Zoning & Rural Character
One-size-fits-all housing mandates out of Providence don't belong in Scituate.
Scituate is a rural community, and state housing and zoning mandates written with Providence-style density in mind don't fit a town like it — applying them uniformly risks damaging the rural character and natural resources that make the town what it is.
As a real estate and land-use attorney, Lou has worked directly with zoning boards and land-use law across Rhode Island. He understands both the legitimate need for housing solutions statewide and the real, practical limitations that a town of Scituate's size and infrastructure face when the state mandates density from the outside.
Lou will fight to defend local control over zoning decisions so Scituate can plan growth on its own terms — protecting its rural character, its open land, and the water resources it hosts on behalf of the rest of the state.
Scituate also carries a burden almost no other town in Rhode Island does. The Providence Water Supply Board owns a large share of the town's land area — land that is held for the benefit of ratepayers well beyond Scituate's borders, and that shapes both what can be built here and what the remaining taxpayers are asked to carry. Any honest conversation about growth and zoning in Scituate has to start there.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Lou supports local control over how and where growth happens, rather than opposing housing outright.
Scituate is a rural community, and state mandates modeled on denser areas risk damaging rural character and natural resources if applied uniformly across every town.