COVENTRY COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN – 2026 UPDATE
The Town of Coventry is initiating the formal local adoption process for the Comprehensive Community Plan in February 2026. This webpage will serve as the new home for all relevant documents and updates.
This DRAFT Plan is intended to replace the 1999 Comprehensive Plan, which has expired, and provides a much-needed update to the Town’s policy structure moving forward. A copy of the 1999 Plan is posted on the Planning Department webpage for historical background and comparison.
The DRAFT Comprehensive Plan includes elements focused on the following policy areas: land use, natural resources, open space and outdoor recreation, cultural and historical resources, housing, economic development, community services and facilities, energy and renewable energy, and natural hazards and climate change.
As historic background, the current DRAFT Plan was initially prepared by BETA Group and sent to Statewide Planning for advisory review in 2023. The State identified several deficiencies throughout the Plan, with a particular focus on the lack of affordable housing strategies. In 2024, BETA drafted a revision to address deficiencies in an attempt fill in those gaps, however the DRAFT Plan was not considered suitable for local adoption as it related to affordable housing strategies with adequate local “buy in.” Planning staff worked to further revise to the Housing Chapter with local stakeholders to ensure it would meet the standards of state and local adoption.
In April 2025, Planning Staff convened an ad-hoc group of community stakeholders and housing policy experts to review the DRAFT Housing Chapter and offer comments. Staff also used existing technical assistance funds (at no cost to the Town) to support Weston & Sampson’s expert review of the DRAFT Housing Chapter in June 2025 and target specific improvements.
In November 2025, the Town successfully obtained additional free technical assistance through RI Housing’s Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) to fund a more significant re-write of the Housing Chapter to better address the strategic goals and objectives within this Chapter to protect community character and ensure viability moving forward. The DRAFT Housing Chapter will be finalized around December 2026.
Despite the timeline above for updating the DRAFT Housing Chapter, the Town is going to move forward with local adoption of all elements of the DRAFT Comprehensive Plan beginning in February 2026. Both efforts will happen concurrently to achieve greater efficiency and document delivery. As a next step, Planning Staff will receive final feedback from Town Departments and the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee through February and March 2026.
Public feedback and comments from residents and interested stakeholders are welcome and encouraged throughout the process. Please email your comments to Doug McLean, Director of Planning and Development, at dmclean@coventryri.gov. Comments will be considered and provided to the Planning Commission as the first step in the formal adoption process. Following the Planning Commission’s review and recommendation (anticipated for March 25, 2026), the DRAFT Plan will be brought to the Town Council for formal adoption. It is anticipated the Town Council’s initial review will be scheduled for April to May 2026.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
| A guide for local decision-making on important topics | A roadmap that provides direction to private development | A tool to encourage economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable community growth |
| State Required Elements | What is in these elements? | How does the Comprehensive Plan help Coventry? |
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- Advisory Committee Meeting - March 22, 2022 (5-7pm)
- Public Meeting #1 - May 25, 2022 (6-8pm) - Resource and Senior Center - Meeting Flyer
- Advisory Committee Meeting - July 12, 2022 (5-7pm) - VIDEO LINK
- Advisory Committee Meeting - September 6, 2022 (5-7pm) - VIDEO LINK
- Advisory Committee Meeting - September 13, 2022 (6:30-8:30PM) - VIDEO LINK
- Public Meeting #2 - October 12, 2022 (6-8pm) - VIDEO LINK - Draft Vision & Goals Doc
- Advisory Committee Meeting - November 15, 2022 (5-7pm) - VIDEO LINK
- Advisory Committee Meeting - January 31, 2023 (5-7pm) - VIDEO LINK
- Public Meeting #3 - March 21, 2023 (6-8pm) - Resource and Senior Center - Meeting Flyer
- Advisory Committee Meeting - March 28, 2023 (5-7pm)
Meeting Information
The Town and the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee held three public meetings over the course of the planning process to facilitate community conversations and gather input on a collective vision for the Town’s future.
The meetings focused on 1) identifying community needs, opportunities, and overall vision; 2) developing Comprehensive Plan goals; and 3) presenting the draft implementation plan for public feedback. Dates and meeting materials for these meetings will be posted in the coming weeks and months. Once a final draft plan is prepared, the Town Council will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of the Comprehensive Plan.
Click on the meeting on the left to open the link to the video recording.
Staff Contacts
| Doug McLean, Planning Director | (401) 822-9184 | dmclean@coventryri.gov |
Advisory Committee Members
| Ann Dickson |
| Bob Hevey |
| Greg Mars |
| Julie A. Leddy |
| Ken Goodwin |
| Larry Manire |
| Lisa Narkiewicz |
| Lynn Carlson |
| Marc Lemoi |
| Nathan Doven |
| Tom Pendergast |
| Sherry Elderkin |