health and safety, maintaining the character of our neighborhoods, and resiliency in the face of a changing climate. The amended Comp Plan does exactly that. To threaten a two year process—potentially relinquishing our ability to govern our land use to the state—over this issue is irresponsible. There are over 40 gas stations in the city, land which can be used as gas stations in perpetuity. There is no known demand for more. Rhode Island has the highest asthma rates in the country. Last year, Providence rents increased at a higher rate than any other city nationwide. The amended Comp Plan simply says: available land will be prioritized for uses that meet our urgent needs. Every square foot should be prioritized for new homes and clean, family-sustaining jobs. That the Mayor would risk the entire plan for the potential of building more gas stations is reckless.”

Committee on Ordinances voted to continue the public hearing regarding the Comprehensive Plan to Monday, October 21, 5:30pm in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall.

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