[Amended 11-2-2010]
There shall be a Planning Board for the Town made up of five members each to serve for a term of five years or until his or her successor is appointed and two alternate members appointed by the Town Council each to serve for a term of two years or until his or her successor is appointed. All members shall be qualified electors of the Town. The terms of the members and alternates of the Board shall be so arranged that the term of one member shall expire and one appointment be made each year. The Council shall during the month of April of each year, make appointments to fill prospective vacancies. The terms of members shall expire on the last day of May, and of newly appointed members shall begin on the first day of May. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by the Council for the unexpired term.
A. 
The Board shall advise the Council on all matters concerning the growth and development of the Town and the effects thereof on the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants. The Board shall have the duties and responsibility provided by State law for Planning Boards, and in particular those conferred on Planning Boards under the Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act and related legislation as amended from time to time.
B. 
The Board shall play such role in long range capital planning and the preparation of the Town capital budget as the Council may direct; shall submit recommendations on all matters referred to it relative to the Town zoning ordinance,[1] land subdivision, and proposals for development in the Town as requested by the Council; and shall conduct such studies and other activities related to its general area of responsibility as the Council may direct.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 400, Zoning.
[Amended 11-2-2010]
There shall be a Zoning Board of Review of five members appointed by the Town Council each to hold office for a term of five years with their terms so arranged that the term of one member shall expire and one appointment be made each year. All members shall be qualified electors of the Town. The Council shall determine when appointments are to be made and the date upon which terms shall expire. The Board shall also include two alternates to be designated as the first and second alternate members each to be appointed by the Council for a term of two years. Alternate members shall also be appointed to staggering terms. These alternate members shall sit and may actively participate in hearings. The first alternate shall vote if a member of the Board is unable to serve at a hearing and the second shall vote if two members of the Board are unable to serve at a hearing. In the absence of the first alternate member, the second alternate member shall serve in the position of the first alternate. No member or alternate may vote on any matter before the Board unless that member has attended all hearings concerning that matter. The Council shall fill vacancies on the Board for the unexpired term. The Board shall have all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred upon Zoning Boards of Review by State law.
There shall be a Conservation Commission for the Town of seven members appointed by the Town Council for three year terms, with said terms so arranged that the terms of two members shall expire in one year, the terms of two the second year, and three the third year. Members of the Conservation Commission shall be appointed by the Town Council from among qualified electors of the Town. Terms of members shall end on the last day of April of each year unless that member is reappointed to the Commission for an additional term. The Town Council may also appoint an alternate member, to serve as an active member, whenever required, who shall serve a two year term. [Amended 11-2-2010]
The Conservation Commission shall act in an advisory capacity to the Town Council and Zoning Board of Review in all matters concerning: wetlands planning and mapping, environmental planning, review of development proposals affecting the environment before the Planning Board, preservation of farmlands and open spaces, erosion control, earth removal operations and control, such other areas of study as may be requested by the Planning Board or Town Council. The Commission shall also serve to inventory, promote and develop the natural resources of the Town.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 9, Conservation Commission.
There shall be a Board of Assessment Review to receive and consider appeals from property owners regarding the amount of tax assessments as determined by the Town Tax Assessor. The Town Council shall appoint three regular members and one alternate member to the Board. Board members shall be qualified electors of the Town and not more than one member shall belong to the same political party.
Except for the foregoing provision of this Charter, Council appointments to the Board and the powers of the Board shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 13 of the 1992 Public Laws of the State of Rhode Island.
The Town Council shall be empowered to establish, by ordinance, a Municipal Land Trust entitled the Town of West Greenwich Land Trust (hereinafter called the "Trust"), a body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality. The Trust shall have the authority to acquire, hold and manage real property and interest therein, including the development rights of property, situated in the Town and consisting of open, agricultural, recreational, historical or littoral lands, including existing and future well fields and aquifer recharge areas, freshwater wetlands and adjoining uplands, wildlife habitats, land for bicycling and hiking paths and for future recreational use, and lands for agricultural use. The Trust shall hold all property or development rights solely as open space or for agricultural uses or for water purposes or for public access or to prevent the accelerated residential or commercial development thereof, as the trustees may determine.
[Amended 11-2-2010]
The Louttit Library of West Greenwich shall be a public library operated and controlled by the Louttit Library Board of Directors. The Board shall appoint its members. The Library may be financed from funds raised by the Board and from the Town general fund. The amount of Town money allocated to the Library shall be discussed between the Board and the Town Council, and the Council's recommended amount shall appear, as a separate line item, on the Council's proposed budget document that is presented to the electors at the Financial Town Meeting, where such amount shall be approved or disapproved by vote of the electors. The Library shall maintain auditable records[1] of all income and expenditures of Town funds and these records shall be made available for audit. The Library shall also have a compiled financial statement prepared annually by a licensed certified public accountant. That financial statement, along with the Library's annual tax return, shall be submitted to the Town Treasurer no later than October 15 of each fiscal year. The Town shall also provide electric power, heating oil and custodial services to the Library.
[1]
Auditable records shall include, as a minimum, cash receipts journal, cash disbursement journal and a general ledger with all supporting documents.
A. 
There shall be a Juvenile Hearing Board for the Town of five members appointed by the Town Council for three year terms, with said terms so arranged that the terms of two members shall expire in one year, the terms of two the second year, and one the third year. Members of the Juvenile Hearing Board shall be appointed by the Town Council from among qualified electors of the Town, all of whom shall have been resident for at least three years with the Town and none of whom shall be attorneys admitted to the practice before the Supreme Court of the State of Rhode Island. Terms of members shall end on the first day of December of each year unless that member is reappointed to the Commission for an additional term. No member of the Juvenile Hearing Board shall be entitled to receive any compensation by reason of his or her service on the Board.
B. 
The Juvenile Hearing Board shall hear all cases referred to the Board by the Chief of Police of the Town with respect to persons resident in the Town under the age of 18 who are charged with violating the criminal laws of the State of Rhode Island or the Town.