[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 Town of Smithfield Department of Planning and Economic
Development.
Any natural person, company, corporation, partnership, or
any type of business entity.
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.
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.
