A. 
Inspector of Buildings. The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the inspector of buildings. Qualifications of the inspector of buildings are defined in Section 9.07 of the charter. No application, permit, plan, specifications or intended use which is not in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be approved by the inspector of buildings.
The zoning enforcement officer or agency shall, upon written request, issue a zoning certificate or provide information to the requesting party as to the determination by the official or agency within 20 days of the written request. In the event that no written response is provided within that time, the requesting party shall have the right to appeal to the zoning board of review for the determination pursuant to Chapter 17.116.
The requesting party has the right to appeal the determination made in the zoning certificate pursuant to Chapter 17.116.
B. 
Zoning Permit. No building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, altered, enlarged or moved and no use of any land or premises shall be begun or changed without a zoning permit having been issued by the inspector of buildings. Whenever a permit or license is issued by any other department of the city, such permit or license shall be in conformance with the provisions of this chapter. Any application for such a permit shall be accompanied by a plan, accurately drawn, showing the actual shape and dimensions of the lot or premises to be built upon, the exact location and size of all buildings or structures to be erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered or enlarged together with the lines within which all buildings or structures are to be erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered or enlarged, the existing or intended use of each building or structure, the location of all zoning district boundary lines as they may affect the lot or premises, the location and size of off-street parking, loading facilities and driveways, where required and such other information as may be necessary to provide for the execution and enforcement of this chapter.
A record of all applications, plans and permits shall be kept on file in the office of the inspector of buildings of the city and such record shall be available for public inspection during regular office hours.
All applicants, whether profit or nonprofit organizations, when applying for a zoning permit for multi-family construction projects, shall disclose on such application, whether rental is open to all citizens or is limited to certain income groups and whether "rental supplements" will be supplied from any private or public agency.
The building inspector will notify in writing, the mayor, the city council, the city's state senators and state representatives, the chairperson of the housing authority, the school committee and the school building committee when the project involves twenty-five (25) or more units and also include information relative to income limitations if any and rent supplements if any. Notification to the above-listed parties will be made in writing as soon as possible after the application for a zoning permit is filed.
C. 
Occupancy Permit.
1. 
An occupancy permit shall be required for any of the following:
a. 
Occupancy and use of a building, structure, hereafter erected, reconstructed, altered, enlarged or moved;
b. 
Change in use of an existing building, structure or premises to a use of a different classification;
c. 
Occupancy and use of vacant land except for raising of crops;
d. 
Change in use of land to a use of a different classification other than raising of crops;
e. 
Any change in use of a nonconforming use.
2. 
No such occupancy, use or change of use shall take place without the issuance of an occupancy permit signed by the inspector of buildings. Such permit shall not be issued until the building, structure, premises or land and its uses and the uses incidental thereto, have been inspected and approved by such inspector. A record of all occupancy permits shall be kept on file in the office of the inspector of buildings and the same shall be available for public inspection during regular office hours.
3. 
Certificate of Use and Occupancy for Industrial Buildings. No industrial building or structure shall be occupied or used until a certificate of use and occupancy shall have been issued by the city building inspector. This certificate of use and occupancy shall be necessary for both all new and for all existing industrial buildings. Application for a certificate of use and occupancy must be made in writing to the city building inspector by the owner or lessee of the building. The application must contain a complete description of the use of the industrial building.
D. 
Approval and Notice. Approval or disapproval for a certificate of use and occupancy shall be issued from the city building inspector after a formal application is received, an inspection of the building has taken place and both the public works department and fire marshal have approved the use.
Notification of all approvals and or disapprovals for use and occupancy shall be sent by the city building inspector to the public works department, fire department, division of fire safety, the city planning commission, the Cranston department of economic development and to the mayor and all members of the city council.
E. 
Change of Use. Any change of use or change of tenant within an industrial building with a certificate of use and occupancy will require a new certificate of use and occupancy.
F. 
Right of Entry. The building official or his or her assistant shall have the right of entry to such buildings or structures for the proper performance of his or her duties between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except that in the case of emergency, he or she shall have the right of entry at any time, if such entry is necessary in the interest of public health, safety and welfare. If any owner, occupant or other person refuses, impedes, inhibits, interferes with, restricts or obstructs entry and free access to any part of the structure operation or premise where inspection authorized by this code is sought, the building official or state building commission when assuming the duties of a building official will seek from any judge of the district court a search warrant in accordance with Title 12, Chapter 5 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended; or revoke or suspend any license, permit or other permission regulated under this code where inspection of the structures, operation or premises is sought to determine compliance with this code.
(Prior code § 30-40; Ord. 2026-2, 1/20/2026)
A. 
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter or fails to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof or who shall build or alter any building or other structure in violation of any detailed statement or plan submitted and approved thereunder, upon conviction thereof shall each be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each such offense and each day such violation shall exist shall be deemed a separate offense. Fines shall start to accrue thirty (30) days after the issuance of the first violation notice, if the violation is not corrected.
B. 
The owner or owners of any land, building, premises or part thereof who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter or fails to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof or who shall allow or permit by its agents, contractors, architects, builders or subcontractors the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or allows the failure to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof, or who are the owner or owners of any land, building, premises or part thereof where anything in violation of this chapter is built, erected, placed or shall exist, upon conviction shall each be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each such offense and each day such violation shall exist shall be deemed a separate offense. Fines shall start to accrue thirty (30) days after the issuance of the first violation notice, if the violation is not corrected.
C. 
The subsequent approval or permission of the zoning board of review of the city allowing, either by appeal, variance, special exception or special permit, the continued use of the premises built or existing in violation of the within chapter as set forth in this section, shall not relieve the violator or violators from any penalties imposed by this section.
D. 
The city may also cause suit to be brought in the supreme or superior court or any municipal court in the name of the city to restrain the violation of, or to compel compliance with, the provisions of this zoning chapter. The city may consolidate an action for injunctive relief and/or fines under the ordinance in the superior court of Providence County.
(Prior code § 30-41; Ord. 2019-29, § 1, 7/22/2019)
If any provision of this chapter or of any rule, regulation or determination made thereunder, or the application thereof to any person, agency or circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule, regulation or determination and the application of the provisions to other persons, agencies or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. The invalidity of any section or sections of this chapter shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the chapter.
(Prior code § 30-49)