OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Newport Planning Board Regular Meeting - May 12, 2025

Meeting Portal — Monday, May 12, 2025
BodyNewport, Rhode Island
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, May 12, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 26:59

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

McGreevy.

0:00

Here.

0:01

Christian Tanelli.

0:02

Yeah.

0:03

And Jared Pennella.

0:05

And tell.

0:07

So I'm sorry.

0:08

Here.

0:09

And Richard Cromwell.

0:10

I'm here.

0:11

You have a quarrel.

0:12

No one's ever messed up Jared's name, so it's okay.

0:15

Everyone does.

0:18

The menu is approval of the April 7th meeting minutes.

0:21

Can I have a motion to approve the minutes?

0:23

So moved.

0:26

Second.

0:26

It's moved and seconded.

0:27

Is there any discussion?

0:30

I notice that you attach the exhibits to the minutes.

0:33

That's I don't recall ever seeing that before.

0:38

Right.

0:38

There were a lot of questions about uh things that we were doing before, so we've decided to attach uh the things that were approved administratively and things like that.

0:48

And also more information the better.

0:50

Yep.

0:51

Okay.

0:52

That's all.

0:53

Um it's been moved and seconded.

0:55

All those in favor say aye.

0:57

Aye.

0:57

The ayes have it.

0:58

Uh next on the agenda is communications from state housing plan, the housing 2030 draft.

1:04

Uh staff.

1:06

Right.

1:07

So the uh the newly formed uh Rhode Island Department of Housing has put out uh this housing um 2030 plan and it addresses housing issues just like we have but on a statewide basis and like with all of the planning work that we do, uh the city uh is uh sort of in line with the plans that are above us at the state.

1:30

So we get we provided this to you so that you could see what the state's goals are for Newport and how well they actually align with our housing goals.

1:38

Uh the pace that the state has set is quite ambitious for the same number of housing units.

1:45

Um I think that you know the city is probably more uh in tune with how quickly we can provide those, and we will be working to uh you know enact our city housing chapter uh to the best extent that we can.

2:00

Great.

2:00

Thank you, Trish.

2:02

Uh any questions for staff from the board?

2:05

No, thanks for uh providing it.

2:07

It's very informative.

2:08

Lots of data, uh lots of good information.

2:12

Just one clarification.

2:14

I'm assuming a lot of those goals, they're really from 25 to 30 in a five-year period.

2:20

Right.

2:20

There is a much more compressed time span than the planning uh planning horizon usually is.

2:26

So I think we use I mean our the last presentation came from your office was 10 years.

2:33

Okay.

2:33

So we usually use 10 years for our housing plan.

2:36

A lot of the we looked forward to the growth that we expect over the next 30 years, which is a little bit longer, but it's a more doable goal for us to provide that number of housing units in our chapter over that span.

2:49

Yeah.

2:49

We had more uh data around that was sort of um factored into our timing.

2:59

Thank you.

3:00

Um next on the agenda is business.

3:04

Can I have a motion to um let me see?

3:09

I have a motion to move items B, C, and D ahead of item A.

3:16

So moved uh moved and seconded.

3:20

Um because we're we're continuing all three applications, uh, so we want to just kind of get it off the books for them.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████58%
Public Engagement██████████████████████28%
Procedural██████8%
Zoning and Land Use█████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Newport Planning Board Regular Meeting - May 12, 2025

The Newport Planning Board convened at 6:30 p.m. on May 12, 2025, in the Council Chambers at 43 Broadway. The board approved prior meeting minutes, reviewed the state's Housing 2030 plan, scheduled special meetings for the Waites Wharf Hotel applications, continued a zoning petition, and certified the CDBG application as consistent with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. All votes were unanimous unless noted. The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • Motion to approve April 7, 2025 meeting minutes passed unanimously. The minutes now include exhibits attached to improve transparency regarding previously approved administrative actions.

Communications

  • State Housing Plan (Housing 2030) was presented by staff. The Rhode Island Department of Housing's new plan sets ambitious statewide housing goals over a five-year period (2025–2030). Staff noted the city's 10-year housing plan uses a longer horizon. Board members noted the plan's useful data and page 35's 'menu of pro-housing reforms' that could serve as a dashboard for Newport's zoning updates.

Business

  • Reordered agenda: Motion to move items B, C, and D ahead of item A (CDBG) passed unanimously.
  • Item B (Waites Wharf Hotel – North Lot): Set a special meeting date for Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers to continue the public hearing. Approved unanimously.
  • Item C (Waites Wharf Hotel – South Lot): Also set for Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to continue the public hearing. Approved unanimously.
  • Item D (Petition to amend Future Land Use Map): Continued to the June 2, 2025 Planning Board meeting. Approved unanimously.

CDBG Certification

  • Bob (Robert) Plain of Church Community Housing Corporation presented the Project Year 25 CDBG application. He explained that the board's role is to certify that proposed activities are not in conflict with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, not to evaluate their worthiness.
  • Item 1 – North End Park Improvements: $800,000 for bubblers, bathrooms, and shade awning. Board found no conflict with open space and resources goals.
  • Item 2 – McKinney Shelter: $320,000 for operating support. Board found it consistent with housing and public services goals.
  • Item 3 – Newport Housing Authority: $500,000 for security upgrades (e.g., alarms, cameras). Board found it supports maintaining affordable housing.
  • Item 4 – Boys and Girls Club After-School Programs: Removed from list; the group is not applying this year. Board declined to strike from record to allow flexibility, but no action needed.
  • Item 5 – EBCAP Dental Equipment: $40,000 for a dental chair and equipment. Board found it consistent with social services goals.
  • Home Repair Program: Not part of this competitive round; can be certified later.
  • Motion to adopt the staff report as findings of fact was approved unanimously. Individual items were then certified as not in conflict with the comprehensive plan: the board voted accordingly for each item (motion passed unanimously).

Reports

  • Actions of the Administrative Officer: Presented for information: demolition at 6 Lucas Avenue (positive TRC recommendation), and two lot line adjustments (Kerins Terrace and Bazarsky subdivisions) recorded.
  • Liaison reports:
    • Tree and Open Space Commission: No report.
    • Waterfront Commission: Working on additional moorings and lottery system; Elm Street Pier expected to be functional soon.
    • Energy and Environment Commission: Developing sustainability and resilience sections of the new comprehensive plan.
    • Housing and Zoning Working Group: Housing planner Elijah (state housing fellow) will report to City Council on housing policies and research; a housing task force is being considered. Zoning updates will be staged to support housing chapter.
    • Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee: No liaison present; interviews for new members were held, with one more needed.

Adjournment

  • Motion to adjourn passed unanimously at 6:57 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

McGreevy. Here. Christian Tanelli. Yeah. And Jared Pennella. And tell. So I'm sorry. Here. And Richard Cromwell. I'm here. You have a quarrel. No one's ever messed up Jared's name, so it's okay. Everyone does. The menu is approval of the April 7th meeting minutes. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes? So moved. Second. It's moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? I notice that you attach the exhibits to the minutes. That's I don't recall ever seeing that before. Right. There were a lot of questions about uh things that we were doing before, so we've decided to attach uh the things that were approved administratively and things like that. And also more information the better. Yep. Okay. That's all. Um it's been moved and seconded. All those in favor say aye. Aye. The ayes have it. Uh next on the agenda is communications from state housing plan, the housing 2030 draft. Uh staff. Right. So the uh the newly formed uh Rhode Island Department of Housing has put out uh this housing um 2030 plan and it addresses housing issues just like we have but on a statewide basis and like with all of the planning work that we do, uh the city uh is uh sort of in line with the plans that are above us at the state. So we get we provided this to you so that you could see what the state's goals are for Newport and how well they actually align with our housing goals. Uh the pace that the state has set is quite ambitious for the same number of housing units. Um I think that you know the city is probably more uh in tune with how quickly we can provide those, and we will be working to uh you know enact our city housing chapter uh to the best extent that we can. Great. Thank you, Trish. Uh any questions for staff from the board? No, thanks for uh providing it. It's very informative. Lots of data, uh lots of good information. Just one clarification. I'm assuming a lot of those goals, they're really from 25 to 30 in a five-year period. Right. There is a much more compressed time span than the planning uh planning horizon usually is. So I think we use I mean our the last presentation came from your office was 10 years. Okay.

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