Rhode Island General Laws Title 45. Towns and Cities § 45-23-45. General provisions--Public design and improvement standards

(a) Public design and improvement standards for development projects shall be specified, through reasonable, objective standards and criteria, in the design and improvement standards section of the local regulations. Appropriate public improvement standards shall be specified for each area or district of the municipality. Standards may include, but are not limited to, specifications for rights-of-way, streets, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, public access, utilities, drainage systems, fire protection, and soil erosion control.

(b) All public improvements required in a land development project or subdivision by a municipality shall reflect the physical character and design for that district that is specified by the municipality's adopted comprehensive plan. Public improvement requirements and standards need not be the same in all areas or districts of a municipality. The technical details of the improvement standards may be contained in an appendix to the local regulations but shall be considered part of the regulations.

(c) A town or city that requires the installation of a common cistern or any other water reservoir for fire protection purposes in a residential subdivision may, by ordinance, provide the developer the option in lieu thereof to require the installation of code-compliant residential sprinkler systems in structures for human habitation.