Rhode Island General Laws Title 45. Towns and Cities § 45-23-35. General provisions--Pre-application meetings and concept review

(a) One or more pre-application meetings shall be held for all major land development or subdivision applications. Pre-application meetings may be held for administrative and minor applications, upon request of either the municipality or the applicant. Pre-application meetings allow the applicant to meet with appropriate officials, boards and/or commissions, planning staff, and, where appropriate, state agencies, for advice as to the required steps in the approvals process, the pertinent local plans, ordinances, regulations, rules and procedures and standards which may bear upon the proposed development project.

(b) At the pre-application stage the applicant may request the planning board or the technical review committee for an informal concept plan review for a development. The purpose of the concept plan review is also to provide planning board or technical review committee input in the formative stages of major subdivision and land development concept design.

(c) Applicants seeking a pre-application meeting or an informal concept review shall submit general, conceptual materials in advance of the meeting(s) as requested by municipal officials.

(d) Pre-application meetings aim to encourage information sharing and discussion of project concepts among the participants. Pre-application discussions are intended for the guidance of the applicant and are not considered approval of a project or its elements.

(e) Provided that at least one (1) preapplication meeting has been held for major land development or subdivision application or sixty (60) days has elapsed from the filing of the pre-application submission and no pre-application meeting has been scheduled to occur within those sixty (60) days, nothing shall be deemed to preclude an applicant from thereafter filing and proceeding with an application for a land development or subdivision project in accordance with § 45-23-36.