Rhode Island Zoning Enabling Act of 1991 (§45-24) (RI)
Tracked preemption from the Rhode Island overlay bundle.
Overview
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Effective
1991-12-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:RI
Other Rhode Island preemptions
Rhode Island Transit-Area Parking Maximum (2026 package, provisional)Rhode Island Village / Mixed-Use Mandate (2025 Craven/Bissaillon)Rhode Island Manufactured Housing By-Right (2024 HB 7980)Rhode Island Statewide ADU Mandate (§45-24-73, 2023 H 6082)Rhode Island Objective-Design-Standards Requirement (2023 H 6090)Rhode Island I-195 Redevelopment District (§42-64.19, Providence)Rhode Island Low and Moderate Income Housing Act — §45-53 (RI's 40B)Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act (§45-22.2)
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
always true
Preempted fields
4 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
definitions | set_floor | — | §45-24-31 imposes statewide definitions (dwelling unit, density, lot coverage, etc.) — municipal ordinances cannot redefine these in conflict |
review_procedure.public_hearing | set_floor | — | §45-24-53 imposes statewide notice/hearing minima |
zoning_consistency_with_comprehensive_plan | require | — | §45-24-54 — municipal zoning must be consistent with the state-approved local comprehensive plan; conflicting zoning is voidable |
appeals.superior_court_filing_window_days | set | 30 | §45-24-69 — 30-day window for appeals to Superior Court |
Citation
Authority source
R.I. Gen. Laws §§45-24-1 through 45-24-72
§ §45-24 (Zoning Enabling Act of 1991)
Research notes
Baseline preemption — every RI municipal zoning ordinance must operate within the §45-24 framework. Not field occupation; municipalities retain districting discretion subject to statewide definitions, procedural minima, and comprehensive-plan-consistency review. Appeals route: zoning board → Superior Court (compare §45-53 which routes to Supreme Court). Since 2024, zoning appeals are managed on the Superior Court's dedicated Land Use Calendar (§8-2-40) with 60-day briefing track.