(a)  It is declared that there exist within the various cities of the state, including, but not limited to, Providence, numerous railroad or former railroad properties and adjacent lands that are or may be the subject of railroad relocation projects involving the coordination of federal, state, local, and private action. These areas represent or are contiguous with urban areas of historical, aesthetic, social, cultural, and economic importance, and are an important public asset.

(b)  It is further declared that there is a statewide need for coordinated attention to and supervision of the development of these areas for the purpose of preserving for the education, enjoyment, and welfare of the general public, important historical and aesthetic features, the promotion of commercial and economic development, the attraction to our urban centers of appropriate business, industrial, and tourist trade, resources, and investment, the development of an attractive urban environment that fosters the social welfare and health of the public and is harmonious with the social, historic, and cultural environment that already exists, and the harmonious coordination of the federal, state, local, and private action that influences the urban railroad relocation project.

(c)  It is further declared that the developmental tools presently available to cities in the state do not contain sufficient flexibility to address the unique problems arising from the urban railroad relocation project and to govern comprehensive and coordinated development of areas subject to these projects consistently with the previously-declared public needs and purposes. Proper development of these areas, consistent with the general welfare, may require designation of special land use districts and special land-use controls which may be more stringent or more flexible than existing zoning, planning, and other developmental tools, and may require the adoption, implementation, and administration of a plan that establishes a framework for development and sets out detailed design and development criteria, regulations, and enforcement procedures.

(d)  It is further declared that the most efficient and effective method to further the previously-declared public policy of the state to encourage the appropriate, comprehensive, and coordinated development of railroad or former railroad properties and adjacent lands that are or may be the subject of railroad relocation projects involving federal, state, local, and private action, is to permit the creation of special development districts in the cities of the state and the creation of special development district commissions to adopt, implement, and administer plans of development that establish and enforce design and development criteria and regulations for the development of these areas.