Comprehensive Plan

2026 COVENTRY COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE

The Town of Coventry is currently proposing a re-write of the Housing Chapter within the Town’s 2026 Comprehensive Plan. The Housing Chapter is a critical element to guiding the future growth of the community and describing the types of housing options the Town wishes to encourage. This webpage will serve as the home for all relevant project documents and updates.

As a next step, the Town is hosting a community-wide meeting entitled “A Coventry Housing Listening Session” on July 20, 2026 at 6:00 pm, in the Town Hall Council Chambers, 1670 Flat River Road, Coventry. Public feedback is an integral part of this process and all residents and local officials are encouraged to attend. The Town intends to make this meeting available for remote participation using Zoom Video Conference technology. A meeting agenda and zoom link for the July 20, 2026 meeting is posted in the PDF links below.

The purpose of this community-wide meeting is to provide background information on housing needs, to present DRAFT goals, policies, and action items for inclusion in the Housing Chapter, and to receive community feedback. Initial copies of project documents, including a Housing Needs Analysis, are provided via the PDF links below. These attachments will be updated as new information and DRAFT policies become available.

As background, the Town Council voted to adopt a new Comprehensive Plan on June 9, 2026. That Plan is currently being reviewed by Statewide Planning to receive State approval, which will take several months. The Town’s re-write of the Housing Chapter is occurring in parallel fashion with the State’s review of the full 2026 Comprehensive Plan as it stands now. The full, locally adopted Comprehensive Plan is provided via the PDF links below.

Public feedback and comments from residents and interested stakeholders are welcome and encouraged throughout the re-write of the Housing Chapter. Please email your comments to Doug McLean, Director of Planning and Development, at dmclean@coventryri.gov. All comments will be considered and provided to the local decision-makers as part of the Housing Chapter adoption process.

Click link below for the July 20 meeting agenda and DRAFT Housing Chapter content:

Coventry Housing Needs Assessment - Staff Briefing

Coventry Housing Needs Assessment Summary- DRAFT for Public Review

Housing Chapter Public Workshop Agenda w/ Zoom Link

DRAFT Housing Chapter Goals, Policies and Action Items

Click links below for DRAFT 2026 Comprehensive Plan files (revised April 16, 2026) and associates Staff Reports and recomendations:

Comprehensive Community Plan Volume 1

Comprehensive Community Plan Volume 2 - Pt 1

Comprehensive Community Plan Volume 2 - Pt 2

Planning Staff Report - March 20, 2026

Planning Staff Report - April 21, 2026

Planning Commission Recommendation - May 11, 2026

Town Council Resolution - June 23, 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?
Community Profile (with population projection) Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation and Open Space Historical and Cultural Resources Housing Economic Development Services and Facilities (including water supply and energy) Circulation and Transportation Natural Hazards and Climate Change Land Use Implementation Program	Data analysis – trends, estimates, and future projections Analysis of existing conditions, needs, and opportunities Maps, photos, and graphics Community goals, policies, and implementation actions	Provides for protection, development, use, and management of our land and natural resources, and promotes the appropriate use of land Provides for the coordination of growth and the in-tensity of development with provisions for ser-vices and facilities Provides a basis for municipal and state initiatives to ensure all citizens have access to a range of housing choices Recognizes and addresses potentially conflicting land uses as well as shared resources in contiguous municipalities and encourages cooperative planning efforts by municipalities

Staff Contacts

Doug McLean, Planning Director

(401) 822-9184

dmclean@coventryri.gov

Help us envision a bright future for Coventry!

For more information, contact Doug McLean, Planning Director, dmclean@coventryri.gov, 401-822-9184