Community Comprehensive Plan

The Town of Scituate selected Weston & Sampson to update its Community Comprehensive Plan as required by Rhode Island State General Law. The Rhode Island Department of Administration approved the current Town of Scituate Comprehensive Plan in 2004.

The town includes the Scituate Reservoir, the Villages of Clayville, Hope, North Scituate, and rural Scituate, and offers many unique, rural characteristics that need careful consideration as part of this planning process. The Scituate Reservoir, including land and water areas owned by the City of Providence, covers over one-third of the town and provides potable water for approximate 700,000 people (two-thirds of Rhode Island).

Before the completion of the reservoir in 1926, Scituate was comprised of a number of villages relating to a variety of mills originally established to take advantage of the waterpower offered by local streams. When the dust cleared from the reservoir construction, Scituate was reduced to the widely separated villages of North Scituate, Hope, and Clayville. Today, these villages are virtually the only urbanized sections of town. Each has strong historical associations, and each has a unique identity and personality shaped by village residents.

Rural Scituate contains that portion of town that will be most significantly impacted by the continuing outward growth of the Providence Metropolitan Area. Rural Scituate is largely zoned for 3-acre single-family housing development, but 3-acre zoning does not assure protection of the rural character.

The town selected Weston & Sampson, with our integrated, multidisciplinary team and unique knowledge of Southern New Hampshire municipal government.