[Adopted 10-3-2006]
It is declared to be the policy of the Town of Smithfield to promote a vigorous and growing economy, to prevent economic stagnation, to encourage the creation of new job opportunities, to reduce the level of public assistance, to increase Town revenues, and to achieve a stable, diversified tax base while at the same time preserving and protecting the Town's environmental resources.
As used in this article, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
THE DEPARTMENT
The Town of Smithfield Department of Planning and Economic Development.
PERSON
Any natural person, company, corporation, partnership, or any type of business entity.
PROJECT OF CRITICAL ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
An undertaking which the Department certifies to be significant, in its operational stage, since it will enhance, promote and encourage business, commerce, and industry in Smithfield, as well as stimulate job creation and enhance the Town's tax base. Such a project must not unduly burden the Town's infrastructure or school system, and must preserve and protect the Town's environmental resources.
TOWN AGENCY
Any office, department, board, commission, authority, public corporation, agency, or instrumentality of the Town of Smithfield.
A person may apply to the Department of Planning and Economic Development and request that his or her project be classified as a project of critical economic importance. The Department shall render a written decision on the request within 14 days of the filing and receipt of the application. If the project is found to satisfy the requirements of this article, the Department shall issue a certificate of critical economic importance which shall expire one year from the date of issuance. The certificate may be extended for an additional period of one year at the discretion of the Town Manager.
A person shall file the certificate of critical economic importance with the appropriate Town agency or agencies that have licensing or permitting authority over the project at the time of filing the permit applications(s) required for the project. All Town agencies shall give priority to a project of critical economic importance in the handling and processing of the application. Priority shall include, but not be limited to, expedited review and priority positioning on Town agency agendas. Absent extraordinary circumstances, all Town agencies shall convene hearings on projects of critical economic importance within 45 days of the filing of a complete application before such agency. Fire Department plan review for a project with a certificate of critical economic importance shall be completed within 15 working days of submission.
The issuance of a certificate of critical economic importance does not constitute, and shall not be considered, a waiver of any legal requirement for the approval of the project.
This article shall not apply to the issuance of building permits which are governed by the operation of state law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 11-8, Sunset provision, which section immediately followed this section, was repealed 3-4-2008.