Lapolla is leaving

Lapolla, 59, confirmed a Feb. 22 Providence Journal story reporting that Cranston’s planning commission unanimously chose him a day earlier to succeed Jared Rhodes, who recently became chief of the Statewide Planning Program in the state Division of Planning.

 “Mr. Lapolla is a seasoned planner with an impressive background,” the Journal quoted Commission Chairman Paul Petit as saying.

Lapolla holds a master’s degree in community planning from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in sociology from Boston College.

“After 18 years, I almost think of Braintree as my home, so I feel like I’m leaving home,” Lapolla told the Forum. “I’ll miss working here. The planning board and the conservation commission have been very good to me, but this is a new challenge. This is something that will be good both for me and for Cranston. I’m a public servant. I always have been and always will be.”

Lapolla’s salary and starting date have not yet been determined. The position was advertised at an annual salary of between $67,800 and $82,900.

An announcement of Lapolla’s upcoming departure was to be made during Tuesday’s planning board meeting after the Forum went to press.

Cranston, a city that comprises about 29 square miles, is significantly larger than Braintree, a town made up of slightly more than 13 square miles.

Although Braintree has earned a reputation as a highly developed town, Lapolla is proud of what he and other officials have done to keep about 25 percent of it undeveloped.

“When you look at open space in town, your image is shaped by where you drive,” he said. “All our open space isn’t readily visible. The town owns big chunks of land around our reservoirs.”

A Warwick native and long-time resident of North Providence, Lapolla has worked as director of the riverfront development project in Pawtucket and the economic development office in Woonsocket.