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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Newport City Council Meeting: March 11, 2026

Meeting Portal — Wednesday, March 11, 2026

BodyNewport, Rhode Island

SessionMeeting Portal

DateWednesday, March 11, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:00:07

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:05

Yes, uh Giovanna Grizzote.

0:10

I'm sorry if I botched that.

0:12

Come on up.

0:19

Good evening, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight and for hearing my request.

0:23

My name is Giovanna Grizzat, and next month on April 25th, I'll be marrying my high school sweetheart Jonah here in Newport.

0:31

Newport has always held a special place in our story.

0:34

I first visited Rosecliffe on a school field trip when I was younger, and from that moment on, I dreamed of getting married there someday.

0:41

When Jonah proposed to me, he remembered that dream and chose Rosecliffe as the place to ask me to marry him.

0:47

Our wedding will bring together family and friends traveling from near and far, including Brazil, Portugal, Florida, North Carolina, and throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well.

0:57

For many of them, it will be their first time visiting Newport, and we're so excited to share such a beautiful city with them.

1:03

We have been planning our wedding for over a year and a half and have also been in contact with Ocean State Pyrotechnics since last year.

1:10

The fire marshal has also reviewed and approved our plans.

1:14

Because this is such a once-in-a-lifetime moment for us, it would mean so much to include a brief fireworks display during our celebration at Rosecliffe.

1:22

I understand the responsibility that the council has in granting permits like this, and I kindly ask the council to consider allowing this display.

1:30

We would be happy to follow any conditions you feel are appropriate.

1:34

Thank you again for your time and your consideration.

1:37

Thank you.

1:42

Okay.

1:43

Yeah.

1:43

Thank you.

1:44

Yep.

1:44

That's the best way to do it.

1:47

Thank you.

1:49

Okay.

1:55

All right.

1:56

Um before we get started with our meeting, we do have a proclamation that I'll read celebrating Irish Heritage Month.

2:18

Okay.

2:19

Counselor.

2:20

All right.

2:20

So whereas more than 30 million Americans claim Irish heritage and look back with pride on the achievements and contributions made by the ancestors.

2:29

The Irish who came to America endured many hardships but have prevailed to play important roles in the history of the United States.

2:35

And whereas Newport has been blessed by generations of Irish immigrants that settled here in the 1800s, drawn by the opportunity for work.

2:43

And whereas today many Irish American families still live and prosper in Newport, maintaining close ties with their ancestors in Ireland.

2:50

And whereas many organizations, including the Dennis E.

2:54

Collins Division No.

2:55

Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Irish Heritage Association, the Museum of Newport Irish History, the St.

3:02

Patrick's Day Parade Committee, and the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival continue to celebrate the great history of Irish Americans and their future.

3:09

And whereas the bond between Newport and Ireland was officially recognized with the signing of the twinning agreement between Kinsale, Ireland in 1999 and reaffirmed in 2024 on the 25th anniversary in Kinsale and once again in Newport last April.

3:24

And whereas delegations from both communities have visited each other, developing a cultural, ethnic, economic, and educational relationship based on mutual interest, including sailing, rugby, chef exchanges to name a few.

3:37

Now, therefore, be it that I, Charles Holder, mayor of the city of Newport and the state of Rhode Island do hereby proclaim the month of March as Irish Heritage Month in the city of Newport and call upon all citizens to join with me, our Irish friends and neighbors in the celebration of supporting the many events which will be held throughout the month to acquaint us with the customs and culture of that grand and noble island.

3:58

The city shall display the Irish flag from the mayor's balcony at City Hall during the month of March 2026.

4:05

Thank you.

4:08

The parade is on Saturday.

4:09

The parade is on Saturday.

4:10

Taken off at 11 o'clock.

4:13

So hopefully some sunshine.

4:16

Motion to approve the consent calendar.

4:18

Oh, Mr.

4:18

Carlin, do you have anything you want to remove from the consent calendar?

4:21

No.

4:21

Okay.

4:22

Motion to approve the consent calendar in its entirety with the exception of B3 and F.

4:30

Second.

4:31

Motion and second, any discussion.

4:33

Those in favor say aye.

4:35

Um motion to approve Shea and Cousins doing business as Easter Extravaganza, Newport Skate Park, April 4th, 2026 from 2 p.m.

4:43

to 9 p.m.

4:44

I make a motion that we continue this to the March 25th meeting.

4:52

Second.

4:53

We have a motion and second.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Parking and Traffic█████████████████████████████████████████████45%

Procedural██████████████14%

Public Engagement█████████9%

Budget Equity Analysis████████8%

Technology and Innovation███████7%

Transportation Safety██████6%

Water And Wastewater Management███3%

Fiscal Sustainability███3%

Special Events██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Newport City Council Meeting - March 11, 2026

The Newport City Council met on March 11, 2026, to address a range of issues including a fireworks permit request, bicycle code revisions, an overhaul of the residential parking permit system, short-term rental regulations, and infrastructure funding. Several votes were taken, with notable debate on the balance between administrative burden and enforcement efficiency.

Consent Calendar

Approved the consent calendar with exceptions of items B3 and F (continued to March 25 meeting).
Approved the Easter Extravaganza permit (April 4, 2026, 2–9 PM) at Newport Skate Park.
Approved mobile food cart renewals for Newport Lobster Shack and new vendor Newport Sushi.
Approved a victualing license for Route Newport LLC (doing business as Route Newport) at 6 Broadway.
Adopted ITC recommendations: three-hour parking limit (Monday–Saturday 6 AM–9 PM, Sunday 10 AM–9 PM) in the library/recreation lot at Aquidneck Park, with resident-only parking 10 PM–6 AM from May 1–September 30; added towing zone on Narragansett Avenue; and installed a multi-way stop at Bedloe and Hillside Avenues.
Awarded a contract to Fire Tech and Safety of New England for fire hose and appliances at $140,100 (budgeted).
Amended Section 5.04.070 (Holiday Selling) to remove the state-required license.

Public Comments & Testimony

Giovanna Grizzat requested a brief fireworks display for her wedding at Rosecliffe on April 25, 2026. She noted fire marshal approval and offered to follow any conditions. No vote was taken on the request.
Lola Herrera (59 Bedloe Avenue) supported the proposed stop sign, citing flooding and traffic dangers; she stated she collected 30 signatures from neighbors.
Michael Katsanakis (58 Washington Street) asked about fleet passes for residents with out-of-state vehicle registrations; he was informed that fleet passes are not part of the current parking amendments.
Lori Kenny (City Tax Collector) testified that the existing parking permit database is current due to diligent purging (approximately 200 returned envelopes per season). She stated that the problem of excessive permits is small (485 permits for 4+ vehicles, affecting ~100 households) and recommended simply capping high-permit holders rather than requiring all 14,000 residents to reapply. She expressed concern about the tight timeline for launching online applications by May 1.

Discussion Items

Bicycle Code Revisions: Presented by Rachel Schmidt (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission). The proposal clarifies 20 ordinances, including e-bike definitions (minimum age 16 per state law), simplified language, and removal of an unenforced bicycle license requirement. Police Chief Duffy was involved. Councilor Napolitano questioned enforcement; the commission noted collaboration with schools and police. The item was received and referred to administration for recommendations.
Residential Parking Permit Overhaul: Extensive debate on proposed amendments to Sections 10.32.020 (Definitions), 10.32.070 (Permits & Visitor Passes), and 10.32.010 (Revocation). Key changes: two resident categories (R1: primary residents; R2: non-resident property owners and long-term tenants), annual renewal with proof of residency, caps (R1: 3 permits per individual, R2: 1 per property, LLCs/trusts: 2 per property), and digital enforcement. Councilors expressed mixed views: Carlin argued the burden on 98% of residents was unwarranted for a small number of violators; Comeza Varbong suggested using technology to target violators rather than requiring all to reapply; Smith and Segley wanted more time. Director Nolan noted that 94% of households have ≤2 vehicles (capped at 3 would affect 98% of permits). Tax collector Kenny supported capping but warned of workload. After amendments, first readings passed: Definitions 5–2, Permits/Visitor Passes 5–2, Revocation 4–3.
Short-Term Rental Ordinance (Second Reading): Proposed amendments to Section 17.04.050 (General Provisions). Councilor Carlin opposed a continuance, stating there had been 17 public meetings since 2023. Councilors Segley, Smythe, and Bennett requested a workshop to clarify confusion and hear from both sides. A motion to continue to a workshop passed 5–2.
Bond Resolution (First Tranche): Authorized borrowing for capital projects with a 10% flexibility clause. Passed 6–1.
Ad Hoc Resilience and Sustainability Fund Steering Committee: Introduced by Councilor Smythe. The committee will explore funding mechanisms including a conveyance fee (exempting primary residents). Councilor Carlin opposed as a tax on home sellers; others supported proactive planning. Passed 6–1.

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar: Approved with noted exceptions; items B3 and F continued to March 25.
Bicycle Code: Referred to administration for formal recommendations.
Parking Ordinances: Three amendments passed first reading (definitions 5–2, permits 5–2, revocation 4–3); second readings scheduled.
Short-Term Rentals: Continued to a public workshop (5–2); further action deferred.
Bond Resolution: Approved 6–1.
Resilience Committee: Established 6–1; initial framework due in 120 days, final report in 9 months.
Licenses & Permits: Approved Easter Extravaganza, multiple food cart and liquor licenses, and Sunday sales for four liquor stores.

The meeting also included a proclamation celebrating Irish Heritage Month and adjourned to the Board of License Commissioners for liquor store approvals.

Meeting Transcript

Yes, uh Giovanna Grizzote. I'm sorry if I botched that. Come on up. Good evening, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight and for hearing my request. My name is Giovanna Grizzat, and next month on April 25th, I'll be marrying my high school sweetheart Jonah here in Newport. Newport has always held a special place in our story. I first visited Rosecliffe on a school field trip when I was younger, and from that moment on, I dreamed of getting married there someday. When Jonah proposed to me, he remembered that dream and chose Rosecliffe as the place to ask me to marry him. Our wedding will bring together family and friends traveling from near and far, including Brazil, Portugal, Florida, North Carolina, and throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well. For many of them, it will be their first time visiting Newport, and we're so excited to share such a beautiful city with them. We have been planning our wedding for over a year and a half and have also been in contact with Ocean State Pyrotechnics since last year. The fire marshal has also reviewed and approved our plans. Because this is such a once-in-a-lifetime moment for us, it would mean so much to include a brief fireworks display during our celebration at Rosecliffe. I understand the responsibility that the council has in granting permits like this, and I kindly ask the council to consider allowing this display. We would be happy to follow any conditions you feel are appropriate. Thank you again for your time and your consideration. Thank you. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Yep. That's the best way to do it. Thank you. Okay. All right. Um before we get started with our meeting, we do have a proclamation that I'll read celebrating Irish Heritage Month. Okay. Counselor. All right. So whereas more than 30 million Americans claim Irish heritage and look back with pride on the achievements and contributions made by the ancestors. The Irish who came to America endured many hardships but have prevailed to play important roles in the history of the United States. And whereas Newport has been blessed by generations of Irish immigrants that settled here in the 1800s, drawn by the opportunity for work. And whereas today many Irish American families still live and prosper in Newport, maintaining close ties with their ancestors in Ireland. And whereas many organizations, including the Dennis E. Collins Division No. Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Irish Heritage Association, the Museum of Newport Irish History, the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, and the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival continue to celebrate the great history of Irish Americans and their future. And whereas the bond between Newport and Ireland was officially recognized with the signing of the twinning agreement between Kinsale, Ireland in 1999 and reaffirmed in 2024 on the 25th anniversary in Kinsale and once again in Newport last April. And whereas delegations from both communities have visited each other, developing a cultural, ethnic, economic, and educational relationship based on mutual interest, including sailing, rugby, chef exchanges to name a few. Now, therefore, be it that I, Charles Holder, mayor of the city of Newport and the state of Rhode Island do hereby proclaim the month of March as Irish Heritage Month in the city of Newport and call upon all citizens to join with me, our Irish friends and neighbors in the celebration of supporting the many events which will be held throughout the month to acquaint us with the customs and culture of that grand and noble island. The city shall display the Irish flag from the mayor's balcony at City Hall during the month of March 2026. Thank you. The parade is on Saturday. The parade is on Saturday. Taken off at 11 o'clock. So hopefully some sunshine. Motion to approve the consent calendar. Oh, Mr. Carlin, do you have anything you want to remove from the consent calendar? No.

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