East Providence City Council Meeting – May 19, 2026
East Providence City Council Meeting – May 19, 2026
The East Providence City Council met on May 19, 2026, to address a range of topics including road race safety protocols, a public meeting on the Metacomet site, a cell tower dead zone in Riverside, and multiple license approvals. The council also voted on an ordinance to adjust construction start times and a contract for engineering services for the Six Corners area.
Consent Calendar
- Non-public hearing licenses (C1–C12): Bundled and approved unanimously. These included annual victualing and event licenses for organizations such as Joe's Clam Shack.
- Subway show cause hearing: The owner had complied with all licensing requirements within the granted extension; the council approved the license unanimously.
- Reappointment of John Pachico to the Board of Assessment Review (six-year term) was approved unanimously.
- Executive session claims: A total of 13 claims, mostly related to the prior snowstorm and property damage, were approved in amounts ranging from $253.44 to $3,345.57. Total approved claims: approximately $12,846.93.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Candy Seal (125 South Rose Street) – Metacomet site: Ms. Seal reported that a required public meeting on the developer’s soil remediation plan was held on May 12, 2026, but was not video recorded due to a technical glitch. She requested the council ask the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) to extend the 14-day public comment period to begin after the meeting transcript is released (estimated June 2, 2026). She also noted that an outdated code reference still lists a hotel as a permitted use in the Metacomet waterfront district, though it was removed from the use table. She urged the council to correct the error.
Discussion Items
- Road race route safety: Council members raised concerns about residents being blocked from their driveways for up to 45 minutes during a road race on May 17–18. The administration acknowledged complaints and stated that internal safety protocols are under review. The council requested a report on the finalized protocols.
- Metacomet public meeting and hotel error: Council Vice President Rego moved to have the council formally request RIDEM extend the public comment deadline to 14 days after the transcript is available. Council President Rodricks supported drafting a letter. The solicitor confirmed that a hotel is not a permitted use; the use table controls, and the descriptive language was an oversight. Staff will draft an ordinance to strike the reference and send it to the Planning Board.
- Crosswalk request: Council Vice President Rego requested a crosswalk between 1160 Pawtucket Avenue and 225 Newman Avenue. Because both roads are state highways, the council will petition the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
- Naming island after James B. Lappin: The island at Pawtucket Avenue and Center Avenue will be named in honor of the former parks superintendent (1960–1990). A ceremonial sign and dedication are planned.
- Riverside cell tower issue: Council President Rodricks updated that despite prior council approval of a tower site at Grassy Plains Park, a federal conservation easement prevented construction. The administration is exploring alternative sites and a potential land swap, but that requires U.S. Department of Interior approval. Fire department radios and 911 calls remain affected. The council pledged continued advocacy.
- Ordinance on construction start time: Second passage of an ordinance amending Sec. 10-51 of the city code to change the allowable start time for construction or repair of buildings from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. The ordinance does not affect landscaping or other noise sources. Approved unanimously after a public hearing with no opposing speakers.
Key Outcomes
- Road race protocols: The administration will share its updated safety plan with the council; requests for better resident notification will be pursued.
- Metacomet comment deadline: Council will send a letter to RIDEM requesting extension of the public comment period to 14 days after the transcript release.
- Hotel use error: The city solicitor’s office will draft an ordinance to remove “hotel” from the waterfront district description and submit it to the Planning Board.
- Six Corners safe streets contract: Resolution authorizing the mayor to contract with Beta Group Inc. for planning and engineering services (largely grant‑funded) was approved 7–1 (Council President Rodricks voted no, citing preference for state DOT to perform the work).
- Blue Wave Bond resolution: The council approved a resolution supporting House Bill H8151 and amended it to also support the identical Senate Bill S3181, the Blue Wave Bond for Coastal Preparedness Act.
- Cell tower: The administration will continue to press for a solution; no immediate timeline was provided.
- Graduation announcement: East Providence High School graduation is scheduled for June 5, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Pierce Stadium.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, I have yeah, because of the patel uh you couldn't get through a meeting meeting. I'll call the meeting to order of the East Providence City Council May nineteenth, two thousand and twenty-six. Councilman Fogerty. Councilman Lawson. Council Vice President Riga? Yeah. Councilwoman Susa. Here. Council President Roderics. Councilman Fogerty is on his way and we'll we'll be here. Claims in litigation. Yes, under Rhode Island General Laws forty two dash forty six dash five A two. I move to go into executive session. Second by Councilwoman Susan. Good afternoon again. Is there a motion to seal a minute to executive session and return to public session? Motion by Councilman. Seconded by Councilman Fogerty. All in favor. Aye. Next item. Item licenses. There's a motion to bundle non-public hearing licenses. So before we do that, can Andre, we've gotten some calls. Um people upset they were blocked in their homes this past weekend. Um apparently the road race went through the terrace. Are we fully vetting these routes for public safety? And if we're blocking off neighborhoods, like Leah lives on the gully, that was blocked off. Uh, is anybody notifying these people in these neighborhoods that there's an event, even if it's like a half hour 45 minutes? The gentleman that reached out, he was trying to get his kid to a medical appointment and couldn't get out of his driveway for 45 minutes. So I only bring that up because there's what three or four road raises here. So I just want to show we're vetting them properly. Councilman, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We did uh get complaints and calls to the city on the road races and the and the planning and review. We're in the process of reviewing our safety protocols and uh have discussed this uh internally with the teams, so we're aware of it and um we're gonna make sure those issues don't come around. We absolutely love all the things happening EP. We just want to make sure that the folks on unduly uh I don't want to say harassed by it. If you can't get out of your driveway, that's kind of a problem. So thank you. Obviously, just as councilman lawson was talking, uh I agree. Bringing in the people to the city is a great thing. Question, Andre. Um, does the two chiefs of fire and police either themselves or do they have a representative there that sign off on this route? Or will they in the future sign off? So God forbid there's a real emergency situation, and from what we've been told, sometimes they just you know, you can't cross the street, they put Porter John's and everything else there. How how are we gonna get the apparatus down there? God forbid there's a fire. Yeah, Vice President. We we discussed uh the internal plans for these races. Um, but I'm not prepared to speak to this matter right now, it's not on the agenda.
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