Table of Contents Chapter Page A. Introduction ..................................................................................................... A.0-1 A.1 Request for Proposal under the Initial 1992 Plan ...................................... A.1-1 A.2 Selection of the Planning Team under the Initial 1992 Plan ...................... A.2-1 A.3 Community Participation in the Planning Process under the Initial 1992 Plan ................................................................................................... A.3-1 A.4 Planning Process under Current Revision to the Plan ............................... A.4-1 A.5 Organization of the Comprehensive Community Plan .............................. A.5-1 B. Inventory and Analysis of Existing Conditions ..................................................... B.0-1 B.1 Community Background and History ........................................................ B.1-1 B.1.1 Regional Setting........................................................................... B.1-1 B.1.2 Community Background and History .......................................... B.1-1 B.2 Natural and Cultural Resources ................................................................. B.2-1 B.2.1 Soils ............................................................................................. B.2-1 B.2.2 Prime Agricultural Lands............................................................. B.2-5 B.2.3 Natural Vegetation ....................................................................... B.2-11 B.2.4 Wildlife ........................................................................................ B.2-16 B.2.5 Wetlands ...................................................................................... B.2-16 B.2.6 Water Resources .......................................................................... B.2-25 B.2.7 Environmental Features ............................................................... B.2-28 B.2.8 Cultural and Historic Resources .................................................. B.2-30 B.3 Land Use and Zoning ................................................................................. B.3-1 B.3.1 Existing Land Use Pattern ........................................................... B.3-1 B.3.2 Existing Zoning Pattern and Regulations .................................... B.3-7 B.4 Land Ownership and Large Scale Development ........................................ B.4-1 B.5 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics ................................... B.5-1 B.5.1 Population Characteristics ........................................................... B.5-1 B.5.2 Employment Characteristics ........................................................ B.5-9 B.5.3 Housing and Related Characteristics ........................................... B.5-9 B.6 Circulation.................................................................................................. B.6-1 B.6.1 Streets and Highways ................................................................... B.6-1 B.6.2 Mass Transit System .................................................................... B.6-14 B.6.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian System .................................................... B.6-15 Coventry Comprehensive Table of Contents Community Plan i L\36-T9\COV.TOC B.7 Open Space and Recreation ................................................................................... B.7-1 B.7.1 Introduction .................................................................................. B.7-1 B.7.2 Inventory of Exiting Facilities ..................................................... B.7-1 B.7.3 Open Space and Recreation Needs Assessment .......................... B.7-18 B.8 Community Services and Facilities ............................................................ B.8-1 B.8.1 Public Administration Facilities .................................................. B.8-1 B.8.2 Public Safety Facilities ................................................................ B.8-9 B.8.3 Health Care Facilities .................................................................. B.8-13 B.8.4 Educational Facilities................................................................... B.8-14 B.8.5 Public and Semi-Public Utilities and Services ............................ B.8-18 B.9 Municipal Fiscal Structure ......................................................................... B.9-1 B.9.1 Revenue Sources .......................................................................... B.9-1 B.9.2 Revenue Trends ........................................................................... B.9-1 B.9.3 Expenditure Trends ...................................................................... B.9-3 B.9.4 Impact of Land Use on Property Tax Revenues .......................... B.9-3 C. Visions, Goals and Objectives ............................................................................... C.0-1 C.1 Land Use .................................................................................................... C.1-1 C.2 Circulation.................................................................................................. C.2-1 C.3 Economic Development ............................................................................. C.3-1 C.4 Housing ..................................................................................................... C.4-1 C.5 Community Services and Facilities ............................................................ C.5-1 C.6 Natural and Cultural Resources ................................................................. C.6-1 C.7 Open Space and Recreation ....................................................................... C.7-1 C.8 Human Services ......................................................................................... C.8-1 D. Comprehensive Community Plan Elements .......................................................... D.0-1 D.1 Land Use Plan Element .............................................................................. D.1-1 D.1.1 Introduction .................................................................................. D.1-1 D.1.2 Land Use Plan .............................................................................. D.1-2 D.1.3 Analysis of the Land Use Plan ..................................................... D.1-11 D.1.4 Land Use Implementation Guidelines ......................................... D.1-20 D.2 Circulation Plan Element ........................................................................... D.2-1 D.2.1 Introduction .................................................................................. D.2-1 D.2.2 Functional Classification System ................................................ D.2-2 D.2.3 Street Development Standards ..................................................... D.2-19 D.2.4 Circulation Implementation Guidelines ....................................... D.2-23 D.2.5 Circulation Interface with Other Elements .................................. D.2-26 Coventry Comprehensive Table of Contents Community Plan ii L\36-T9\COV.TOC D.3 Economic Development Element .............................................................. D.3-1 D.3.1 Introduction and Analysis ............................................................ D.3-1 D.3.2 State of Rhode Island Economic Development Framework ............................................................ D.3-6 D.3.3 Economic Development Implementation Guidelines .................. D.3-9 D.3.4 Tiogue Avenue Revitalization ..................................................... D.3-15 D.3.5 Economic Development Plan Interface With Other Plan Elements ........................................................... D.3-23 D.4 Housing Plan Element ................................................................................ D.4-1 D.4.1 Introduction and Analysis ............................................................ D.4-1 D.4.2 Housing Implementation Guidelines ........................................... D.4-8 D.4.3 Housing Plan ................................................................................ D.4-15 D.4.4 Housing Plan Interface with Other Plan Elements ...................... D.4-15 D.5 Community Services and Facilities ............................................................ D.5-1 D.5.1 Introduction .................................................................................. D.5-1 D.5.2 Schools ......................................................................................... D.5-1 D.5.3 Public Safety ................................................................................ D.5-2 D.5.4 Sewer and Water Service ............................................................. D.5-10 D.5.5 Municipal Services and Facilities ................................................ D.5-17 D.5.6 Underground Utility Corridors and Subdivision Utilities ........... D.5-19 D.6 Natural and Cultural Resources Plan Element ........................................... D.6-1 D.6.1 Water Resources Management .................................................... D.6-1 D.6.2 Soil Conservation and Resource Management ............................ D.6-11 D.6.3 Wetlands Protection ..................................................................... D.6-15 D.6.4 Agricultural Resources ................................................................ D.6-16 D.6.5 Vegetation .................................................................................... D.6-17 D.6.6 Wildlife .......................................................................................